The Petäjävesi Old Church is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage sites in Finland. It is a unique example of the tradition of Nordic wooden church architecture and log construction. The church’s appearance has remained nearly unchanged for over 250 years.

The church was constructed according to plans of the master-builder Jaakko Klemetinpoika Leppänen, who also led the construction process. The floors, the walls and the steep shingle roof were completed in summer 1763. In 1764, the interior of the church was finalised, and the windows were installed a year later. The bell tower and the passageway connecting the church to it were built-in 1821. The master-builder was Leppänen’s grandson Erkki Jaakonpoika Leppänen.

The church was abandoned in 1879 when a new church was built on the opposite shore of the Kirkkolahti bay. Since the 1920s, the Old Church has been maintained as a monument. The National Board of Antiquities has been responsible for directing the restoration and maintenance of the church since the 1950s. In 1994 The Petäjävesi Old Church was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Source: The Petäjävesi Old Church