Restoration efforts continue for 500-year-old ruins in Vasa, Finland

The restoration of the 500-year-old ruins in Vasa began in the summer of 2020, with no end in sight. These ruins are located in an area known as Old Vasa, approximately seven kilometers from the city center. The site features several significant landmarks in Finnish cultural history, including the majestic remains of St. Mary’s Church. For the past five summers, the public has been kept outside the construction site by metal fencing. The restoration work is crucial, as the remains of this protected archaeological site have been on the brink of collapse for years.

Liisa Mendelin, one of the restorers, has emphasized the deteriorating condition of the old walls, stating that the work involves restoring the ancient brick structure literally brick by brick. The process is intentionally slow, focusing on reusing the church’s original materials whenever possible. The restoration team, consisting of Mendelin and her colleague Mari Hermaja, spends their days identifying and carefully dismantling deteriorating bricks and sections of the wall. The salvaged bricks are cleaned and reused in the reconstruction.

According to Jouko Seppänen, the city’s construction engineer overseeing the site, work is progressing very slowly but methodically, as they tackle one phase at a time each year. While he cannot estimate how much longer the project will take, he aims to open the construction site as soon as possible. The city of Vasa allocates funds for the project annually, with 750,000 euros spent to date. Restorers hope the ruins will eventually be presentable to the public, although concerns remain about protecting the site from vandalism and weather damage.