Churches in Helsinki
Johanneksenkirkko
St. John's Church was built in 1888-1891. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by Adolf Melander, and is oblong in shape. The organ was built in 1891, and the altarpiece was painted by Eero Jarnefelt in 1932. The twin towers which characterize the church are 74 meters high. The church stands on a hill where people used to make bonfires on midsummer. The name of the church came from St. John's Day which is another name of the day. Due to the growth of Helsinki's population, the Old Church and the Cathedral became inadequate. Therefore, the New Church was built with the seating capacity of 2600. St. John's Church is the most capacitious stone church in Finland.
The organ was built in 1891, and the altarpiece was painted by Eero Jarnefelt in 1932. The twin towers which characterize the church are 74 meters high. The church stands on a hill where people used to make bonfires on midsummer. The name of the church came from St. John's Day which is another name of the day. Due to the growth of Helsinki's population, the Old Church and the Cathedral became inadequate. Therefore, the New Church was built with the seating capacity of 2600. St. John's Church is the most capacitious stone church in Finland.
Kallion kirkko
Kallio Church was built in 1908-1912. The design by Lars Sonck represents a change from the National Romantic style to Art Nouveau. Jean Sibelius composed a melody for the 7 bells of the church. The altarpiece was painted in 1956. It is the only church in Finland with both Baroque and French Romantic organs. The seating capacity is 1100. Kallio Church is located at the end of the longest straight street in Helsinki
Karunan vanha kirkko
Karuna Old Church was built in 1685-1686 as a church for Karuna Manor in Sauvo. The interior is decorated with 11 oil paintings, and the pulpit is from the 1680s. The belfry was added in 1767, and the church was restored and remodeled in 1773-1774. The church building complex was transferred to Helsinki in 1912. Karuna Old Church is the oldest building in the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum.
Paavalin kirkko
The Church of St. Paul was built in 1929-1930, and dedicated in 1931. It was said to be the most beautiful church in the city in those days, and is oblong in shape. The exterior still bears scars of the Second World War. The church has a capacity of approximately 800 people. The last renovation has been done in 2002-2003.
Pyhan Henrikin katedraali
St. Henry's Cathedral was built in the Neo-Gothic style in 1858-1860 for foreigners in Helsinki. Statues of St. Henry, St. Peter and St. Paul decorate the exterior. The church is the main Catholic church in Helsinki, and offers ceremonies in many languages.
Pyhan Kolminaisuuden kirkko
The Church of Holy Trinity was built in 1825-1826, and dedicated in 1827. It was designed by Carl Engel in the neoclassical style. The Church of Holy Trinity is located next to the Helsinki Cathedral, and it is the oldest Orthodox church in Helsinki.
Saksalainen kirkko
The German Church was completed in 1864. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by Harald Bosse and C.J. von Heideken, and is oblong in shape. The tower has been heightened during the reconstruction in 1897. The German Church is one of the most popular wedding churches in Helsinki.
Temppeliaukion kirkko
Temppeliaukio Church was built in 1968-1969. It was designed by the architect brothers, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The church is built into solid rock, therefore, it is also known as the Church of the Rock. Natural light brightens the inside through 180 glasses between the dome and the wall. The church is often used for concerts, because of the excellent acoustics. Temppeliaukio Church is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Helsinki.
Johanneksenkirkko
St. John's Church was built in 1888-1891. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by Adolf Melander, and is oblong in shape. The organ was built in 1891, and the altarpiece was painted by Eero Jarnefelt in 1932. The twin towers which characterize the church are 74 meters high. The church stands on a hill where people used to make bonfires on midsummer. The name of the church came from St. John's Day which is another name of the day. Due to the growth of Helsinki's population, the Old Church and the Cathedral became inadequate. Therefore, the New Church was built with the seating capacity of 2600. St. John's Church is the most capacitious stone church in Finland.
The organ was built in 1891, and the altarpiece was painted by Eero Jarnefelt in 1932. The twin towers which characterize the church are 74 meters high. The church stands on a hill where people used to make bonfires on midsummer. The name of the church came from St. John's Day which is another name of the day. Due to the growth of Helsinki's population, the Old Church and the Cathedral became inadequate. Therefore, the New Church was built with the seating capacity of 2600. St. John's Church is the most capacitious stone church in Finland.
Kallion kirkko
Kallio Church was built in 1908-1912. The design by Lars Sonck represents a change from the National Romantic style to Art Nouveau. Jean Sibelius composed a melody for the 7 bells of the church. The altarpiece was painted in 1956. It is the only church in Finland with both Baroque and French Romantic organs. The seating capacity is 1100. Kallio Church is located at the end of the longest straight street in Helsinki
Karunan vanha kirkko
Karuna Old Church was built in 1685-1686 as a church for Karuna Manor in Sauvo. The interior is decorated with 11 oil paintings, and the pulpit is from the 1680s. The belfry was added in 1767, and the church was restored and remodeled in 1773-1774. The church building complex was transferred to Helsinki in 1912. Karuna Old Church is the oldest building in the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum.
Paavalin kirkko
The Church of St. Paul was built in 1929-1930, and dedicated in 1931. It was said to be the most beautiful church in the city in those days, and is oblong in shape. The exterior still bears scars of the Second World War. The church has a capacity of approximately 800 people. The last renovation has been done in 2002-2003.
Pyhan Henrikin katedraali
St. Henry's Cathedral was built in the Neo-Gothic style in 1858-1860 for foreigners in Helsinki. Statues of St. Henry, St. Peter and St. Paul decorate the exterior. The church is the main Catholic church in Helsinki, and offers ceremonies in many languages.
