Kiihtelysvaaran kirkko ja kansanrakentajien puukirkkotyypit

Abstract

Diplomityöni kietoutuu vuonna 2018 tuhopoltetun Kiihtelysvaaran viistovartisen ristikirkon tragedian ympärille ja jakautuu kahteen osaan. Toisessa osassa esittelen uuden Kiihtelysvaaran kirkon suunnitelman, ensimmäisessä kerron kansanrakentajien puukirkkotyypeistä ja Kiihtelysvaaran ristikirkon vaiheista. Lukijalle muodostuu selkeä kuva, miksi tuhottu kirkko oli korvaamattoman arvokas, millaisen kehityskulun tuotos se oli, ja kuinka kirkkorakennusten rakennuslupaprosessi eteni 250 vuotta sitten nykyisen Suomen alueella olleissa Ruotsi-Suomen maalaiskunnissa. Kiihtelysvaaran ristikirkon historiaosuus on esimerkki vanhan puukirkon ylläpitoa ja muutostöitä ohjanneista aikalaisten asenteista ja lopulta niiden muutoksesta kirkon lähes 250 vuoden mittaisen elinkaaren ajalta.

This master’s thesis is divided into two parts and relates to the tragedy of the wooden cross-shaped church of Kiihtelysvaara which burned down in 2018. Kiihtelysvaara is a village located in the North Karelia region in Eastern Finland.

The aim of the first part is to introduce the history of building tradition of wooden churches in Finland during local master builders’ era starting from the 16th century and ending to the early early 19th century. It also describes how and why the church building processes started at that time and what kind of effects they had on the status of the nearby villages. There were certain basic church types known all over Scandinavia and on the basis of these the Finnish local master builders developed their own unique style. The builders in different regions had distinct characteristics in their churches and bell towers, although they worked contemporaneously in their local areas. There were eastern, western and Ostrobothnic church and bell tower types which are illustrated via simplified floorplans in the first part of this thesis. Also the influence of the international styles of architecture in Central Europe is discussed in the context of Finnish wooden churches.

The history of Kiihtelysvaara cross church which was built in 1770 is an example of a lifespan of a traditional Finnish countryside church. Its history is used in this master’s thesis to explain typical ways of renovation and the effects of the lack of maintenance in wooden churches in different centuries starting from its building year. Slow changes in opinions and mind sets concerning the preservation, renovation and the value of old buildings during the past 250 years are also dealt with.

The second part of this master’s thesis is about contemporary architecture: a plan for a new Kiihtelysvaara church built in the same historical place where the old cross-shaped church once stood.