Tucked away on a small island west of Turku is a quaint blue house that would be recognized by many a literature-loving Finn. It is the house of the famous fictional Moomin family.

The stories of this lovable troll family were told by the Finnish author Tove Jansson in several children’s books and comics written between 1945 and 1970. The Moomin series was a massive success and led to many spinoffs that continue up until today. 

The full-sized Moomin House on the island of Kailo is modeled on Jansson’s drawings in the books. It is an oddly shaped abode said to be based on an old cockle stove, a kind of fireplace that the Moomin’s ancestors lived behind. It is tall and round and painted a whimsical blueberry blue with a red cone roof.

In later years Jansson made a model of the house herself, one that looked drastically different from the first. Still, the original blue house based on the books is by many still considered to be the “real” Moomin House, an opinion that was shared by the creators of the Moomin World theme park in western Finland. The quirky house is the park’s main attraction, and visitors are able to explore all five stories. Other colorful houses from the books are also reconstructed faithfully at the park.