Pyhan Kolminaisuuden kirkko
The Church of Holy Trinity was built in 1825-1826, and dedicated in 1827. It was designed by Carl Engel in the neoclassical style. The Church of Holy Trinity is located next to the Helsinki Cathedral, and it is the oldest Orthodox church in Helsinki.
Saksalainen kirkko
The German Church was completed in 1864. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by Harald Bosse and C.J. von Heideken, and is oblong in shape. The tower has been heightened during the reconstruction in 1897. The German Church is one of the most popular wedding churches in Helsinki.
Temppeliaukion kirkko
Temppeliaukio Church was built in 1968-1969. It was designed by the architect brothers, Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The church is built into solid rock, therefore, it is also known as the Church of the Rock. Natural light brightens the inside through 180 glasses between the dome and the wall. The church is often used for concerts, because of the excellent acoustics. Temppeliaukio Church is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Helsinki.
Better known as "Rock Church", represents a challenge met! Brothers who petitioned the city to build a non-denominational church, were turned down since there were so many churches already in Helsinki. Remaining steadfast and persistent, the brothers were finally given a plot of land... in solid rock! From that was built this distinctive church, unlike any other. The acoustics are awesome if you're lucky enough to hear a concert here. The dome is copper, separated from the rock walls by glass to allow natural light to filter in. A delight for the senses.
Tuomiokirkko
The Lutheran Cathedral was built in 1830-1852 to replace an earlier church from 1727. The church is Greek cruciform in shape, and the original neoclassical design by Carl Engel was altered by his successor, Ernst Lohrmann. Lohrmann added four small towers and two side buildings of which one is a belfry, and the other is a chapel. There are statues of the Apostles made of zinc on the roof, and they are the biggest unique set of zinc sculptures in the world. The altarpiece was painted in the 1880s, and the statues of angels on both sides of the altarpiece and the pulpit were designed by Engel. The seating capacity is 1300. The church was called St. Nicholas church until the independence of Finland in 1917. Since 1959, it became a Cathedral, and is called Helsinki Cathedral or the Lutheran Cathedral.
Uspenskin katedraali
Uspenski Cathedral was built in the Russian Byzantine style in 1862-1868, and is the biggest Orthodox church in western Europe. It was designed by Aleksei Gornostajev, and was styled after an old church built in the 16th century near Moscow in Russia. The bricks were brought from Bomarsund fortress in Aland which had been destroyed during the Crimean War in 1854. The dome is held by four monolithic granite pillars. Altogether, the cathedral has 13 golden onions which represent the number of the Christ and the Apostles.
Vanha kirkko
The Old Church was built in 1824-1826. It is a cruciform church designed in the neoclassical style by Carl Engel, and built of massive logs. In 1854, the altarpiece replaced a golden cross designed by Engel. The organ is from 1867. The seating capacity is 1200. The surrounding park is also a graveyard, victims of the plague in 1710 have been buried there. There haven't been new burials since 1829 except some victims of wars in 1918-1919. The gate to the park designed by Engel was built in 1828. The Old Church is the oldest remaining church in Helsinki, and a popular place for weddings.
Tuomiokirkko
The Lutheran Cathedral was built in 1830-1852 to replace an earlier church from 1727. The church is Greek cruciform in shape, and the original neoclassical design by Carl Engel was altered by his successor, Ernst Lohrmann. Lohrmann added four small towers and two side buildings of which one is a belfry, and the other is a chapel. There are statues of the Apostles made of zinc on the roof, and they are the biggest unique set of zinc sculptures in the world. The altarpiece was painted in the 1880s, and the statues of angels on both sides of the altarpiece and the pulpit were designed by Engel. The seating capacity is 1300. The church was called St. Nicholas church until the independence of Finland in 1917. Since 1959, it became a Cathedral, and is called Helsinki Cathedral or the Lutheran Cathedral.
Uspenskin katedraali
Uspenski Cathedral was built in the Russian Byzantine style in 1862-1868, and is the biggest Orthodox church in western Europe. It was designed by Aleksei Gornostajev, and was styled after an old church built in the 16th century near Moscow in Russia. The bricks were brought from Bomarsund fortress in Aland which had been destroyed during the Crimean War in 1854. The dome is held by four monolithic granite pillars. Altogether, the cathedral has 13 golden onions which represent the number of the Christ and the Apostles.
Vanha kirkko
The Old Church was built in 1824-1826. It is a cruciform church designed in the neoclassical style by Carl Engel, and built of massive logs. In 1854, the altarpiece replaced a golden cross designed by Engel. The organ is from 1867. The seating capacity is 1200. The surrounding park is also a graveyard, victims of the plague in 1710 have been buried there. There haven't been new burials since 1829 except some victims of wars in 1918-1919. The gate to the park designed by Engel was built in 1828. The Old Church is the oldest remaining church in Helsinki, and a popular place for weddings.
The Old Church is not only the oldest but perhaps also the most beautiful church in Helsinki. The small, white and peacefully plain building is located in one of the prettiest parks in Helsinki. Construction began in the 1820s when Ulrika Eleonora church on Senate Square became too small and the new cathedral had not yet been built. Famous Helsinki architect C.L. Engel designed the church, consecrated in 1826. The wooden exterior is in simple Neo-Classical style, with a delightful belfry and green dome reminiscent of the Cathedral. With its attractive simplicity the interior is traditionally Finnish; its colours are whites and pastels, against which the gilded altarpiece, organ and pulpit stand out. The altarpiece, the only picture in the church, is signed by court painter Ekman; the organ and pulpit are also 19th-century originals. Services are held at 10am in Finnish and 12pm in Swedish on Sundays and Christian holidays. Eucharist is held on Wednesday mornings, and short organ concerts on Tuesdays. This is a very popular concert and wedding venue.
