History

VALTAKATU 7

Valtakatu 7 is an Art Nouveau building completed in 1912. The house was designed by architect Onni Von Zasen, except for the facades of the house, which were designed by architect Armas Siitonen. The building was designed as the home of Consul Wladimir Sofronoff’s family, but the building served as a private residence for only four years. (Uola 1996, 236) Sofronoff was a successful merchant and influential citizen in Rauma (Niemi 2007, 15–17).

During the First World War, the building was sold to Edvard Kuronen, a restaurateur who kept the Rauma Club Room, and who opened a hotel in the house. Hotel Rauma was inaugurated in October 1916. The hotel was operated in the building until the beginning of the 1920s, but eventually ended unprofitable. At that time, the house was transferred to the ownership of Ikkunalasi Oy, which operated in Rauma Korkeakari.

The city of Rauma bought the building in 1922 as a police station and grated it. At that time, the office also housed the Rauma Protection Department and the Lottery Department. Cells were built in the courtyard building and the Armed Forces' weapons depot was also located there.

In 1991, the City of Rauma approved the plans of the Teresia and Rafael Lönnström Foundation to renovate the building for art museum use. Architect Markus Bernoull drew the renovation sketches and the art museum was opened in September 1993. (Uola 1996, 236) Until 2015, the building served as an art museum.

Riku Räsänen, a businessman from Rauma, bought the property in 2014 and now Valtakatu 7 serves as a studio, office and retail space.

HOME OF MERCHANT WLADIMIR SOFRONOFF

Wladimir Sofronoff, aka Walle Sovero in Finnish since 1919, was born in Rauma in 1876 to the family of Ivan Sofronoff and Karolina Lundstedt from Uhtua Lamminpohja.

Sofroniffi shop on the edge of the market square

Walle Sovero (1876–1935) was an influential businessman in Rauma. He ran the retail and wholesale store Lehtinen & Sofronoff, which operated in a central location, in Rännär's house next to Raastuva. Sovero also served on the board of the Rauma Savings Bank and was founding a newspaper in Western Finland that will still be published in Rauma. Sovero was active in various positions of trust and, like his father, practiced charity in Rauma.

Lehtinen & Sofronoff

At the age of 35, Sovero was Finland's youngest trade adviser. The effectiveness of his transactions is best seen in his centrally located private apartment, Valtakatu 7, which has since served Rauma residents in many ways.

However, Sovero had seen so much of the world that little Rauma did not become his place of residence for the rest of his life. He also owned a house in Helsinki, where he and his family eventually moved. However, Rauma remained close to Sovero for the rest of his life, above all as a summer resort, and it should be noted that Sofronoff's family still lives in Rauma.

SOURCES: Geni.com | PHOTOS: Sofronoff/Soveron family