Lutheran Cathedral of Helsinki, Finland

Related people

John P. Schooley Jr. (was created by)
Carl Ludwig Engel (was created by)

Date

1830-1852

Description

Helsinki Cathedral (Helsingin tuomiokirkko in Finnish) is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Helsinki. Formerly, it was called St. Nicholas's Cathedral. The building has a Greek-cross plan (i.e. a square central mass and four arms of equal length), and is symmetrical in each of the four cardinal directions, each marked by a colonnade and pediment. Originally, it was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and later altered by Emst Lohrmann. Senate Square, known as Senaatintori Helsingissä in Finnish, is the work of German architect Carl Ludvig Engel. It represents his architectural allegory of Helsinki as a center of Finland's religious, political, scientific and commercial powers. The Lutheran Cathedral, one of Helsinki's most identifiable buildings, dominates the northern side of the Senate Square. Located in front of the Cathedral is the Aleksanterinpatsas, or the memorial statue dedicated to Alexander II, the Tsar of Russia when Finland was a part of the old Russian Empire as an autonomous Grand Duchy. It was unveiled in 1894 and is the work of Johannes Takanen and Walter Runeberg. This image was taken in 1996 by John Schooley, FAIA, during an architectural tour of Finland. Keywords: Finland, Etela-Suomne Laani, Tuomiokirkko, Lutheran, St. Nicholas's Cathedral, Cathedral Church of Saint Nicholas, Lutheran Cathedral of St. Nicholas, ceremonial and religious structures, sculpture. Submitted by John Schooley, FAIA.

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