Villa Rana is an Art Nouveau building designed by architect Yrjö Blomstedt [arz; fi; fr; sv] on Seminaarinmäki in Jyväskylä. It was completed in 1905[1] and housed the drawing and sculpture rooms of the Jyväskylä seminary until the end of the 1950s. The University of Jyväskylä subsequently had offices in Villa Rana, but gave up the use of the building due to its high rent. In 2015, it was submitted to Europa Nostra's list of Europe's most endangered cultural heritage sites,[2] but it was not selected. Instead Helsinki-Malmi Airport was the chosen entry from Finland for the list.[3]

Villa Rana
Villa Rana and Seminaarinkatu in September 2017
Map
General information
Architectural styleArt Nouveau
AddressSeminaarinkatu 13, 40100
Town or cityJyväskylä
CountryFinland
Coordinates62°14′12″N 25°44′06″E / 62.23667°N 25.73500°E / 62.23667; 25.73500
OwnerKeski-Suomen Suojeltavat Museokiinteistöt Oy
Design and construction
Architect(s)Yrjö Blomstedt
Website
https://www.villarana.fi/en/

In the 1960s, the building was under threat of demolition, but it was saved when the seminary and the then College of Education took it into use.[2] In the 1960s, the building was named Rana after its frog-themed ornamentation. The workspaces of the Department of History and Ethnology and lecture halls named after Blomstedt and Samuli Paulaharju.[4][1]

In November 2016, Suomen Yliopistokinteistöt sold Villa Rana to Keski-Suomen suojeltavat museokinteistöt Oy.[5] In the summer of 2021, Kulttuuritalo Villa Rana was opened on the property.[6] It is managed by the Jyväskylä kultuturitalo tukiyhdistys ry, and permanent members are the Jyväskylä Festival Association (Jyväskylän Kesä), Central Finland Film Center, Central Finland Dance Center, Children's Music Orchestra Loiskis and Teatterikone.[7] In the building there is also a restaurant with 44 seats and terrace opening to the Botanical Garden of the University of Jyväskylä.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b University of Jyväskylä. "Jyväskylän yliopiston julkisten sisätilojen vaiheita" (in Finnish). Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Vuorela, Arvo (May 7, 2015). "Villa Rana on ehdolla Suomen uhanalaisimmaksi kulttuuriperintökohteeksi". Ylen uutiset. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  3. ^ "Europe's Most Endangered Heritage Sites 2016 Announced". Europa Nostra. March 16, 2016.
  4. ^ "Seminaarinmäki – Villa Rana, Yrjö Blomstedt 1902–1905" (in Finnish). University of Jyväskylä. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Rehtoraatille, Parviaisen talolle ja Villa Ranalle uusi omistaja". November 2016. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017.
  6. ^ Elomaa, Outi (June 28, 2021). "Kulttuuritalo Villa Rana raottaa jo oviaan; viime viikolla avattiin ravintola". Suur-Jyväskylän Lehti.
  7. ^ "Introduction". Cultural Centre Villa Rana.
  8. ^ "Restaurant information". Villa Rana.
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