The small ascetic island of Klovharu lies off the coast of Porvoo in the Pellinki archipelago – a small rocky island where Tove Jansson and her partner Tuulikki “Tooti” Pietilä spent their summers for close to 30 years.
Tove loved islands. In an interview in the 1940s, she revealed her dream of owning an island and being a keeper of her own lighthouse. Tove was already well acquainted with the sea and the Pellinki archipelago from summers spent there with her family and their many day trips. Islands also appear in her work as hives of adventure and the setting for rebirth and change – places where you can build your own world. Source.
Tuulikki’s architect brother Reima Pietilä designed a small cottage on the island and it was built during the years 1964-1965. After spending nearly thirty summers on the island, in 1995, Tove and Tooti donated to the summer cottage for Pellinge Hembygdsförening i Helsingfors. The association strives to maintain the cottage as its original appearance following Tove’s wishes and principles.
Landing on the privately owned island Klovharu is only allowed during one week in the summer. In summer 2016 the week is 29, starting on Saturday, July 12th at 12 am and ending on Saturday, July 23rd at 12. For more information please visit Pellinki Association’s website.
Finnish TV-series Stugor presents the summer cottage architecture in Finland with Kasper Strömman. Tove Jansson’s niece Sophia Jansson shows the cottage in the episode where Klovharu is featured from 16:12 onwards.