Temppeliaukio Temple is perhaps the most extravagant landmark of Helsinki. A church in a rock in the middle of the city - isn't that amazing? Tourists visit religious buildings because of their antiquity or architectural merits. And if the first at Temppeliaukio somehow did not work out (the temple was built in the sixty-ninth year of the last century), then with the second the church is all right.
It is already interesting how the architects combined the pristine landscape and the latest technology. The coarse rock constituting the walls of the temple, crowned by a glass dome, creates an indescribable feeling. This church, due to its underground location, is devoid of bells. But the ringing is still ringing. About half a million tourists visit the amazing church every year. And this is not counting those who come to organ and chamber concerts! We also make a virtual tour of this original temple.
The background of the Church in the rock
This temple was built quite quickly - in just a year with a small one. But its construction was preceded by a long history. As early as the beginning of the twentieth century, residents of the metropolitan area of ​​Töölö decided to build a parish church. The place was chosen on the Tuntrullaakso hill. Funds were raised, and in the thirty-second year, as is usual in civilized states, an open competition for the best architectural design was announced.
None of the 57 projects satisfied the commission of the parish council. In 1936 they were forced to announce a new competition. This time, a winner was selected from twenty-three participants. It turned out to be J.S. Siren. His project was an ordinary Lutheran temple, of which there are many in Helsinki. The church in the rock was the brainchild of another era. Work began in the thirty-ninth year, but due to the outbreak of World War II, construction was stopped.
Creation of Temppeliaukio (Churches in the Rock)
In the early sixties, the residents of the Töölö district nevertheless decided to bring the matter to an end. But the old project of the Siren seemed to them too ordinary, and indeed expensive. The parish council has announced a new competition. 67 architectural projects were presented. The brothers Tuomo and Timo Suomalainen won. They proposed a very interesting concept of the building, which had never been in Helsinki, “Church in the Rock”.
Temppeliaukio suffered the same fate as the Eiffel Tower in Paris. A huge number of local residents spoke out against the "ugly construction." It was called the “mosque in the rock” for its characteristic dome and even the “anti-diabolical bunker” for its location underground. In addition, the architects were reproached that their project was too expensive. The last charge was clearly "sucked out of the finger." Brothers-architects won the competition by proposing one of the cheapest solutions - not to erect the walls of the temple, but to break through a depression on the top of the hill with dynamite and cover it with a dome. Thus, the estimate of the church was even less than the amount allocated for the construction of a regular school.
Description of Attraction
The temple is located in a small Tempelplats square, in the middle of the usual Helsinki housing estate. The church in the rock outside seems like an alien flying saucer that has landed and is a bit stuck in the ground. The temple was carved in natural granite in the shape of a circle, at a depth of ten meters. The stone in the walls for the most part remained uncultivated.
Harsh granite contrasts with a light dome made of glass and spiral copper plates. This creates the illusion of a very high ceiling, although in reality the distance between the floor and the highest point is only 12 meters. The copper disk on the ceiling is supported by metal plates and glass, forming 180 longitudinal windows. Therefore, the interior of the temple does not need lighting in the afternoon. A copper balcony passes along the upper tier of the church. It is interesting to look from the interior of the temple, which resembles the Irish burial in Newgrange.
Church in the rock (Helsinki): how to get there
Since the word "Temppeliaukio" is not so easy for a foreigner to pronounce, this attraction is often called the Rock Church. It is located not so far from the center. If you leave from the train station, then walk on foot from a quarter of an hour. You can also get on tram number 2. Get out at the stop Sammonkatu. Church in the rock (Helsinki), whose address is st. Lutherinkatu, 3, is located right in the courtyard of the housing estate. It’s hard to recognize her right away - after all, from the outside she resembles a simple mound of stones.
Church in the rock (Helsinki): working hours
Entrance to the temple is absolutely free. It is open daily from ten in the morning (on Sundays - from 11:45). The church closes at different times relative to the days of the week. But often in the evenings, concerts of organ, classical and electronic music are held in the temple - because the acoustics in this underground room with unprocessed granite walls are simply amazing. Near the entrance there is a rack with free booklets in various languages ​​that tell about the history of the church. It is also interesting to attend Lutheran worship. In the evening, the temple is beautifully illuminated.