Temppeliaukio Church
Encyclopedia
Temppeliaukio Church is a Lutheran
church in the Töölö
neighborhood of Helsinki
. The church was designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969.
The Temppeliaukio/Tempelplatsen (Temple square) was selected as a location for a church in the 1930s, but the plan by J. S. Siren
, the winner of the second competition to design the architecture of the church, was interrupted in its early stages when World War II
began in 1939. After the war, there was another architectural competition, which was won by Timo Suomalainen and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1961. For economic reasons, the suggested plan was scaled back and the interior space of the church reduced by about one-quarter from the original plan. Construction finally began in February 1968, and the rock-temple was completed for consecration in September 1969.
The interior was excavated and built into the rock but is bathed in natural light entering through the glazed
dome. The church is used frequently as a concert venue due to its excellent acoustics
. The acoustic quality is ensured by the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces. Leaving the interior surfaces of the church exposed was not something that was in the original plans for the church. Conductor Paavo Berglund
told the brothers of his experiences in the best music halls, and the acoustical engineer Mauri Parjo set out requirements for the wall surfaces. The architect brothers discovered that they could fulfill all the requirements by realising their own idea of leaving the rock walls exposed in the Church Hall. This idea the brothers already had when planning the competition entry, but they had been afraid to present it thinking it too radical for the competition jury.
The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city; half a million people visit it annually. The stone-hewn church is located in the heart of Helsinki. Maintaining the original character of the square is the fundamental concept behind the building. The idiosyncratic choice of form has made it a favorite with professionals and aficionados of architecture.
The church furnishings were designed by the architects. Organ builder Veikko Virtanen manufactured the church organ
, which has 43 stops
.
There are no bells at the church; a recording of bells composed by Taneli Kuusisto is played via loudspeakers on the exterior wall.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
church in the Töölö
Töölö
Töölö is the collective name for the neighbourhoods Etu-Töölö and Taka-Töölö in Helsinki, Finland. The neighbourhoods are located next to the city centre, occupying the western side of the Helsinki Peninsula....
neighborhood of Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. The church was designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969.
The Temppeliaukio/Tempelplatsen (Temple square) was selected as a location for a church in the 1930s, but the plan by J. S. Siren
J. S. Sirén
Johan Sigfrid Sirén was a Finnish architect. He is best known for Eduskuntatalo, which is where the Parliament of Finland meets.-Career:...
, the winner of the second competition to design the architecture of the church, was interrupted in its early stages when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began in 1939. After the war, there was another architectural competition, which was won by Timo Suomalainen and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1961. For economic reasons, the suggested plan was scaled back and the interior space of the church reduced by about one-quarter from the original plan. Construction finally began in February 1968, and the rock-temple was completed for consecration in September 1969.
The interior was excavated and built into the rock but is bathed in natural light entering through the glazed
Skylight
Skylight may refer to:* Skylight * Skylight , by David Hare* Skylight of a lava tube, a hole in the ceiling of the tube* Skylight, Arkansas* Skylight, a short film by David Clayton Rogers* Skylight Pictures, a film company...
dome. The church is used frequently as a concert venue due to its excellent acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
. The acoustic quality is ensured by the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces. Leaving the interior surfaces of the church exposed was not something that was in the original plans for the church. Conductor Paavo Berglund
Paavo Berglund
Paavo Allan Engelbert Berglund is a Finnish conductor.Born in Helsinki, Berglund studied the violin as a child, and played an instrument made by his grandfather. By age 15, he had decided on music as his career, and by 18 was playing in restaurants...
told the brothers of his experiences in the best music halls, and the acoustical engineer Mauri Parjo set out requirements for the wall surfaces. The architect brothers discovered that they could fulfill all the requirements by realising their own idea of leaving the rock walls exposed in the Church Hall. This idea the brothers already had when planning the competition entry, but they had been afraid to present it thinking it too radical for the competition jury.
The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city; half a million people visit it annually. The stone-hewn church is located in the heart of Helsinki. Maintaining the original character of the square is the fundamental concept behind the building. The idiosyncratic choice of form has made it a favorite with professionals and aficionados of architecture.
The church furnishings were designed by the architects. Organ builder Veikko Virtanen manufactured the church organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, which has 43 stops
Organ stop
An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; some can be "on" , while others can be "off" .The term can also refer...
.
There are no bells at the church; a recording of bells composed by Taneli Kuusisto is played via loudspeakers on the exterior wall.