First Natural Stone from Finland Ratified in the Catalog of World Heritage Stones

The aim of the designation of the heritage stone is to promote the geological reputation, use and appreciation of natural stones that are of cultural, architectural, and historical significance. One of the criteria for designation is the cultural significance of the stone based on its historical and archaeological use. Sites built from stone must be significant stone applications that have had an impact on the cultural identity of the area.

Virolahti pyterlite, which is now a designated Heritage Stone from Finland, is a red rapakivi granite. The texture of rapakivi granite gives the stone its unique appearance. The most typical texture of rapakivi granite consists of large round megacrysts of potassium feldspar (ovoids) surrounded by a plagioclase rim. The term pyterlite is used when the ovoids lack a plagioclase rim.

Virolahti pyterlite has been widely used in the historical part of the city of St. Petersburg, such as in building foundations, on the embankments of the Neva Canals and in several well-known monuments. The old historical part of St. Petersburg is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Virolahti pyterlite is still used for building construction

Red pyterlite is widely found in the area between the centre of Virolahti, Hämeenkylä and Ala-Pihlaja. Large-scale rock extraction began in the area at the end of the 18th century. Historical quarries are mainly located on the shores and islands of Rautalanselkä in Virolahti.

Today, red pyterlite can be extracted from eleven production areas between Pyterlahti and Ala-Pihlaja. The rock type is known as Carmen Red and has been used in Finland as well as in Europe, the United States, and the Far East, mostly as façade cladding (e.g. the building of the former SYP bank in Oulu), but also in several monuments (e.g. the Pro Patria monument in Valkeala, Kouvola).

The catalog, which is now published, presents 55 IUGS Heritage Stones from around the world. However, the aim is not to protect Heritage Stones, but to ensure the availability of Heritage Stones also in the future. The aim of the designation is to give internationally recognised value to historically valuable stones and to remind people of the long-standing tradition of natural stone extraction.

Further information

International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) Heritage Stones catalog and presentations

Paavo Härmä, Senior Scientist
Geological Survey of Finland GTK
paavo.harma@gtk.fi
tel. 029 503 2213

Olavi Selonen, Docent
Åbo Akademi University
olavi.selonen@abo.fi
tel. +358 40 702 0252