Mannerheim Museum
Carl Gustav Mannerheim (1867-1951) was the president and national
hero of Finland, whose whole life was closely connected with Russia.
Mannerheim was born in Finland, not far from Turku in Finnish-Swedish
family with Dutch roots. Russian period of his life began when he
entered Nicolaevskiy Cavalry College in Saint Petersburg. He was
on military service in one of the regiments under the Empress Maria
Fedorovna management, took part in Russian-Japanese War (1904-1905),
and became a member of military research expedition to Central Asia.
He was conferred the rank of general-lieutenant and got a lot of
government awards. During the civil war in Finland Mannerheim was
at the head of the headquarters of "whites". He was the
author of the famous military defensive installations on Karelian
Isthmus ("Mannerheim's Line"). Gustav Mannerheim died
in Switzerland and was buried on Old Cemetery in Helsinki.
The main street of Helsinki is named Mannerheimintie in honor of
the national hero. In the capital of Finland was also erected a
monument to Mannerheim. His house was turned to the museum. It is
situated in the privileged district of the city near the Ambassador
square. The house was built in 1873 according to the project of
architect A.Boman. Mannerheim rented this house and till his death
lived there, though the government of Finland wanted to buy and
give the president. One of the rooms looks like Mannerheim's personal
hall of glory. In the bookcases there are twelve books with the
signatures of Finnish citizens supporting Mannerheim, on the walls
- hunting trophy. The decor of the living-room reminds the furniture
of Mannerheim's flats in Warsaw and Saint Petersburg. On the floor
there is a skin of the tiger, killed by marshal in Nepal in 1937.
Table lamps are brought from the East in the beginning of 20th century,
lamp-brackets - from Venice. Mannerheim's military uniform and awards
are also displayed in the museum. The excursions are conducted in
English, German, Swedish and Finnish languages.
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