Finnish architecture

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The Finnish architecture has long been through the northern location and sparse settlement of Finland determined. It was only towards the end of the 19th century that independent tendencies began to develop in architecture .

The oldest preserved structures in Finland are medieval stone churches and castles. For the 17th and 18th centuries, wooden churches built according to popular building tradition are characteristic. Few examples of the traditional wooden architecture of Finnish cities have survived, such as the old town of Rauma . In the early 19th century, the German architect Carl Ludwig Engel designed representative classical buildings all over Finland, but especially in the new capital Helsinki . Under the influence of Art Nouveau , the national romantic architectural style emerged towards the end of the 19th century , of which Eliel Saarinen is the most important representative . The buildings of Alvar Aalto , the internationally best-known Finnish architect, represent the functionalism of the 20th century . Modernism has been predominant since the post-war period .

Popular building tradition

Traditional rural housing has changed little in Finland over the centuries. The block design reached the country in the 9th century from Russia coming. In the country it remained almost the only construction technology until the 20th century. It was also Finnish emigrants who introduced log houses into North America. For about 300 years, wooden houses, like in Sweden, have traditionally been painted in dark Falun red. In the east and north of Finland there are partly natural gray patinated buildings.

Different construction methods developed in different parts of the country: in western Finland, residential and farm buildings are traditionally grouped in a closed manner around a rectangular courtyard, in eastern Finland, on the other hand, the buildings are more scattered across the landscape. In Karelia , under Russian influence, an independent type of building developed in which living space and stables are housed in a large rectangular block building. The Karelian architecture also differs from the Finnish one in that it is heavily decorated with ornamental carvings and paintings.

  • Historical shepherd's hut from Malax , today exhibited in the Seurasaari open-air museum

  • Red painted farmhouse in Heinävesi

  • Boathouses painted red in the village of Hyppeis near Houtskär

  • House near Parikkala, recreated in the Karelian style

Middle Ages (13th to 16th centuries)

Castles

After today's Finland became a permanent part of the Swedish Empire in the course of the 12th and 13th centuries, the Swedes began to build castles in the newly won area to consolidate their rule. The oldest castle in Finland is Turku Castle, which probably dates back to 1280 . It was rebuilt several times and got its current form in the 16th century. The Häme Castle in Hämeenlinna founded in the late 13th century in connection with a campaign by the Swedish army under Birger Jarl . Brick was used during a renovation in the middle of the 14th century . This building material was rare for medieval Finland as it was expensive due to a lack of suitable raw materials. The castle Raseborg (Raasepori) in Snappertuna in Ekenäs was built in the seventies of the 14th century and fell after she gave up the mid-16th century. On Åland the 14th century, the castle was built towards the end of Kastelholm . The youngest of the medieval castles in Finland is the Olafsburg (Olavinlinna) in Savonlinna in eastern Finland . It was founded in 1475 to secure the eastern border against Novgorod . The castle of Viipuri (today Vyborg , Russia), built in 1293, should also be included in the series of these medieval imperial castles .

The bishop's castle Kuusisto near Kaarina is only preserved in ruins . It was the residence of the Catholic bishops of Turku since 1317 and was demolished after the Reformation . There are also only a few ruins left of the castle in Kajaani in northern Finland, which was built between 1604 and 1619 .

  • Turku Castle

  • Häme Castle in Hämeenlinna

  • Raseborg Castle near Ekenäs

  • Olavsburg in Savonlinna

Churches

Main article: Medieval stone churches in Finland

After the first single-nave stone churches were built on Åland between 1200 and 1400 , the late Middle Ages between the 14th century and the Reformation in the middle of the 16th century saw a heyday of Finnish church architecture. Today 73 church buildings from that era have been preserved. A large part of was built in the south of the country ( Varsinais-Suomi , Uusimaa , Satakunta and Häme ). There are only seven medieval churches in the historical Österbotten landscape , the northernmost in Keminmaa . The most important medieval church in Finland is the Turku Cathedral (construction started in 1286). The three-aisled building, which has been rebuilt several times, is the only medieval Finnish church that comes close to the proportions of central and southern European cathedrals. Other churches worth mentioning are the former monastery church of Naantali , the cathedral of Porvoo , the Holy Cross church of Hattula and the churches of Hollola and Lohja .

With one exception, the church buildings of the Middle Ages are all made of field stone , only the church of Hattula was built in brick. In terms of style, the buildings represent a peripheral form of the Gothic . This is recognizable from the high pitched roofs and the sparse brick decoration. The latter shows the influence of brick Gothic in Northern Germany, where many of the church builders came from. The rectangular nave of stone churches is usually through cross or star vault in three ships divided the sides vestry and porch attached. Instead of a steeple , most churches have a freestanding stack of bells . The interior of the churches was often decorated with rich paintings, but many of them have not survived.

