Awesome! Aalto Works on UNESCO World Heritage List

Church hall of The Cross of the Plains Church, Lakeuden risti, in Seinäjoki at The Aalto Centre

I’m happy to tell you that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO World Heritage Committee has decided to inscribe the Aalto Works on the UNESCO World Heritage List!

Church hall of The Cross of the Plains Church, Lakeuden risti, in Seinäjoki at The Aalto Centre
The church hall of the Cross of the Plains Church, Lakeuden risti, in Seinäjoki at The Aalto Centre, by Alvar Aalto

The Aalto Works comprises 13 modern architectural sites across Finland designed by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto. They are listed here in chronological order:

Paimio Sanatorium, 1929-33, Paimio
The Aalto House, 1935-36, Helsinki
Sunila Pulp Mill Residential area, 1936-38, 1947, 1951-54, Kotka
Villa Mairea, 1938-39, Pori
Säynätsalo Town Hall, 1949-52, Jyväskylä
University of Jyväskylä, Aalto campus, 1951-71, Jyväskylä
Seinäjoki Civic Centre, 1951-87, Seinäjoki
Muuratsalo Experimental House, 1952-54, Jyväskylä
House of Culture, 1952-58, Helsinki
National Pensions Institute (KELA), 1953-57, Helsinki
Studio Aalto, 1954-55, 1962-63, Helsinki
Church of Three Crosses, 1956-58, Imatra
Finlandia Hall, 1962/1967-75, Helsinki

Pendant light in the church hall of The Cross of the Plains Church, Lakeuden risti, in Seinäjoki at The Aalto Centre
Pendant light at the Cross of the Plains Church, Lakeuden risti, in Seinäjoki at The Aalto Centre, by Alvar Aalto

I browsed my photo archives and added here a couple of photographs from Lakeuden risti church, (The Cross of the Plains Church). It’s part of the Seinäjoki Civic Centre, Aalto-keskus, (Aalto Center) in Seinäjoki, Finland. The center consists of six buildings: Lakeuden Risti Church (1960), City Hall (1962), Municipal–Provincial Library (1965), Parish Center (1966), City and State Office Building (1968) and City Theatre (1987).

The Cross of the Plains, 65 meters high campanile behind the church building in Seinäjoki, at The Aalto Centre
The Cross of the Plains, 65 meters high campanile behind the church building in Seinäjoki, at The Aalto Centre, by Alvar Aalto

Existing World Heritage sites in Finland

Before the Aalto Works, Finland had seven World Heritage sites. Seven sites are cultural and one is a natural site: Fortress of Suomenlinna (1991), Old Rauma (1991), Petäjävesi Old Church (1994), Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (1996), Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (1999), Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) and High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago (2006).

The World Heritage List brings together some of the world’s most significant cultural and natural heritage sites. There are more than 1240 sites across the globe.

For more about the Aalto Works and the World Heritage List, see UNESCO, Alvar Aalto Foundation, Ministry of Education and Culture

I will post more pictures from Aalto Works. Stay tuned!

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