About Gullö
As early as the 14th and 15th centuries Gullö and its neighbouring fishing waters were part of the Padis monastery situated near Tallinn in Estonia.
An old document dated in Stockholm on the 13th of April 1562 states that King Erik XIV donated Gullö to Nils Boije as a freehold estate. Boije was the bailiff of Raseborg castle and later became the governor of Finland. Gullö then became a cavalry estate which put soldiers at the Swedish army´s disposal. The major sources of livelyhood were the production of meat, butter and hay as well as the fishing of Baltic herring. The horses of the army were also allowed to graze on Gullö land in the summer. The Boije family owned the estate for 150 years.
In the 18th century the Boije family became the Klick family as a result of marital arrangement, and during their ownership agriculture was expanded and four work service cottages were established on the premises. The forest was cleared at great speed to provide charcoal for the iron forgeries at Fagervik and Skogby. At the beginning of the 18th century there was already a shortage of raw material for the production of charcoal. Wood was also exported to Stockholm and Reval. Log cottages, which could be assembled on the spot, were also popular export products.
At the end of the 18th century Gullö provided a clandestine meeting place for the Anjala Union, a group of high-ranking officers whose aim was to liberate Finland from Sweden. At the beginning of the 19th century the estate changed ownership several times. During the last 200 years it has been the property of the Kopparström and Aschan families.
Gullö today
At present about 50 hectares are used for growing grain. Forestry is still important and provides logs and pulpwood for sale as well as chip for the heating centre of the farm. In our forestry we try to keep a balance between economy and nature values.
Since the 1960s three of the work cottages have been available for rental to summer guests. In the autumn and spring Gullö is popular among anglers.
A green oasis
The manor is surrounded by lush oak groves, several of them protected nature sites. They were used as grazing areas as late as the 17th century. After that grazing gradually discontinued, and the groves have nearly reached a natural state with a varied vegetation and an abundant bird-life.
Farther inland the terrain is diverse, with rich forests, hills, bogs, and three lakes with scenic shores for the hiker and habitat for the rare loon. The wilderness milieu around the lakes is a nature reserve and part of the EU's Natura Program.
On top of Bötesberget, the highest point of the island, an observation tower provides a magnificient view over Gullö and the wide archipelago.