Ristinkirkko, Lahti

An earlier parish church in Lahti, built in 1890, was as long back as in the 1920s found to be too small, due to the town's rapid population growth from a few hundred in the 1880s to over 8,000 in the 1920s. Its appearance and timber construction were also considered too parochial, and unsuited to Lahti's new city status (chartered in 1905). Therefore, plans had been brewing since the 1930s for a new church to be built, although these had had to be put on hold for the war years. In 1950, an architectural design contest was held for a new church, and was won by Aalto. Parts of the old church belfry were retained and housed in the new church, including the church bells, as well as two logs which were used by Aalto to create a simple altar cross. whereas the church was only completed two years later, consecrated during the Advent season of 1978. ==Architecture==

The overall feel of the design is minimalist and brutalist. The exterior of the church building is constructed mostly of red brick, with a massive cast concrete belfry rising from its roof to a height of above the surrounding terrain. In contrast, the interior is light, with white walls and large windows providing natural daylight. The basic shape of the overall floorplan is an equilateral triangle, with two of the three points cut off, forming an irregular pentagon. ==Setting==

Ristinkirkko is situated in a dominant position in the Lahti cityscape, in the vicinity of the market square, the city hall designed by Eliel Saarinen, and other notable buildings. It is surrounded by the small Kirkkopuisto park, originally created for the old church, which Aalto made a particular effort to conserve, resulting in only a few old trees needing to be felled to make way for the new church. The park also houses the city's war memorial along with a 1952 sculpture Vapauden Hengetär ('Spirit of Freedom') by Wäinö Aaltonen. Earlier an open-air church was intended to be built in the park, but this plan never materialised. ==Gallery==