Birds sing in the trees, and the warm sunlight filters through birches and lindens, casting a golden glow over the old wooden buildings – some of which have stood here for centuries.
In the early 1600s, the island became infamous as the site of a leper hospital. Those diagnosed with leprosy, a feared and misunderstood disease at the time, were sent here to live out the remainder of their lives – far removed from the mainland.
For many, the journey to Seili was one-way; patients were expected to bring their coffin, a poignant symbol of the island’s role as a place of last resort.
By the 18th century, the hospital was repurposed as a mental asylum. The isolated island provided a secluded environment for those deemed unfit for society. The hospital operated until 1962.
The wooden church, built in 1733, stands as a silent witness to the island’s history, its walls telling visitors stories of the people who once lived here.
Seili is an adored visiting spot to study not only its complicated history – but its stories of the authentic, ever-changing nature of Saaristo.
©© Photo by Matti Haltia, University of Turku archive
