Cathedral of Turku
Encyclopedia
Turku Cathedral is the Mother Church
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
, and the country's national shrine
. It is the central church of the Archdiocese of Turku
and the seat of the Archbishop of Finland
, Kari Mäkinen
. It is also regarded as one of the major records of Finnish architectural history.
Considered to be the most important religious building in Finland
, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in the nation's history and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. The cathedral is situated in the heart of Turku
next to the Old Great Square
, by the river Aura. Its presence extends beyond the local precinct by having the sound of its bells chiming at noon broadcast on national radio. It is also central to Finland's annual Christmas
celebrations.
The cathedral was originally built out of wood in the late 13th century, and was dedicated
as the main cathedral of Finland in 1300, the seat of the bishop of Turku
. It was considerably expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries, mainly using stone as the construction material. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Great Fire of Turku
in 1827, and was rebuilt to a great extent afterwards.
was transferred from its previous location at Koroinen
, some distance further up on the bank of Aura river, to the middle of the town. By the end of the 13th century, a new stone church had been completed on the site of the former wooden-built parish church on Unikankare Mound, and it was consecrated in 1300 as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Henry, the first Bishop of Finland.
At its earliest the cathedral was smaller than the present building. Its east front was where the pulpit stands now, and its roof was considerably lower than at the moment. Extensions were made to the cathedral throughout the Middle Ages
. During the 14th century a new choir was added, from which the octagonal Gothic pillars in the present chancel
originate. Throughout the Middle Ages, the High Altar
was located opposite the easternmost pillars of the nave
, until it was transferred to its present location in the apse
, in what had previously been the Chapel
of All Saints, in the mid-17th century.
During the 15th century, side-chapels were added along the north and south sides of the navy, containing altars dedicated to various saints. By the end of the Middle Ages these numbered 42 in total. The roof-vaults were also raised during the latter part of the 15th century to their present height of 24 meters. Thus, by the beginning of the Modern era, the church had approximately taken on its present shape. The major later addition to the cathedral is the tower, which has been rebuilt several times, as a result of repeated fires. The worst damage was caused by the Great Fire of Turku
in 1827, when most of the town was destroyed, along with the interior of both the tower and the nave and the old tower roof. The present spire of the tower, constructed after the great fire, reaches a height of 101 meters above sea level, and is visible over a considerable distance as the symbol of both the cathedral and the city of Turku itself.
Most of the present interior also dates from the restoration carried out in the 1830s, following the Great Fire. The altarpiece
, depicting the Transfiguration of Jesus
, was painted in 1836 by the Swedish artist Fredrik Westin. The reredos
behind the High Altar, and the pulpit
in the crossing, also both date from the 1830s, and were designed by german
architect Carl Ludvig Engel
, known in Finland for his several other highly regarded works. The walls and roof in the chancel are decorated with fresco
s in the Romantic style
by the court painter Robert Wilhelm Ekman
, which depict events from the life of Jesus
, and the two key events in the history of the Finnish Church: the baptism
of the first Finnish Christians by Bis hob Henry by the spring at Kupittaa
, and the presentation to King Gustav Vasa by the Reformer Michael Agricola of the first Finnish translation of the New Testament
.
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland. The church professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion....
, and the country's national shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
. It is the central church of the Archdiocese of Turku
Archdiocese of Turku
The Archdiocese of Turku, or the Archdiocese of Åbo is the seat of the Archbishop of Turku. It is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The Archbishop has many administrative tasks relating to the National church, but he does not act as a supervisor for the other bishops, having...
and the seat of the Archbishop of Finland
Archbishop of Finland
Archbishop of Finland can refer to primates of either of the two official Finnish churches* the Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop of Turku, or* the Orthodox Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland....
, Kari Mäkinen
Kari Mäkinen
Kari Mäkinen is the archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. On 11 March 2010 he was elected the 14th Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and he succeeded Jukka Paarma in that position on 6 June 2010...
