31.10.2019

The main Lutheran church in Finland in 1300. The most mysterious blogger in Russia. Espoo Cathedral

The main church of the Lutheran diocese of Finland, Turku Cathedral, is also the oldest building in the city and one of the most significant monuments in the country. The construction of the building dates back to the second half of the 13th century. In 1300, the cathedral was consecrated in memory of the Mother of God and the first bishop and baptist of Finland - St. Henry (Henrik). The building in the northern Gothic style has become a role model in the construction of most of the churches in the country.

Story

The history of the temple is an integral part of the annals of the Nordic people. In the middle of the century and until the end of the 18th century, the dead were buried in the Turku Cathedral. In memory of this, numerous tombstones and slabs with epitaphs and names of the deceased in different parts building. Noble state and church persons are buried here, including the wife of Eric XIV, Queen Katarina Monsdotter and the canonized Bishop Hemming, who rests in St. George's Chapel, political figures - Konrad Bits, Olavi Maununpoika, Tursten Stolhandske, Knut Posse.
Today, the cathedral is the current church of Turku and the venue for festive events. The tolerance and democracy of the Finns allows for such a combination. The ringing of the bells of the cathedral is carried around, it is relayed on the radio, these sounds mean the onset of the main holiday in a Christian country - Christmas. Inside the church you can hear a modern organ with 81 registers.
The construction of the building dragged on for centuries. The first church of the small parish was built of wood, then the cathedral was built of stone, it was much smaller and lower than the modern one. Its facade is now located where you can see the pulpit of the building of our days. In the 15th century, side chapels appeared near the central part. The largest stages of construction relate to XVI century when the ceiling of the central nave rose to the present level - 24 meters.
A huge fire in Turku at the beginning of the 19th century led to the appearance of the cathedral in its current form. The tower, a little over 100 meters high, was built during restoration work; over time, it became the emblem of the city. In front of the facade of the building stands a monument to the Christian reformer Mikael Agricola. On the walls and the vault of the ceiling above the altar there are frescoes by the artist R. V. Ekman. In the northern parts of the building there are author's stained-glass windows by Vladimir Sverchkov, which appeared in the most famous of the Turku cathedrals in the second half of the 19th century. Tourists can see the external grandeur and interior decoration of the temple, created according to the sketches of architects F. Westin and K. Engel, every day from 9 am to 7 pm.
Medieval devastation, robberies of marauders, flames that engulfed the city in different centuries, the wars of recent centuries caused great harm to the cathedrals of Turku, destroyed them. Some of the treasures have been preserved or restored. They are exhibited in the museum located in the south gallery of the cathedral, which opened its doors to the public after restoration in the early 1980s. The exposition tells about the changes that took place in the religious life of Turku and the whole country, starting from the beginning of the XIV century.

Our days

Visitors to the cathedral are presented with sculptures of saints and religious paraphernalia dating back to the Middle Ages. Some of these antiquities were brought for the needs of the cathedrals of Turku from other countries. The most valuable artifact is the ablution bowl. The upheavals of the Reformation period gave way to a calmer time, in memory of which exquisite woven products and silver elements of priests' vestments are kept in the cathedral. In the museum you can get acquainted with the periods of construction of the oldest building in Turku.

The cathedrals of Finland amaze not with rich decoration, but with severe northern beauty. Here, under the high, pure whitewashed vaults, powerful sounds of organs are heard, the dim sun illuminates the multi-colored stained-glass windows, and the ancient granite walls remember hundreds of interesting stories.

Cathedral Espoo

Espoo Cathedral

This cathedral, more like an elegant house of a rich merchant, was built for almost a quarter of a century - from 1458 to 1480. Who designed it is unknown, but he did a good job. In the Middle Ages, the church successfully sheltered the city population from enemy raids behind its granite walls, and today it is considered the oldest (and one of the most beautiful) buildings in the city. Inside, you can see frescoes from the early 16th century. Moreover, they depict not only biblical scenes, but also everyday life townspeople. The best place to visit is Espoo Cathedral summer evening- at this time, the organ almost always plays here, and the choir sings church arias.

