The Nallikari villa tradition
The large Nallikari area consists of four old islands that have almost coalesced into each other in the course of time. After an English naval division destroyed in 1854 the tervahovi (“tar court”) that was in Toppila, near Nallikari, the land use in the area was redesigned. The Oulu commercial club started renting building grounds for the burghers of Oulu from 1856 onwards. This began the Oulu villa tradition that has continued into the present. A decade later the city of Oulu started renting villa lots to its citizens from the land grants of Hietasaari and Mustasaari.
The first burgher villas were completed in the 1850’s in Toppilansaari. One of the most notable displays of the bourgeois lifestyle was the fact that the burghers were able to build villas outside the city. Life in the villas involved maintaining an active social life as well. Because of this, every villa had all the necessary outbuildings needed for living and entertaining guests.
The Nallikari villa tradition may be characterized with three words: “back to nature”. The different architectural styles used in the buildings represent this basic idea as well. The older villas may be distinguished by their red ochre paint. The slightly younger villas are characterised by their wooden decorations. In the 1880’s villas with belvederes became fashionable. Even some of the older villas were refurnished with belvederes.
Pasi Kovalainen 24.4.2006
Translated by Matti Nikkilä