St. John's Church, Helsinki

St. John's Church
Finnish: Johanneksenkirkko
Swedish: Johanneskyrkan
60°09′42.5″N 024°56′41.0″E / 60.161806°N 24.944722°ECoordinates: 60°09′42.5″N 024°56′41.0″E / 60.161806°N 24.944722°E
Location Helsinki
Country Finland
Denomination Lutheran
Website www.helsinginkirkot.fi/en/churches/st-johns-church
History
Consecrated 1891
Architecture
Architect(s) Adolf Melander
Style Gothic Revival
Specifications
Capacity 2,600
Administration
Diocese Helsinki

St. John's Church (Finnish: Johanneksenkirkko, Swedish: Johanneskyrkan) in Helsinki, Finland is a Lutheran church designed by the Swedish architect Adolf Melander in the Gothic Revival style. It is the largest stone church in Finland by seating capacity.[1]

Situated in the Ullanlinna district of Helsinki, the church was built between 1888 and 1891, the third Lutheran church in Helsinki, and still the biggest. The twin towers are 74 metres in height, and the church seats 2,600 people and has excellent acoustics, and it is therefore used for big concerts and events as well as services.[1] The altarpiece shows Saul's conversion and the painting, called A Divine Revelation, is by Eero Järnefelt, brother-in-law to Jean Sibelius.

Johannes (John) church stands on a hill that for many centuries had been a place for Midsummer bonfires (Midsummer is now also "John's Day", Juhannus in Finnish).

The composer Oskar Merikanto was an organist here for a time.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "St. John's Church". Helsinki parishes. Retrieved February 22, 2014.

External links

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