Joensuu Town Hall

About

The Joensuu City Hall (Finnish: Joensuun kaupungintalo) is a brick building in the center of Joensuu, Finland, designed by Eliel Saarinen and completed in 1914, combining styles of Romantic Nationalism and late Art Nouveau. It serves as a center of culture and governance for the city. It houses the city's central administration, the city theater (the easternmost professional theater in the European Union) and a restaurant.

The city hall is located on the banks of the Pielinen River on the Rantakatu street. After its completion on November 14, 1914, the new city hall corresponded quite closely to Saarinen's drawings, especially from its facades. The facade statues were designed by sculptor Johannes Haapasalo.

In March 1966, a fire broke out at the city hall, which almost destroyed the building. The fire originated on the stage of the city theater and spread to the attic and tower of the ballroom. The fire was nonetheless contained so that the office part suffered only water damage.

The buildings archives were successfully evacuated, but the seats attached to the floor in the theatre remained in place. The building's structures had to be renovated, and the ventilation system was almost...