  • Turku Cathedral

  • Porvoo Cathedral

  • Church of Hattula

  • Hollola Church

Swedish Great Power Period (17th and 18th centuries)

City and fortress construction

During Sweden's great power period, which began with the coronation of Gustav II Adolf in 1611, Finland also prospered, which was reflected in increased building activity. While there were only six cities in Finland in the Middle Ages ( Turku , Viipuri , Porvoo , Ulvila , Rauma and Naantali ), their number rose to 30 by the end of the 17th century. The cities founded at that time were small and built of wood, usually they had a checkerboard floor plan. Most of the wooden towns fell victim to either conflagrations or the construction boom of the 1960s in the course of their history. An exceptionally well-preserved wooden house district can be found in the old town of Rauma. This, with 28 hectares, the largest connected wooden house complex in the Nordic countries has been spared fires since 1682 and is now on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Other wooden house districts worth mentioning can be found in Porvoo, Naantali and the Luostarimäki district of Turku.

After the lost Great Northern War (1700–1721), Sweden had lost its great power position and now had to fight with Russia for supremacy in the Baltic Sea region. To secure the eastern border, the Swedes built the bastions Lappeenranta and Hamina . The fortress town of Hamina, founded in 1723, corresponded to the urban planning ideals of the Baroque era with its radial floor plan . In the Treaty of Åbo , Sweden had to cede Hamina, Lappeenranta and Olafsburg to Russia in 1743. In order to continue to ensure the defense of Finland, new fortresses had to be built. As a counterweight to the Kronstadt fortress , which Peter the Great had built in front of Saint Petersburg , the island fortresses Sveaborg (today Suomenlinna ) in front of Helsinki and Svartholm in front of Loviisa were founded in 1748 . The monumental fortress island of Suomenlinna is now a popular excursion destination for Helsinkians and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.

  • Wooden houses in the old town of Rauma

  • Merchant house Marela in Rauma

  • Wooden house in the old town of Naantali

  • Suomenlinna Fortress

Mansions

Since the Middle Ages had nobility in Finland manors possessed. From the 17th century onwards, the Swedish crown then increasingly distributed donations in Finland. This resulted in numerous mansions that are of interest to Finnish architectural history because of their representative architectural style. The oldest preserved stone estates date from the Wasa period of the 16th century and are of the Renaissance style. The Flemings , the most powerful noble family of that time, built the mansions Qvidja (near Pargas ), Sundholm ( Uusikaupunki ) and Svidja ( Siuntio ); At the instigation of the Horn family, the mansions of Kankas ( Masku ) and Vuorentaka ( Halikko ) were built.

After the Thirty Years War, the construction of mansions in Finland dried up. Exceptions are the castles Louhisaari (near Askainen , 1653–1655) and Sarvlax ( Pernå , 1672–1683). Both are built in a Palladian style and have baroque gardens. The Great Northern War was followed by a heyday of palace architecture in Finland: in the course of the 18th century, numerous mansions were built in the Rococo style . Mention should be made of the goods Fagervik ( Ingå , 1762–1781), Lapila ( Naantali , 1763), Lemsjöholm (Askainen, 1763–1767), Tykö ( Perniö , 1770), Viksberg ( Paimio , 1770) and Nuhjala ( Taivassalo , 1764) . These are all built in stone and were designed by the architect Christian Friedrich Schröder . The manors Svartå ( Karis , 1783–1792) and Jokioinen (1794), whose designs come from the pen of the architect Erik Palmstedt, are made of wood .

At the beginning of the 19th century, Charles Bassi and Carl Ludwig Engel designed a number of classicist manors (see below). Åminne Castle ( Halikko , 1811) was built by Bassi, while the Vuojoki ( Eurajoki , 1836) and Sannäs ( Porvoo , 1837) manors were owned by Engels . At the end of the 19th century the construction of mansions decreased. The few examples from this period include the neo-Gothic Tjusterby Manor (Pernå, 1859–1867) and the Neo-Renaissance Malmgård Castle (Pernå, 1882–1885). The last mansions are the Vanajanlinna ( Hämeenlinna , 1924), Saari ( Mäntsälä , 1929) and Ruhala ( Ruovesi , 1938) manors .

  • Good kankas at Masku

  • Good Louhisaari

  • Jokioinen Manor's granary

  • Herttoniemi estate (1815)

Wooden churches

After the Reformation, not least for financial reasons, church architecture switched to wood construction. In the case of the wooden churches, influences of international styles ( Renaissance , Baroque , Classicism ) and popular building traditions were mixed . Their builders were mostly simple local carpenters. Only a few churches, such as those of Kangasala (1767) and Kuopio (1806), were built according to the instructions of the superintendent.

