Joroinen church keeps its uneven floor after €3 million renovation

Joroinen’s old wooden church has undergone a renovation costing about €3 million, but its partly 17th-century floor was deliberately left uneven, Yle reports. The work included improvements to accessibility and facilities while preserving the historic building’s original materials.

The church, built in 1792 and 1793 in North Savo, was renovated over more than a year. The Church Council covered about one-third of the cost.

The roof was replaced and the exterior repainted. The interior surfaces were also painted in their traditional colours. A kitchen and toilet facilities were added, the accessibility of the church was improved and the choir area was expanded.

The renovation was supervised by the Finnish Heritage Agency. It was considered self-evident that the floorboards and floor structures transferred from an earlier church, some of them dating from the 17th century, would not be straightened.

“The floor is tilted. If you put a ball on a table, it will not stay there for long,” rector Anu Ylitolonen said.

Special attention was paid to protecting the organ, an altarpiece by Pekka Halonen and a pulpit dating from the 17th century.

Churches must preserve their heritage

Finland’s Evangelical Lutheran Church has about 750 churches. Churches built before 1917 are protected, and as much of their original material as possible is preserved during renovations.

Mikko Mannberg, chief architect at the Finnish Heritage Agency, said the agency issues statements on about 100 church properties each year. He said parishes understand the value of cultural heritage and are among the largest groups to own such valuable buildings.

At the same time, parishes want churches to serve as multifunctional spaces that could eventually replace at least some other properties. Church law and church regulations require each parish to have a church, while many parishes have reduced the number of other facilities, such as parish halls.

Mannberg said it was natural for historical buildings to acquire new layers over time. The aim, he said, was for new additions to be recognisable as such rather than misleading visitors.

Renovation improved accessibility

Ylitolonen said the best way to protect the old building was to keep using it. Accessibility, barrier-free access and functionality were therefore central to the renovation.

She hopes the church will serve the parish for the next 100 years before another major renovation is needed. The building requires continuous maintenance, but she hopes the next extensive renovation will not take place until the 2100s.

“The facilities must work for parishioners and employees. People of different backgrounds and abilities must have the opportunity to come here,” Ylitolonen said.

A time capsule was placed beneath the church floor for future generations. It contains greetings from the rector and municipal manager, messages from the builders, children’s drawings, a building history report, a recent local newspaper and a Joroinen cap.