. It is also regarded as one of the major records of Finnish architectural history.
Considered to be the most important religious building in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in the nation's history and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. The cathedral is situated in the heart of Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
next to the Old Great Square
Old Great Square (Turku)
The Old Great Square is a medieval market square located in the city centre of Turku, Finland. It is located in the II District in very close proximity to Turku Cathedral...
, by the river Aura. Its presence extends beyond the local precinct by having the sound of its bells chiming at noon broadcast on national radio. It is also central to Finland's annual Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
celebrations.
The cathedral was originally built out of wood in the late 13th century, and was dedicated
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
as the main cathedral of Finland in 1300, the seat of the bishop of Turku
Bishop of Turku
The bishop of Turku was the medieval catholic religious leader of Finland.Influenced by Papal bulls Swedish magnates in the 12th century set up crusadeing expeditions to convert the heathens in the eastern Baltic. This resulted in the establishment of the Catholic Church, the Christian religion...
. It was considerably expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries, mainly using stone as the construction material. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Great Fire of Turku
Great Fire of Turku
The Great Fire of Turku was a conflagration that is still the largest urban fire in the history of Finland and the Nordic countries. The fires started burning on 4 September 1827 in Burgher Hellman’s house on Aninkaistenmäki slightly before 9 p.m...
in 1827, and was rebuilt to a great extent afterwards.
History
As the town of Turku began to emerge in the course of the 13th century as the most important trading centre in Finland, the Bishop's see of the Diocese of FinlandDiocese of Finland
Diocese of Finland was the predecessor of the Catholic diocese of Turku. It was probably founded in the 12th century, but the Bishop of Finland is first mentioned only in 1209. Diocese seems to have been independent on secular powers until the so-called Second Swedish Crusade in 1249...
was transferred from its previous location at Koroinen
Koroinen
Koroinen is a district in the Koroinen ward of the city of Turku, in Finland. It is located to the north of the city centre, across the river Aura from the Turku Student Village....
, some distance further up on the bank of Aura river, to the middle of the town. By the end of the 13th century, a new stone church had been completed on the site of the former wooden-built parish church on Unikankare Mound, and it was consecrated in 1300 as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Henry, the first Bishop of Finland.
At its earliest the cathedral was smaller than the present building. Its east front was where the pulpit stands now, and its roof was considerably lower than at the moment. Extensions were made to the cathedral throughout the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. During the 14th century a new choir was added, from which the octagonal Gothic pillars in the present chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
originate. Throughout the Middle Ages, the High Altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
was located opposite the easternmost pillars of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, until it was transferred to its present location in the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
, in what had previously been the Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of All Saints, in the mid-17th century.
During the 15th century, side-chapels were added along the north and south sides of the navy, containing altars dedicated to various saints. By the end of the Middle Ages these numbered 42 in total. The roof-vaults were also raised during the latter part of the 15th century to their present height of 24 meters. Thus, by the beginning of the Modern era, the church had approximately taken on its present shape. The major later addition to the cathedral is the tower, which has been rebuilt several times, as a result of repeated fires. The worst damage was caused by the Great Fire of Turku
Great Fire of Turku
The Great Fire of Turku was a conflagration that is still the largest urban fire in the history of Finland and the Nordic countries. The fires started burning on 4 September 1827 in Burgher Hellman’s house on Aninkaistenmäki slightly before 9 p.m...
in 1827, when most of the town was destroyed, along with the interior of both the tower and the nave and the old tower roof. The present spire of the tower, constructed after the great fire, reaches a height of 101 meters above sea level, and is visible over a considerable distance as the symbol of both the cathedral and the city of Turku itself.
