Helsinki Cathedral

The Helsinki Cathedral (Finnish Helsingin tuomiokirkko or Suurkirkko, Min. Helsingfors domkyrka ) is a Protestant church in Helsinki, Finland and the Lutheran Cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki. Designed by Carl Ludwig Engel church is situated on the Senate Square in the very center of Helsinki and is the most famous landmark of the city. Every year it is visited by 350,000 people.

History

The cathedral belongs to the 1820-1850 built in neoclassical center of Helsinki. Carl Ludwig Engel in 1819 provided the first plans for the cathedral. The construction was begun in 1830 and completed in 1852. First, it was in honor of the Russian Tsar Nicholas I after its patron saint, St.. Nicholas, named.

After Finland became independent in 1917, the name in Suurkirkko ( " Great Church " ) was changed. After the founding of the Diocese of Helsinki in 1959, the church became the cathedral of Helsinki.

Architecture

The neo-classical cathedral is a domed cruciform church with a ground plan in the shape of a Greek cross. Angel chose this form because the cathedral would be visible from all sides. This shows that Angel was inspired by the Orthodox architecture in Russia, as in St. Petersburg just Isaac's Cathedral by Auguste de Mont Ferrand was erected oriented angels about her. The central dome and Corinthian columns with the pediments at the ends of the cross dominate the external impression. The cathedral stands on a stone foundation, on which the Senate Square side facing originally was a guardhouse. This was replaced in 1839 against the wishes of Angel by a monumental staircase.

After Carl Ludwig Engels 's death in 1840, changes to the church were made under his successor EB Lohrmann. Lohrmann added four small corner towers of the cathedral, the statues of the twelve apostles and two pavilions on the sides of the stairs added.

The interior of the dome is kept extremely simple and all in white. The altar is located on the east side of the main entrance is on the sat facing the street Unioninkatu west side. The only decoration of the church interior are statues of the reformers Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon and Mikael Agricola in the corners of the sanctuary. In the fourth corner is designed by angels round pulpit is with a golden canopy.

The pulpit