TEMPPELIAUKIO CHURCH
One of the most visited monuments of the city. From the outside, it is impossible to imagine that under this rock, there is a church!
A Lutheran church, it's undoubtedly one of the capital's most visited monuments, and rightly so. For 2019, the number of visitors is estimated at over 900,000 - a record! Its location next to Parliament puts it at the heart of the city. At first glance, it's impossible to guess that you're looking at a church. Once you've climbed the high staircase, you enter a circular, uncluttered church, straight from the imagination of the Suomalainen brothers. Radically different from the usual places of worship, it is built in the heart of a rocky outcrop. There are no pillars to support the almost hypnotic copper dome, which is held in place only by armatures fixed directly between the stones. The rock-backed altar is dominated by a huge bay window that lets in the daylight. Candles are placed in the few niches on the wall. The church's excellent acoustics make it an ideal setting for numerous concerts. Consecrated in 1969, this is a typical example of a recent church with a multi-purpose vocation: a place for prayer, but also for meetings and lively events. Numerous choirs and ensembles perform here during summer and music festival periods. Arto Paasilinna, author of Le Lièvre de Vatanen, described the church as having been dug out of the ground "no doubt to bring the faithful closer to hell and to encourage them to take heaven seriously". A (quick) visit not to be missed!
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