The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau.
The National Romantic style spread across Finland; the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; the Baltic countries of Estonia and Latvia, as well as Russia (mainly St. Petersburg). Unlike much nostalgic Gothic Revival style architecture elsewhere, National Romantic architecture expressed progressive social and political ideals, through reformed domestic architecture.
Designers turned to early medieval architecture and even prehistoric precedents to construct a style appropriate to the perceived character of a people. The style can be seen as a reaction to industrialism and an expression of the same "Dream of the North" nationalism that gave impetus to renewed interest in the eddas and sagas.
Detail of Finnish National Theatre facade
The National Museum of Finland
Nylands Nation, Student Nation of Helsinki University
Hollola Municipal House
Alexanterinkatu Facade of Pohjola Insurance building, 1901.
Kallio Church, Helsinki
Hvittorp (near Kirkkonummi). Built by Saarinen, Gesellius, and Lindgren for Robert Westerlund