Pirkanmaa welfare region begins auctioning historic items from closed Pitkäniemi Hospital in Nokia

The Pirkanmaa welfare region has begun selling items from the now-closed historic Pitkäniemi Hospital, piece by piece. The items available for bidding on Huutokaupat.com include hospital furniture, dishes, and artwork. Pitkäniemi Psychiatric Hospital operated for over 123 years in Nokia before it was closed in January of this year. Operations have since transferred to the nearby Tampere University Hospital.

According to Saara Vänskä, the property manager of the welfare region, the goal is to sell unnecessary items, although no specific price targets have been set. Some furniture from the hospital has already been redistributed to other hospitals, with patient beds even sent to Ukraine. Additional similar items will also be put up for auction in the future as the region seeks to clear out several buildings at a time.

There is uncertainty surrounding the fate of a cemetery associated with the old psychiatric hospital. Although media interpretations may imply that it is up for sale, no formal decision has been made. Vänskä notes that maintenance responsibilities for the cemetery could realistically only be assumed by the Nokia parish or another party that manages cemeteries. The Nokia parish was offered the cemetery back in the 1960s but has shown no willingness to take on that responsibility.

Furthermore, the Pirkanmaa welfare region plans to sell the buildings of Pitkäniemi as well, although no official decision has been made yet. The city of Nokia is working on planning the area, with final decisions resting with the city council. For those interested in the rich history of Pitkäniemi, a documentary titled “123 Years at Pitkäniemi” is available on Yle Areena.