History
The Lapinlahti hospital is the first mental hospital in Finland. The hospital is situated on the seashore and surrounded by a wide park, which neighbours several historical graveyards in the west.
Lapinlahti was built in the spirit of philanthropy, "no restraint " being the leading idea. One of its models was the newly built St.Petersburg hospital, in the building of which Samuel Tuke, the founder of the famous "Retreat" at York had been the advisor. In the planning of Lapinlahti great consideration was given to the wellbeing of the patients : nice light rooms, enough place for work and entertainment, possibility to work outside etc. However, very soon it became obvious , that the rooms for the restless and the untidy were insufficient. In 1877 new wings were erected. Lapinlahti has been a University hospital since 1893. A wide national movement has arisen against the plans to close down the hospital after 2003. Lapinlaht hospital is protected by the Building Protection Act (1994). The protection of the surrounding park is still unsolved.

Architecture:
Lapinlahti is a H-shaped building in modest neoclassical style. Origininally it consisted of a two-storeyed Corps de Logis in the middle,the patients two-storeyed wings in the west and the one-storeyed wings for kitchen, stable etc. in the east. These have been later on raised with one storey, even the attic has largely been brought in to use. The lower wings from 1877 are still used as closedwards. Other buildings are the bakery and laundry building constructed in 1895, Sauna in the1880s, carpenter´s workshop in 1882 and some minor storages after the year 1900 .