Address: Espoo, Kirkkopuisto, 5

You will see this cathedral as soon as you come to the bridge leading to Porvoo - its gable roof rises high above a scattering of small multi-colored houses and wooden boat barns. Today, the meticulously restored white and brown façade of Porvoo Cathedral resembles an elegant Christmas gingerbread, but the fate of the building was not easy. It was built at the beginning of the 15th century, and already in 1508, Danish pirates almost completely destroyed it. In 1571 and 1590 the cathedral was burned down by Russian troops, and in 2006 it was burnt down by vandals. Now the building is completely restored. Baptisms, weddings, divine services and organ concerts are held here. Inside, you should definitely look at the statue of the Virgin Mary of the 15th century, the monument to Alexander I (it was here that the Russian emperor signed a decree on the accession of Finland to Russia in 1809) and mock-ups of wooden ships suspended high from the ceiling.

Address: Porvoo. Kirkkotori, 1

This is the main church of the country, which the Finns themselves call the "mother of the Lutheran faith." Turku Cathedral was built for almost 600 years, its bell tower rises 101 meters above the city, every winter the largest Christmas tree in Finland is installed next to them, and the church bells of the cathedral have been ringing the national Finnish radio YLE-1 for many years. To creation interior decoration the famous Finnish architect Karl Engel had a hand in the church, and the little-known but talented Russian painter Vasily Sverchkov created multi-colored stained-glass windows on the windows.

Leaving the cathedral, do not forget to look at the monument standing in front of it. It is dedicated to Mikael Agricola, the man who first translated the Bible into Finnish.

Address: Turku, Tuomiokirkonkatu 1

Mikkeli Cathedral looks like a fairy-tale castle lost in the forest. A round clock counts time on a high bell tower, pointed turrets frame the entrance, and a park with a picturesque lake spreads around. The cathedral was built by the famous Finnish architect Josef Stenbeck in 1897 in the romantic Neo-Gothic style. Inside, you should definitely sit down on a comfortable wooden bench (by the way, only wood and brick were used to build the building) and look at the stained-glass windows illuminated by the sun. They depict scenes from the history of Karelia and Vyborg, lost by Finland during the Russian-Finnish war. Leaving the cathedral, walk along the bridge thrown over the park pond - the inhabitants of Mikkeli believe that anyone who does this will have any (albeit small) wish come true.

Address: Ristimäenkatu 2, Mikkeli

At the beginning of the 20th century, a competition was announced in Tampere for the best design of the city's main cathedral. It was attended by 23 people, and the winner was the young architect Lars Sonk, whose project was called "Eternity". He proposed to erect a building in the style of national romanticism from gray Finnish granite. In 1907, the cathedral was built, becoming a triumph of architectural and engineering thought of the time. Why? You will understand this when you go inside. All pews are arranged in such a way that one can perfectly see and hear the priest from each, and massive columns do not block the view of the altar, as was often the case in old churches. Don't forget to pay attention to the gloomy but beautiful frescoes dedicated to the theme of the Apocalypse.

Address: Tampere, Tuomiokirkonkatu 3A.

December 2013

Turku Cathedral is called the parent of the Lutheran Church in Finland and the main national shrine of the country. It is also considered one of the most important monuments of Finnish architecture, the history of which has been closely connected with the history of Finland for centuries. But the Turku Cathedral is not a museum: to this day, divine services are regularly held there, as well as various musical events.

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

As early as the 13th century, the city of Turku became the most important shopping mall in Finland. By the end of the century, a stone temple was erected on the site of an old wooden church. It was consecrated as a cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Henry (in honor of the first bishop of Finland) in 1300. Much of the interior is XIX century- by the time of recovery after the Great Fire. The altarpiece depicting the Transfiguration of Christ was painted in 1836 by Frederick Westin. The altar and pulpit in the passage were designed by the architect Engel in the 1830s.

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

The original building was smaller than the current one, with expansions being made throughout the Middle Ages. The main addition - the tower of the cathedral - was added after the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, when most of the city burned down. The current height of the tower reaches 85.53 m from the level of the main entrance to the top of the cross. A clock with a diameter of 4.2 m is installed on the tower, the length of the hands is 2.4 m, the height of the numbers is 80 cm.

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

Over the centuries, the cathedral has suffered from many hardships. The first organ in Finland was located in Turku (presumably at the end of the 14th century). Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire and a new large organ was installed in 1980. The once rich collections of the cathedral were looted during the war. Some of the surviving items, however, are currently on display at the museum.

