Description
In July 2026, Finland received a new UNESCO World Heritage Site named Aalto Works. It is a serial property consisting of 13 different buildings or areas. The sites have been selected to represent the diverse design work from different eras of the architectural office of Alvar Aalto and his wives, Aino and Elissa Aalto.
- 001 Sunila Housing Area
- 002 Paimio Sanatorium
- 003 Säynätsalo Town Hall
- 004 Aalto Centre, Seinäjoki
- 005 Social Insurance Institution (Kela) Main Office Building
- 006 Finlandia Hall
- 007 Aalto House
- 008 Aalto Atelier
- 009 Muuratsalo Experimental House
- 010 House of Culture
- 011 University of Jyväskylä, Aalto Campus
- 012 Church of the Three Crosses
- 013 Villa Mairea
The Church of the Three Crosses (also known as Vuoksenniska Church) is site number 012, and it is located in Imatra. The church was consecrated in 1958. The name of the church comes from the three white wooden crosses that stand in place of an altarpiece. The positions of the crosses and the nearby windows are designed in such a way that the shadows of the crosses are clearly projected onto the wall. The church is asymmetrical, and, for example, all but two of its windows are different.
The church suffers from a severe indoor air quality issue caused by moisture damage, and it has been temporarily closed at times during the 2020s. Currently, the church is open a few days a week for visitors, but parish services are not held there.
