Church of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Holy Cross, first mentioned in 1324, is the oldest church in the historical province of Tavastia. The present brick church is believed to have been completed at the end of the 15th century. The Church of the Holy Cross in Hattula and the Church of St. Lawrence in Lohja are the most important pictorial churches in Finland, and they are considered sister churches because of the richness of their paintings.

About this building

Key Features

  • Architecture
  • Monuments

Other nearby buildings

Wikimedia Commons/Antti Bilund

Vanaja Church

The church of Vanaja is a grey stone church built at the end of the 1490s and during the first decade of the 16th century. It is one of the smallest medieval greystone churches in Finland. The church in Vanaja has been repaired over the centuries. The church underwent major renovations in 1681 and 1789. The most important renovation was carried out in the 1860s. At that time, the windows on the south wall were enlarged, and two new windows were added to the north wall. In 1884, the church was plastered on the outside and whitewashed on the inside. The interior was remodelled again in the 1930s when the church was given a wooden floor. It was not until 1953 that an electric heating system was built in the church, and the church became warm and bright. The most recent renovation of the church took place in 1984.

Wikimedia Commons/Antti Bilund

Hauho Church

Hauho Church, or St. John's Church, is a grey stone probably built in the early 16th century. The present sacristy was built in brick to replace the old medieval sacristy in 1783-1784. The rather narrow interior is divided into three naves, the middle one is star vaulted and the outermost ones partly star vaulted and partly cross-vaulted.

Wikimedia Commons/Kotivalo

Renko Church

The church of Renko is a medieval stone church built in the late 15th or early 16th century. The octagonal church was abandoned in the 17th century. Very little remains of the medieval church, because in 1783 the stone ruin was demolished, except for the foundations, and rebuilt from it.