Most of the present interior also dates from the restoration carried out in the 1830s, following the Great Fire. The altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
, depicting the Transfiguration of Jesus
Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
, was painted in 1836 by the Swedish artist Fredrik Westin. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
behind the High Altar, and the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
in the crossing, also both date from the 1830s, and were designed by german
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
architect Carl Ludvig Engel
Carl Ludvig Engel
Carl Ludvig Engel, or Johann Carl Ludwig Engel , was a German architect known for his neoclassical style. He had a great impact on the architecture of Finland in the first part of the 19th century....
, known in Finland for his several other highly regarded works. The walls and roof in the chancel are decorated with fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s in the Romantic style
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
by the court painter Robert Wilhelm Ekman
Robert Wilhelm Ekman
Robert Wilhelm Ekman , aka R. W. Ekman, was a significant teacher and painter of the Finnish romantic portraits and early national romanticism.-Childhood and Arts Education:...
, which depict events from the life of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, and the two key events in the history of the Finnish Church: the baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of the first Finnish Christians by Bis hob Henry by the spring at Kupittaa
Kupittaa
Kupittaa is a district in Turku, Finland. It is located on the eastern side of the city's centre, around the Kupittaa Park, the first landscaped park in a Finnish city. The district serves as a centre for recreation and business...
, and the presentation to King Gustav Vasa by the Reformer Michael Agricola of the first Finnish translation of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
Notable people buried in the cathedral
- Paulus JuustenPaulus JuustenPaulus Petri Juusten . , Swedish: Påvel Pedersson Juusten or Paul Juusten was the first bishop of Viipuri, and later, bishop of Turku, Finland...
(1516–1576), bishop of Viipuri and later bishop of TurkuBishop of TurkuThe bishop of Turku was the medieval catholic religious leader of Finland.Influenced by Papal bulls Swedish magnates in the 12th century set up crusadeing expeditions to convert the heathens in the eastern Baltic. This resulted in the establishment of the Catholic Church, the Christian religion... - Karin MånsdotterKarin MånsdotterKarin Månsdotter was Queen of Sweden, first a mistress and then the spouse of King Eric XIV of Sweden...
(1550–1612), Queen of Sweden - Princess Sigrid of SwedenPrincess Sigrid of SwedenPrincess Sigrid of Sweden , was a Swedish princess...
(1566–1633), Swedish princess - Samuel CockburnSamuel Cockburn (mercenary leader)Major general Samuel Cockburn was a Scottish mercenary leader in the service of Sweden. He was born around 1574 in Scotland and died in December 1621 during a military campaign in Latvia...
(1574–1621), ScottishScottish peopleThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
mercenary leader - Torsten StålhandskeTorsten StålhandskeTorsten Stålhandske – Swedish for "Torsten Steelglove", sometimes written "Stålhansch" in the Swedish of the times , and referred to in German literature as Torsten Staalhansch, was a Finnish officer in the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War.The son of Torsten Svensson , a noble military...
(1593–1644), officer in the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history.... - Åke Henriksson TottÅke Henriksson TottÅke Henriksson Tott was a Swedish soldier and politician. He was born in Lohja to Princess Sigrid of Sweden. He was appointed Privy Councilor in 1630, and Field Marshal in 1631. In the Thirty Years' War , he commanded troops at the Battle of Grubin, in 1627 and the Battle of Breitenfeld, in 1631...
(1598–1640), Swedish soldier and politician
See also
- TurkuTurkuTurku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of FinlandEvangelical Lutheran Church of FinlandThe Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland. The church professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion....
- Archdiocese of TurkuArchdiocese of TurkuThe Archdiocese of Turku, or the Archdiocese of Åbo is the seat of the Archbishop of Turku. It is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The Archbishop has many administrative tasks relating to the National church, but he does not act as a supervisor for the other bishops, having...
- Great Fire of TurkuGreat Fire of TurkuThe Great Fire of Turku was a conflagration that is still the largest urban fire in the history of Finland and the Nordic countries. The fires started burning on 4 September 1827 in Burgher Hellman’s house on Aninkaistenmäki slightly before 9 p.m...
- List of tallest churches in the world