A specifically Finnish type of building is the pillar church that dominates along the coast of Ostrobothnia . These are simple rectangular long houses reinforced with supporting pillars with a tall, slender tower at the end of the gable. Stylistically, they follow the older stone churches of Österbotten. Examples of this type of church can be found in Tornio (1686), Kempele (1691), Vörå (1627) and Kristinestad (1700). A similar type of longhouse with symmetrical extensions and a lower tower can be found in Central Ostrobothnia , Satakunta and Varsinais-Suomi.

In the late 17th century, the plan form of the equal- armed Greek cross with a three-part free-standing Renaissance bell tower appeared. The first churches of this type were built in Elimäki (1678) and Iitti (1693). The cruciform church with baroque elements was also the predominant type of construction in the 18th century. The late 18th century in particular was the time of a veritable church building boom with the construction of 120 wooden churches. As a typical example of this architectural tradition , the Old Church of Petäjävesi (1765) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The type of cruciform church was varied in the different parts of the country: in western Finland the central area was expanded by sloping the inner corners, in eastern Finland so-called double cross churches were created by bulging the corners outwards . This type is represented by the church of Lappee (1792) in Lappeenranta . In the 19th century, under the influence of classicism, wooden cross-domed churches began to be built. An impressive example of this type is the Church of Kerimäki (1847), which is considered the largest wooden church in the world.

Russian rule (1809 to 1917)

classicism

As early as the end of the 18th century, in the Gustavian era, classicism , which goes back to antiquity , such as that expressed in the academy building in Turku (1801–1815), had become the predominant style. After Finland had become a grand duchy under Russian rule in 1809 , a director's office was founded, which was responsible for the construction of public buildings. The first general manager was the Italian Charles Bassi (1772–1840). His work includes numerous church buildings in different parts of Finland.

When the Russian Tsar decided in 1812 to move the capital of the Grand Duchy from Turku to Helsinki , he commissioned the German architect Carl Ludwig Engel (1778–1840) to plan a new center. Under Angel's aegis, Helsinki, which had hitherto been rather insignificant, was converted into a representative capital in the classicist style. The ensemble on Senate Square with the cathedral (1830–1852), the Senate building (1818–1822), the main building of the University of Helsinki (1832) and the National Library (previously Helsinki University Library, 1833–1844) is particularly famous . From 1824 Engel took over the post of general manager and was subsequently responsible for numerous churches and public buildings in all parts of the country.

  • Muonio Church (1822, Charles Bassi)

  • Helsinki Cathedral

  • Helsinki University main building

  • National Library, Helsinki

  • Post and Customs House in Eckerö (1828)

  • The town hall of Pori

Second half of the 19th century

In the second half of the 19th century, styles in Finnish architecture became more diverse. The Neo-Gothic is represented by the knight's house in Helsinki (1862) designed by Theodor Policron Chiewitz , numerous church buildings and the architecture of the city of Vaasa, which was completely rebuilt in 1862 after a major fire . The architect Theodor Höjer planned numerous residential buildings and the Ateneum museum (1887) in the neo-renaissance style in Helsinki . Gustav Nystrom's designs for the National Archives (1890) and the Ständehaus (1891) in Helsinki represent the classicism of the late 19th century . In the course of industrialization, which started quite late in European comparison, numerous brick-built industrial buildings were built in cities such as Tampere or Forssa . As a representative of Finnish industrial architecture, the Verla (1885–1895) cardboard factory was included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage.

  • Knight's House, Helsinki

  • Ateneum, Helsinki

  • Estates House, Helsinki

  • Forssa spinning mill (1873)

National romanticism and art nouveau

At the turn of the century, a new style emerged in Finnish architecture, as in all art movements, with the national romanticism. The architectural style was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and Art Nouveau and was mainly inspired by the Finnish national epic Kalevala and the traditional architecture of Finland and Karelia. The best examples of the national romantic houses can be found in the Helsinki districts of Katajanokka and Eira . A well-known national romantic church building is the Tampere Cathedral (1907) designed by Lars Sonck .

The best-known architect of national romanticism is Eliel Saarinen (1873–1950). Together with his colleagues Herman Gesellius (1874–1916) and Armas Lingren (1874–1929), he designed numerous residential buildings as well as the much-acclaimed Finnish pavilion for the 1900 World's Fair in Paris and the Pohjola insurance company building and the Finnish National Museum (1901–1920) in Helsinki. The trio of architects planned for themselves the Villa Hvitträsk (1903) in Kirkkonummi near Helsinki, which is considered a prime example of nationally romantic villa architecture. Eliel Saarinen's best-known work is Helsinki Central Station (1904–1919). In 1923 Saarinen emigrated to the United States, and his son Eero Saarinen also became an influential architect there.

