Turku
Cathedral
 Turku
Cathedral is the mother church of the Lutheran Church of Finland, and
the country's national shrine. It is also regarded as one of the major
records of Finnish architectural history. The history of the Cathedral
over the centuries is closely linked with that of the people. Yet the
church is no museum: it is in constant use first and foremost for divine
worship, and is also frequently used for musical events.
The
heights of the tower
From
sea level to the level of the main entrance 16,37 m
From the level of the main entrance to the spire, top of the cross 85,53
m
From sea level to the top of the cross 101,90 m
 The
clock
Size
480 x 480 cm
Diameter of the clock face 420 cm
Length of arm 240 cm
Height of numbers 80 cm
History
Turku
Cathedral is now over seven hundred years old. As the town of Turku
began to emerge in the course of the 13th century as the most important
trading centre in Finland, the Bishop's see of the Diocese of Finland
was transferred from its previous location at Koroinen, some distance
further up on the same bank of the Aura River, to the middle of the
town. By the end of the 13th century, a new stone church had been
completed on the site of the former wooden-built parish church on
Unikankare Mound, and it was consecrated as the Cathedral Church of the
Blessed Virgin Mary and St Henry (the first Bishop of Finland) in 1300.
The
first Cathedral was smaller than the present building. Its east front
was where the pulpit now stands, and its roof was considerably lower
than now. Extensions were made to the Cathedral throughout the Middle
Ages. During the 14th century, a new choir was added, from which the
octagonal gothic pillars in the present chancel originate. Throughout
the Middle Ages, the High Altar was located opposite the easternmost
pillars of the nave, until it was transferred to its present location in
the apse, in what had previously been the Chapel of All Saints, in the
mid-17th century. During the 15th century, side-chapels were added along
the north and south sides of the nave, containing altars dedicated to
various saints; by the end of the Middle Ages these numbered 42 in all.
The roof-vaults were also raised during the latter 15th century to their
present height of 24 metres. Thus, by the beginning of the modern
period, the church had approximately taken on its present shape.
The
major later addition to the Cathedral is the tower, which has been
rebuilt many times, as a result of repeated fires. The worst damage was
caused by The Great Fire of Turku in 1827, when most of the town was
destroyed, along with both the tower and the interior of the Cathedral.
The present tower, construeted after the Great Fire, reaches a height of
101 metres above sea level, and is visible over a considerable distance
as the symbol of both the Cathedral and the City. Most of the present
interior also dates from the restoration carried out in the 1830s,
following the Great Fire. The altarpiece, depicting the Transfiguration
of Christ, was painted in 1836 by the Swedish artist Fredrik Westin. The
reredos behind the High Altar, and the pulpit in the crossing, also both
date from the 1830s, and were designed by the distinguished architect C.
L. Engel. The walls and roof in the chancel are decorated with frescos
in the Romantic style by the court painter R. W. Ekman, the father of
painting in Finland, which depict events from the life of Jesus, and two
key events in the history of the Finnish Church: the baptism of the
first Finnish Christians by Bishop Henry at the spring at Kupittaa, and
the presentation to King Gustav Vasa by the Reformer Michael Agricola of
the first Finnish translation of the New Testament.
The
side-chapels originally containing altars dedicated to various saints
have subsequently been converted into funeral vaults; and up to the end
of the 16th century, graves were also set into the floor of the
Cathedral. Consequently, the Cathedral now houses the graves and
memorials of many of the great names of Finnish history. Among the major
medieval figures buried in the Cathedral are several bishops - Hemming,
Magnus II Tavast, Olaus Magni, Konrad Bitz, and Magnus III Särkilahti -
and the famous Constable of the Castle at Viipuri (Vyborg), Knut Posse.
Post- Reformation bishops buried here include Isak Rothovius and the two
bishops Gezelius, father and son. In the funeral vaults alongside the
nave are buried several 17th century military commanders, including
Torsten Stålhandske (the commander of the famous Finnish
"Hakkapeliitta" cavalry), and Field Marshals Åke Tott and
Evert Horn. Undoubtedly the most famous tomb in the Cathedral, however,
is the sarcophagus of Queen Karin Månsdotter, the wife of King Erik
XIV, who spent her later years in Finland, and was buried in the
Cathedral in 1613. The stained-glass windows in the chapels along the
north side of the nave date from the 1870s, and are the work of Wladimir
Swertschkoff.
In
the course of the centuries, the Cathedral has suffered many
adversities: its once rich collections have been plundered in times of
war, and damaged by fire. A collection of some of the surviving items,
however, has now been placed on display in the Museum in the South
Gallery. A major renovation of the Cathedral was completed in 1979,
including the installation of modern equipment. The Cathedral has now
for the most part been restored to its medieval form, with the exception
of the redecorations carried out after the Great Fire of Turku, which
have been retained. Finally, a new 81-register great organ, built by the
Finnish organ-builders Veikko Virtanen Ltd, was installed in 1980.
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