The first mentions of the Kiiskilä estate in historical documents were found as early as 1562-1583 (during Swedish rule, when the manor was entrusted to the Vyborg ratman (a member of the city court and magistrate) Vit Old, and then to the Russian language translator Gabriel Jöns). The next mentions of the estate appear only 100 years later (in 1665), when the manor was transferred to the commandant of the Vyborg fortress, Governor Peter Holländer Ridder, and it remained under his control until 1706. After that, the estate was assigned to the cavalry under the name "Reducerade Prebende Mantal."
During Russian rule, in 1754, the owner was the provincial counselor Gersdorff, and from him the ownership rights passed to the merchant family Sesemann, from whom the territory was bought by Friedrich Dannenberg – a German by nationality, a large landowner. He demolished the old estate buildings and began constructing the main building. The main building of the estate was built in 1816 according to the design of the French architect Petr Lukich Villiers. This house is the main historical building of the estate, preserved to this day.
Friedrich Dannenberg’s daughter – Julia Dorothea Dannenberg (1818-1889) married Leopold Wilhelm Kron (1806-1890), son of Abraham Kron – the first Russian industrial brewer, founder of a large brewery (now known as the Stepan Razin plant, owned by the company "Heineken"), who was closely acquainted with Catherine II. It was Catherine II who noticed Abraham Kron, who held the position of assistant to the palace bakery, and offered to fulfill any of his wishes (according to the Kron family legend, Catherine II had a close relationship with the young Abraham). After a week of consideration, Abraham asked the Empress for 1,000 rubles and a plot by the water to build a brewery. Catherine II gave Abraham not one thousand, but 30,000 rubles, as well as a plot by the water and a contract to supply beer to the court. Thus, the first Russian brewery was founded.
Abraham Kron had six sons. One of his sons, Leopold, did not want to engage in brewing. He met Julia Dannenberg at an evening event in Saint Petersburg and proposed to her. According to the father’s will, the wedding was held only three years later, when Julia turned 17. Julia and Leopold settled in the Kiiskilä estate. Since then, the history of the estate became linked with the history of Russian brewing, and the estate buildings bore a symbol – intertwined laurel rings, symbolizing the union of the Dannenberg and Kron families. In 1841, Friedrich Dannenberg sold the estate to Julia and Leopold.
Julia and Leopold’s children left a significant mark on history. The eldest son, Julius Kron (1835-1888), a philologist by education, made great efforts to popularize the use of the Finnish language in the Grand Duchy of Finland. He published magazines, translated foreign works into Finnish, wrote poems in Finnish, organized societies of Finnish language enthusiasts, created a school for peasant children, and sponsored the writing of one of the first novels in Finnish – "Seven Brothers" (author – Alexis Kivi). Being a pure-blooded German, Julius Kron publicly declared that he was a Finn and throughout his life did a great deal to promote the use of Finnish, rather than Swedish, as the main language among Finns.
The second son of Julia and Leopold – Leopold August Kron – was a surgeon, founder of the Finnish branch of the Red Cross, and head of Finland’s sanitary service. In this position, he did a great deal to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among the inhabitants of the duchy, including the prevention of diseases among Finnish soldiers who fought on the Russian side in the Crimean War.
Julius Kron’s daughter – Aino Kallas (1878-1956) – was a famous writer whose books were translated into 25 languages, and whose plays were staged in London and on Broadway.
Aino’s brother – Ilmari Kron (1867-1960) – was a well-known Finnish composer, author of 44 a cappella spiritual hymns, a piano sonata, a suite for string orchestra, psalms, and romances.
The second brother – Kaarle Kron (1863-1933) – was a Finnish folklorist and literature researcher.
Aino’s sister – Helmi Kron (1871-1967) – was a Finnish writer and publisher, author of children’s books.
In 1888, Julius Kron died in a sailboat accident in the Gulf of Finland. Soon after, shocked by the incident, the parents sold the estate, and the furniture and other items were auctioned off. In the same year, the Kiiskilä estate was bought by military accountant Viktor Arenberg, but in the following years it changed hands many times. In 1897, the estate was purchased by Wilhelm Breitenstein, who on his mother’s side belonged to the Kron family. Among his most famous descendants are Frederik Wilhelm Breitenstein (1933-2005), former Finnish ambassador to the UN, and Alexander Stubb, former Prime Minister of Finland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Finance.
After 1918, the estate belonged to the society of disabled veterans of the Finnish Civil War.
In 1940 and 1944, the estate lands were transferred to the Soviet Union under the Moscow Peace Treaty and the Moscow Armistice, respectively.
After World War II, the Kiiskilä estate housed a children’s home, and later the "Chaika" pioneer camp.
During perestroika, the territory of the pioneer camp with buildings was bought into private ownership. By that time, most of the estate buildings were in a dilapidated state, and some were destroyed. For 14 years after the estate passed into private ownership, no repair work was carried out.
In 2016, the estate territory with buildings was acquired by a surgeon from Saint Petersburg, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Ilya Valeryevich Sleptsov. Restoration work began in 2016 and continues to this day.
Sources:
https://kiiskila.estate/ru/istoriya-usadby/
