Retretti art cave reopens to the public after years of closure

The Retretti art cave in Punkaharju, eastern Finland, will open its doors to visitors in July for the first time in five years, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. The underground space will host a new immersive light and sound installation by artist Marko Häkkinen for the summer season.

Häkkinen’s work, titled Maan pulssi (Earth’s Pulse), explores invisible connections between humans, nature, and the environment. The piece aims to create a multisensory experience, a hallmark of immersive art. The cave will remain accessible to the public through August.

Retretti last welcomed visitors in summer 2021, when it hosted an exhibition themed around Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala. The site, located on Tuunaansaari island in Punkaharju, currently belongs to a bankruptcy estate after its previous owner, the company Tuunaansaaren luola, collapsed in 2023. The firm had invested €10 million in renovations before its bankruptcy left the project unfinished.

Savonlinna city council decided in January to maintain the cave for one year, ensuring its temporary operation despite failed attempts to sell the property. Last year, the city considered purchasing the site but abandoned plans due to lack of state funding.

In 2023, media reports estimated that fully restoring the cave would require €8 million in state support.