Turku Cathedral

The Cathedral of Turku (Finnish Turun tuomiokirkko, Min. Domkyrka Åbo ) is the only medieval cathedral in Finland. The building, which is located right on the river Aurajoki in the center of the southern Finnish city of Turku is, since his ordination to the cathedral in 1300, seat of the Archbishop of Turku and also the main church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The Cathedral of Turku is considered the national shrine of Finland.

History

In the 13th century, around 1230, a small community church made ​​of wood was built on the hill " Unikankare " (Eng. Entschlafenenhügel ), who dedicated the residents of Turku of Saint Mary. As Turku rose to become an important commercial center, it was decided that the bishop's church, which ( a district of Turku today ) was located since 1229 in Koroinen to move into the center of the growing city. The parish church was therefore rebuilt in brick in 1300 and finally consecrated as a cathedral. Henrik, the first bishop of Finland, was chosen together with Mary the patron saint of the building.

Over the next two centuries, numerous structural modifications and extensions were carried out until the cathedral gained its present form in the 16th century about. So, a new choir was added in the 14th century, evidence of the still the octagonal Gothic pillars in the chancel. The high altar was placed opposite the easternmost pillars of the nave, but was moved in the 17th century again. In the 15th century the building along the south and the north side of the nave was extended by numerous side chapels. Overall, there were at the end of the Middle Ages 42 They were consecrated various saints, including twelve female saints (including Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Catherine of Siena, Bridget of Sweden, Barbara of Nicomedia ). Towards the end of the 15th century was finally the vaulted roof raised to its present height of 24 meters.

1514 took place one last great Catholic ceremony with the beatification of Bishop Hemming. At that time already had the Lutheran faith adherents in Northern Europe, and a few years later in Sweden (to which Finland belonged ) completed the Reformation. In their result, the typical Catholic traditions were removed from the cathedral and changed the chorus. The altars of the side chapels were no longer used, and the saints were stored in the sacristy. Only the main altar and the pulpit were used for religious services, and eventually the cathedral was equipped with wooden benches. 1554 was Mikael Agricola first protestant bishop of Turku. A statue of him stands today in front of the cathedral.

From the 16th century found no major changes more on the building itself, rather, only the tower is from the modern era. He had to be rebuilt several times because of repeated fires, including after a fire 1681st When the city was almost completely destroyed in the great fire of 1827, the Cathedral was also greatly affected. In the subsequent renovation of the tower was rebuilt for the last time. He is now 85.53 m high including the 3.40 m wide cross. Also the interior burned, with the exception of the stored in the sacristy statues, almost completely. Today's equipment therefore largely comes from the 30s of the 19th century. The person in charge of the rebuilding of the city architect Carl Ludwig Engel designed the altar construction and the pulpit. The Swede Fredric Westin created in 1836 the altarpiece depicting the Transfiguration of Christ. The frescoes of the choir are from the national romantic painter Robert Wilhelm Ekman.

The 12 - clock - chimes of the cathedral bell be transferred since the Continuation War ( 1941-1944 ) every day on the public radio station Yle 1 nationwide.

The date last renovations took place in 1979. Here, the cathedral was (, fire protection, inter alia, heating) also equipped with some modern devices.

Organ

1980, a new, equipped with 75 registers organ was installed, which comes from the Finnish organ builder Veikko Virtanen, who had also built the organ of Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki. The instrument has 82 registers to four manual works, factory pedal and two other independent organ works; the echo chamber is connected to the III. and IV Manual free coupled, the Trompeteria to all manual divisions and pedal.

• Couplers: I / II, III / I, III / II, IV / II, IV / III, I / P, II / P III / P IV / P; I / III, I / IV; T / I, T / II, T / III, T / IV, T / P

Burial

Built in the Middle Ages smaller side chapels were converted during the Reformation to the dead vaults. Many important personalities of Finnish history, mostly bishops and warlords are buried here. The most famous grave monument in the cathedral is the marble tomb of the Swedish queen Karin Månsdotter, the third wife of Erik XIV, who spent her last years in Kangasala and the only members of the royal family has her grave in Finland.

More grave monuments:

• Hemming (* 1290, † 1366, Bishop )
• Magnus II Tavast (* 1357, † 1452 )
• Olavi Maununpoika (* 1405 † 1460, Bishop )
• Konrad Bitz ( 1489 †, Bishop )
• Maunu Niilonpoika Särkilahti († 1500, Bishop )
• Isaacus Rothovius (* 1572, † 1652, Bishop )
• John Gezelius the Elder ( * 1615, † 1690, Bishop )
• John Gezelius the Younger ( * 1647, † 1718, Bishop )

• Knut Posse Jönsson, († 1500, commander of the castle of Vyborg )
• Torsten Stålhandske (* 1594, † 1644, General and Commander of the Hakkapeliten )
• Acke of Tott (* 1598, † 1640, General and Field Marshal )
• Evert Kustaanpoika Horn ( * 1585, † 1615, Field Marshal and Governor of Narva )

Even under the church floor people were buried. It is estimated that about 4,500 bodies under the cathedral are. 1784 burials were banned for reasons of public health. 91 family graves that had been used until then were bricked up; eight of which were later re-exposed.