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

The stained glass windows of the chapel date from 1870. The walls and ceilings are decorated with Romantic frescoes by the court painter Ekman, who is called the father of painting in Finland. The frescoes depict events from the life of Jesus and key events History of the Finnish Church: The Baptism of the First Bishop of Finland - Henry and the Presentation of the First Finnish Translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Vasa

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

The cathedral also houses the graves and monuments of many influential figures in Finnish history: bishops, military leaders. The most famous grave is the sarcophagus of Queen Karin Monsdotter, wife of King Eric XIV, who was buried here in 1613.

//tushinetc.livejournal.com

Monument to the Swedish governor-general of Peru Braha near the cathedral. He introduced the Court of Appeal and founded the University of Turku, and gave self-reliance to the cities.

Turku Cathedral is a national shrine and stronghold of the Lutheran Church in Finland. The ringing of its bells is broadcast on the radio throughout the country every day at noon, and it is from here that the good news of the coming of Christmas is carried. dark interior, reliable arches and a gloomy solemn atmosphere immediately plunges you into the distant Middle Ages.

The cathedral in Turku is regarded as the most valuable monument of Finnish architecture. The majestic Northern Gothic cathedral was founded in 1258 and consecrated as a cathedral in 1300 in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Henry, the first bishop of Finland who baptized the country. Its construction was carried out in several stages until the first decade of the 19th century. The greatest changes took place in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Most of the modern interiors were restored in 1830 after the infamous Great Fire in the city of Turku (1827). At the same time, the famous tower of the temple, 101 meters high, which became the symbol of the city, was built. The northern limits of the cathedral are decorated with stained-glass windows made by the 19th-century Russian painter Vladimir Sverchkov. At the entrance to the cathedral stands a monumental monument to Mikael Agricola, a reformer and the man who first translated the Bible into Finnish.

The altar and pulpit were designed by Carl Engel in 1836 and painted in the Romanesque style. The walls and roof of the altar are decorated with exquisite frescoes by the court painter Robert Ekman. These frescoes depict milestones in the life of Jesus and two key events in the history of the national church: the baptism of the first Finnish Christians and the introduction of King Gustav Vasa to the reformer Mikael Agricola.

Often the monks hold very interesting themed events for children. You can check spelling skills, practice pronunciation of Latin words. Nuns and medieval puppet shows tell stories from the Bible. Immediately, with the help of costumes, they show the life of the ancient city, in which the cathedral was the center. And at the end of the tour under the arches of the cathedral, you can taste an unusual treat in the monastery kitchen.

The Cathedral Museum in the south gallery sheds light on the history of church life in and around the cathedral. The exhibition features statues of saints and sacred vessels dating back to the Catholic Middle Ages. The times of the Reformation are represented by textile works and exquisite silver artifacts, which are the author's works of highly skilled artisans.

Bishop of Vyborg, Queen of Sweden Karin found their last refuge in the cathedral of the city of Turku, swedish princess Sigrid, Scottish mercenary leader Samuel Cockburn and famous politician Ok Tott.

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As early as the 13th century, the city of Turku became the most important trading center in Finland. By the end of the century, a stone temple was erected on the site of an old wooden church. It was consecrated as the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Henry (in honor of the first bishop of Finland) in 1300. Most of the interior dates back to the 19th century - by the time of restoration after the Great Fire. The altarpiece depicting the Transfiguration of Christ was painted in 1836 by Frederick Westin. The altar and pulpit in the passage were designed by the architect Engel in the 1830s.

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The stained glass windows of the chapel date from 1870. The walls and ceilings are decorated with Romantic frescoes by the court painter Ekman, who is called the father of painting in Finland. The frescoes depict events from the life of Jesus and key events in the history of the Finnish church: The baptism of the first bishop of Finland, Henry, and the presentation of the first Finnish translation of the New Testament to King Gustav Vasa

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13. Monument to the Swedish Governor-General of Peru Braha near the cathedral. He introduced the Court of Appeal and founded the University of Turku, and gave self-reliance to the cities.

14. Monument across the street from the cathedral.

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The main Lutheran church in Finland in 1300. The most mysterious blogger in Russia. Espoo Cathedral

Espoo Cathedral

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