The City of Lahti and Visit Lahti organized a vote for the most beautiful building in Lahti in honor of the Lahti 120 anniversary. The competition consisted of two stages. In May, participants nominated their favorite buildings for the vote, providing reasons for their choice. Twenty-five buildings were selected for the voting stage.
The top three were Lahti Manor, Nastola Aurinkolinna, and the Etelä-Suomen Sanomat building. Nearly a thousand participants voted for their favorite from the previously nominated options on the Omalahti website.
– Beauty is always dependent on culture, time, and the viewer. When the world is uncertain, people often want to cling to old, familiar landmarks. For many, post-war modernism, for example, may seem too young, commented Riitta Niskanen, representative of the Apoli jury and building researcher.
The Lahti Manor represents the historicist architecture of the late 19th century, which admired past eras and national heritage. The style was influenced by the architecture of the era of Gustav Vasa. The architectural style emphasized the roots of Finnish culture and society at a time when Finland was under Russian rule.
The manor was built as a home for August Fellman, a member of parliament who was a significant influence in the development of industry and culture in Lahti. Fellman wanted the building to resemble Kalmar Castle in Sweden, and architect Hjalmar Åberg was chosen as the designer. The building was completed in 1898. In 1920, a public school began operating in the manor. In 1965, the building was transferred entirely to the Lahti City Museum, which still operates there.