• A model of Seinäjoki civic center with the church to the far left, the town hall in the front center, the library in the far center, the theater in the right center, and the government office building at the far right. Aalto designed this complex between 1958 and 1976.

• Seinäjoki town hall

• Seinäjoki town hall

• Seinäjoki town hall

• Seinäjoki town hall, looking toward the council chamber

• Seinäjoki town hall. The façade of the town hall is clad in deep blue tile. This set a precedent as previously Aalto had used this color only on building interiors.

• Seinäjoki town hall

• Seinäjoki town hall Council Chamber

• Seinäjoki town hall Council Chamber

• Seinäjoki town hall

• Town hall on the left and church on the right

• Seinäjoki church and parish center

• Seinäjoki church

• Seinäjoki church bell tower - 65 meters high

• Church entry

• Church sanctuary. The design of the church derives from Aalto's favorite Italian basilica plan.

• Pulpit

• Adjoining chapel

• Library and theater

• Library and theater

• Library and theater

• Theater

• The library was closed for renovation

• Seinäjoki library expansion, JKMM Architects, 2012

• The book hall

• The reading steps

• Children's area of the new library

• Children's area of the new library

• Children's area of the new library

• Children's area of the new library

• The book hall

• The book hall

• The book hall and reading steps

• Looking into the basement

• The reading steps

• Reading caves in the basement

• Reading cave

• Ceiling with integrated light fixture

• Alajärvi Town Hall, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1967

• Alajärvi Town Hall, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1967

• Alajärvi Town Hall interior

• Alajärvi Town Hall interior

• Display of Aalto designed glass in the Alajärvi Town Hall

• Alajärvi borders one of the many lakes in this part of Finland. Aalto was born in a neighboring village, Keuruu, and Aalto's father, a surveyor, worked in Alajävi and surrounding villages.

• Alajärvi Town Hall Council Chamber

• 'Madam Mayor' Mia at the Alajärvi Town Hall. Our tour leader, Mia Puranen, is a woman of many talents. She is an architect, a city planner, an Archtour guide, a speaker of six languages, a singer of Finnish folk songs, and a sculptor.

• A photo of 'sirocco' - a kinetic sculpture by Petri Eskelinen & Mia Puranen, 2012.

• Alajärvi Town Hall ceiling detail

• Alajärvi Town Hall ceiling detail

• Alajärvi Church, Carl Ludvig Engel, Architect, 1824-41

• A number of members of the Aalto family are buried in the graveyard next to the Alajärvi Church

• The Alajärvi Library was completed in 1991. It was designed by Aalto's architectural practice but is not considered one of his works.

• Alajärvi Library

• Alajärvi Youth Society Building, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1919

• Aalto designed this log building during his student years.

• Our lunch stop on May 29th

• Mia and our hostess

• Teuvo washing the windshield of his bus

• The daughter of our hostess wearing a Marimekko apron

• Farewell from a delicious lunch at a beautiful spot

• Petäjävesi Old Church, Jaakko Leppänen, Master Carpenter, 1763-65

• Petäjävesi Old Church is an example of a traditional Finnish wood church

• Approaching the Petäjävesi Old Church

• Petäjävesi Old Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Petäjävesi Old Church entry tower

• Petäjävesi Old Church main hall

• Spire of the main hall

• Door into the main hall

• Door into the main hall

• Interior of door into the main hall

• Door into entry tower

• Ceiling detail of entry tower

• Ceiling detail of entry tower

• A view from the entry tower into the main hall

• Main hall

• Main hall

• Altar

• Pulpit

• Pulpit

• Main hall ceiling and chandelier detail

• Main hall ceiling and chandelier detail

• Ceiling detail of main hall with date inscribed

• Many carpenters, being proud of their work, 'signed' with their mark.

• Loft/balcony in the main hall

• Stairs to loft/balcony

• Pew detail

• Corbel detail

• Corbel detail

• Door to main hall anteroom

• Main hall anteroom

• Exterior detail

• Exterior detail

• Exterior detail

• Exterior detail

• Fence at Petäjävesi Old Church

• Fence detail

• Alvar Aalto Museum, Alvar & Elissa Aalto, Architects, 1971-74

• Entry to Alvar Aalto Museum

• The museum is located in Jyväskylä

• Exterior wall detail using Aalto's signature tiles

• Aalto's signature door handles

• The timeline of Alvar Aalto's life

• Aalto designs

• Aalto chair designs

• Aalto stool designs

• Aalto stool

• Quintessential Aalto vase

• Aalto lounge and chair designs for the sanatorium

• Can you tell the difference between an Aalto stool and an IKEA stool?

• Teuvo, our bus driver, near the Alvar Aalto Museum in Jyväskylä

• This display in our hotel in Jyväskylä shows the unusually uniform sunny weather and warm temperatures on May 29, 2013, all over Finland, even above the Arctic Circle. 22-26 C is 72-79 F

• City Theater, Alvar & Elissa Aalto, Architects, 1964-83

• City Theater, Alvar & Elissa Aalto, Architects, 1964-83

• Police Station, Alvar & Elissa Aalto, Architects, 1967-70. The freeform wall of the Police Station serves as a visual and acoustic backdrop for an open-air stage that Aalto added to the City Theater for musical and theatrical performances.

• University of Jyväskylä Auditorium and Main Building, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1950-59

• University of Jyväskylä Auditorium and Main Building, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1950-59

• Säynätsalo Town Hall, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1950-52

• Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Aalto fell in love with the hill towns of Italy during his honeymoon. The design of the Säynätsalo Town Hall was inspired by Italian city planning.

• Courtyard of Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Courtyard of Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Courtyard of Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Courtyard and entry to the Säynätsalo Town Hall Council Chamber

• Entry to Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Entry to Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Entry detail of Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Entry to Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Säynätsalo Town Hall Council Chamber

• Säynätsalo Town Hall Council Chamber ceiling detail. Aalto referred to this as the 'butterfly' design.

• Säynätsalo Town Hall Council Chamber gallery

• Säynätsalo Town Hall Council Chamber gallery

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior door

• Säynätsalo Town Hall interior door detail

• Säynätsalo Town Hall meeting room

• Aalto drawing displayed at Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Aalto drawing displayed at Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Aalto drawing displayed at Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Aalto drawing displayed at Säynätsalo Town Hall

• Information sign for Alvar Aalto's Experimental House. The house is located on the island of Muuratsalo on Lake Päijänne.

• On the path to the Experimental House

• Boat House near the Experimental House

• Sauna near the Experimental House

• Docks at the Experimental House. The near dock is located by the sauna and the far dock is located by the main house.

• Approaching the Experimental House in Muuratsalo, Alvar Aalto, Architect, 1953

• Main entry of the Experimental House

• Experimental House side view

• Experimental House rear view

• Courtyard entry to Experimental House

• Courtyard detail

• Courtyard detail

• Courtyard entry to Experimental House

• This courtyard detail shows some of Aalto's experiments with different brick styles and patterns.

• Experimental House courtyard entry

• Courtyard detail with more brick and tile experimentation

• Courtyard detail with tile experimentation

• Experimental House living room

• Experimental House living room fireplace

• Experimental House kitchen

• Experimental House bedroom

• Experimental House bedroom

• On the path leading away from the Experimental House

• On the path leading away from the Experimental House