The Life and Travels of Mrs Suvi

This red granite building in Porvoo was designed by Walter and Ivar Thomén. The men were also the designers of Helsinki’s Stockmann department store.

The building was built for banking purposes in 1915 but in 1957 the Porvoo congregation aquired it. You can find statues of a man and a woman holding children in front of the building.

There is a mystery related to this location – apparently old Porvoo residents remember admiring and playing on bear statues in front of this building but no information can be found on them or where they have disappeared.

The statues symbolize co-operation and savings. I guess this is why the statues have such solemn expressions!

The information about these statues is in courtesy of the Porvoo congregation’s very helpful press officer Minna Kajaste and the book Porvoon säästöpankki 150 vuotta by Anders G. Lindqvist, 1992.

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xx