  • Art Nouveau building in the Helsinki district of Katajanokka

  • Tampere Cathedral

  • Finnish National Museum, Helsinki

  • Helsinki Central Station

Since gaining independence in 1917

Neoclassicism and Functionalism

As an opposite direction to Art Nouveau, so-called Nordic Classicism , a form of Neoclassicism , is characteristic of architecture after Finnish independence . He replaced the ornamentation of the Art Nouveau with a strict formal language. Examples can be found in the residential architecture of the Helsinki districts Etu-Töölö and the garden city Käpylä . Red brick was often used as a building material, as was the case with the Stockmann department store in central Helsinki (1930). This style epoch ended in 1931 with the monumental parliament building in Helsinki. Probably the best-known Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) combined elements of neoclassicism and functionalism in his early buildings such as the House of the Workers in Jyväskylä (1925) or the Church of Muurame (1929) .

From the 1930s onwards, functionalism became the predominant style. Public buildings and hospitals in particular, such as Alvar Aalto's Sanatorium in Paimio (1933), were built using this architectural style. Other important works of Finnish functionalism are the Helsinki Olympic Stadium (1938–1952) designed by Yrjö Lindegren , the Kannonkoski Church (1938) by Pauli E. Blomstedt and the Villa Mairea in Noormarkku (1939) designed by Aalto .

  • Residential buildings in Etu-Töölö

  • Parliament building, Helsinki

  • Tower of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium

  • Villa Mairea, Noormarkku

Post-war and present

Finland experienced a real construction boom in the post-war period: three quarters of all Finnish buildings were built after the Second World War. In the 1940s, architecture focused on reconstruction and, since over 400,000 refugees had to be resettled from the eastern areas ceded to the Soviet Union, on housing. A simple and efficient industrial design became predominant. A remarkable example of urban planning in the 1950s is the Espoo district of Tapiola , where the contemporary ideal of the “forest city” embedded in nature was realized. Social change and industrialization led to strong rural exodus in the 1960s . In the area of ​​the growth centers of southern Finland, new satellite cities were built using slab construction . Meanwhile, many old wooden quarters gave way to modern functional buildings.

Alvar Aalto continued his functionalist style in the 1960s. Significant buildings from this period include his Vuoksenniska Church in Imatra , the main building of the Helsinki University of Technology (1964) in the Espoo district of Otaniemi and the Finlandia Hall (1971) in Helsinki. The best-known church building of the post-war period is the Expressionist Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki (1969) built into the rock . In the 1980s, the regionalist "Ouluer School" (Oulun koulukunta) , which was committed to postmodernism , came into being in northern Finland . The most famous building of the Ouluer school is the red brick community hall of Oulunsalo (1983). Postmodern architecture also dominates the Pikku Huopalahti district of Helsinki .

In addition to Alvar Aalto, the well-known Finnish architects of the 20th century include the couple Kaija and Heikki Sirén , Aarne Ervi , Jorma Järvi and Viljo Revell .

  • Tapiola, Espoo

  • Porthania building of Helsinki University

  • Helsinki University of Technology main building

  • Finlandia Hall, Helsinki

  • Oulunsalo Municipal House

  • Residential houses in Pikku Huopalahti

  • Itäkeskus Shopping Center, Helsinki (1987)

  • Kiasma Art Museum , Helsinki (1998)

  • Niittyhuippu, Espoo

Sources and further information

literature

  • Riitta Nikula: architecture . In: Olli Alho (Hrsg.): Kulturlexikon Finland . Finnish Literature Society, Helsinki 1998. ISBN 951-717-032-5 , pp. 20-25.
  • Gisbert Jänicke: Castles . In: Kulturlexikon Finland . Pp. 43-47.
  • Elias Härö, Gisbert Jänicke: Churches . In: Kulturlexikon Finland . Pp. 177-181.
  • Elias Härö: mansions . In: Kulturlexikon Finland . P. 140 ff.
  • Finland . In: Lexicon of World Architecture . 3rd, updated and expanded edition. Prestel, Munich 1992.

Web links

Commons : Finnish Architecture  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Riitta Nikula: Architecture . In: Olli Alho (Hrsg.): Kulturlexikon Finland. Helsinki 1998, here p. 21.
  2. ↑ Log Cabins in America: The Finnish Experience (Eng.)
  3. ↑ Elias Härö, Gisbert Jänicke: Churches. In: Olli Alho (Hrsg.): Kulturlexikon Finland. Helsinki 1998, here p. 178.
  4. ↑ Elias Härö, Gisbert Jänicke: Churches . In: Olli Alho (Hrsg.): Kulturlexikon Finland . Helsinki 1998, here p. 179.
  5. ↑ Marja Terttu Knapas: Tukipilarikirkko on suomalainen erikoisuus (Finnish)
  6. ^ Riitta Nikula: Architecture . In: Olli Alho (Hrsg.): Kulturlexikon Finland. Helsinki 1998, here p. 22.
  7. ↑ visitfinland.de architecture and design