Alvar Aalto architectural works successfully inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List, five sites located in Helsinki

In a 26 July meeting, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved the ‘Aalto Works’ nomination, consisting of 13 sites designed by the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, for inclusion on the World Heritage List. The decision to include the Aalto Works is a significant international accolade that reinforces the global profile of Finland’s modernist architecture, culture and welfare society.

Aalto Works brings together 13 sites that highlight the significance of the architecture of Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) and his architect and designer wives, Aino Aalto (1894–1949) and Elissa Aalto (1922–1994), in the development of Finland's Nordic welfare state. The narrative arc of the series begins with the Paimio Sanatorium, a milestone in the development of public health, and ends with the Finlandia Hall event centre, a majestic venue for cultural performances and international conferences. The presentation was prepared by the Finnish Heritage Agency on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Culture, in collaboration with the Alvar Aalto Foundation, ICOMOS Finland and the owners of the Aalto sites. 

Five of the thirteen sites in the Aalto Works series that have now been inscribed on the World Heritage List are located in Helsinki: The Aalto House and Studio Aalto, Finlandia Hall, the House of Culture, and the Main Office of the National Pensions Institute  (Kela). 

“The acceptance of Aalto Works on the UNESCO World Heritage List is a marvellous and noteworthy international recognition of Finnish architecture. The five sites located in Helsinki form an important part of our city’s architectural and cultural heritage. World Heritage Site status brings new visibility and international interest to these important places and also reminds Helsinki’s residents of the beauty and architectural richness of the city we are lucky enough to call home,” said Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki.

“I believe that the World Heritage status will further cement Helsinki’s worldwide reputation as a city of architecture and design as well as attract more visitors interested in architecture and design to Finland's capital. We’ll be opening a pop-up tourist information stand at Finlandia Hall for a month that will specialise in supplying people with tips for experiencing Helsinki’s amazing architecture and design,” said Nina Vesterinen, Helsinki’s Head of Tourism.

Of the Aalto Works locations in Helsinki, both Finlandia Hall and the House of Culture are open to the public, while the Aalto Home and Studio Aalto can be visited on guided tours. The National Pensions Institute Main Office is unfortunately not open to visitors.

Helsinki Tourist Information’s pop-up stand specialising in architecture will be open at Finlandia Hall from 30 July to 29 August, Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 11.00–16.00. The stand will provide information on Aalto’s architectural landmarks and tips on how to experience Helsinki’s architecture and design.

Visitors are also encouraged to delve deeper into the work of Alvar, Elissa and Aino Aalto at the Finlandia Hall’s permanent exhibition ‘Visions of Alvar Aalto’. In addition, Aalto’s architecture is on display at the ‘Aalto Design – Shapes of Wellbeing’ exhibition at Helsinki’s Museum of Architecture and Design until 3 January 2027.

Aalto’s work is visible throughout Helsinki

In addition to the five sites included in Aalto Works, the handiwork of Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto can be seen in many other neighbourhoods in Helsinki. 

There are around 20 buildings and other sites in Helsinki that were designed by the Aaltos, many of which can be freely visited and explored. The city is proud to have such a significant concentration of their work.

“Alvar Aalto’s architects’ office designed numerous cultural, office and commercial buildings in Helsinki, as well as private residences and, for example, the Erottaja Pavilion, monuments in the Hietaniemi Cemetery and the interior of the Savoy restaurant. Aalto’s influence is also visible in Helsinki’s city planning. For example, he envisaged key cultural buildings for the downtown Töölönlähti bay area as early as the 1960s. Of these, one of our most famous Aalto buildings – the Finlandia Hall, which has now been inscribed on the World Heritage List – was realised. The award-winning renovation that was completed last year has brilliantly opened up Aalto’s masterpiece to an even wider variety of audiences," said Hanna Harris, Chief Design Officer for the City of Helsinki.

“For people interested in Aalto’s architecture, a good tip is to hop on tram number 4, as it passes several important Aalto sites: It travels from the district of Katajanokka, which features Enso-Gutzeit’s ‘Sugar Cube’ building, past the Rautatalo building in the city centre and onto the main thoroughfare of Mannerheimintie past Finlandia Hall and Kela’s Head Office, heading west to the district of Munkkiniemi, where the Aalto House and Studio Aalto are located,” suggests Vesterinen. 

Further information on Helsinki’s Aalto landmarks is available on the MyHelsinki website(Link leads to external service).

The Aalto Works proposal includes 13 properties of buildings and areas:

• Sunila residential district, Kotka (1936, completed in 1938–1954)
• Paimio Sanatorium, Paimio (1928, completed in 1933, 1958 expansion, 1962 Kyykartano (Hall of Vipers))
• Säynätsalo Town Hall, Jyväskylä (1949, completed in 1952)
• Seinäjoki Civic Centre, Seinäjoki (1951, completed in 1960–1988)
• Headquarters of the National Pensions Institute, (KELA), Helsinki (1953, completed in 1957)
• Finlandia Hall, Helsinki (1962, completed in 1971, 1975)
• Aalto House, Helsinki (1935, completed in 1936)
• Aalto Studio, Helsinki (1954, completed in 1955, 1964)
• Muuratsalo Experimental House, Jyväskylä (1952, completed in 1953–1954)
• House of Culture, Helsinki (1952, completed in 1958)
• University of Jyväskylä, Aalto Campus, Jyväskylä (1951, completed in 1954–1971)
• Church of Three Crosses, Imatra (1955, completed in 1958)
• Villa Mairea, Pori (1937, completed in 1939)

Background information on Unesco World Heritage Sites:

At the moment, there are 1,248 sites on the Unesco World Heritage List. These are divided into three groups: cultural, natural and mixed sites combining both culture and nature.

A site can be an individual location or an entity comprising several sites (serial sites). The sites can also be located in the territories of several different states.

The World Heritage List has accepted seven Finnish sites: Old Rauma (1991), Suomenlinna Fortress (1991), Petäjävesi Old Church (1994), Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (1996), Sammallahdenmäki (1999), Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) and Kvarken Archipelago (2006).