city, southern Finland. It lies at the southern end of Lake Vesi, northeast of Helsinki. Founded in 1878, it was incorporated in 1905. A developing industrial centre linked to the rest of Finland by major rail, road, and lake routes, it produces most of the nation's furniture, as well as numerous other wood products, and has glassworks, breweries, and clothing and machine-tool factories. Lahti is the home of Finland's primary radio and television stations. It is also internationally known for winter sports, with annual championship ski races and other games on the glacially formed Salpaus Ridge. The town hall (1912) was designed by Eliel Saarinen (Saarinen, Eliel) and the Church of the Cross (1978) by Alvar Aalto (Aalto, Alvar). The city has an art museum, a historical museum, and Sibelius Hall (2000), a concert and meeting centre notable for its modern wood construction. Pop. (2005 est.) 98,413.