THE HISTORY OF TAMMELA
The main house of Tammela was originally built as a home for several households. The exact year of construction is not known. It is stated in the oldest fire insurance document available, dated 1857, that the house was built in earlier times. In other words, Tammela supposedly dates back to the early 19th century.
The oldest building permit plan is dated 1903. It was an alteration plan according to which the main building was extended on the courtyard side. At the same time a south wing was built by attaching a separate timber frame to the main building. In the alteration the length of the main building was shortened by removing one timber frame in the east end. A natural gate to the courtyard was formed. When these alterations had taken place, the living area of Tammela measured 237 m², which is also the present size of the building.
The estate was privately owned until the year 1952, when it was purchased by Länsi-Suomi Ltd. Only minor alterations were made to the house and various tenants lived in it in the following years. In 1975 the Tammela estate was sold to its present owner, the town of Rauma. The building was transformed into a school of music during 1976 and 1977. The changes were extensive: for example, the walls were clad with chipboard and mechanical ventilation was installed. This was typical of the decade. Furthermore, all the walls were straightened and supporting rails were attached, even to the non-bearing internal walls. Also, the ceilings were suspended. These changes made the rooms considerably smaller.
A floor plan of Tammela from 1903 shows the alterations made to the building at that time.
