P102 - Finland - Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral

Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral, Finland

Helsinki Cathedral (in Finnish Helsingin tuomiokirkko or Suurkirkko, in Swedish Helsingfors domkyrka or Storkyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the centre of Helsinki, Finland. The church was originally built as a tribute to the Grand Duke, Nicholas I, the Tsar of Russia and until the independence of Finland in 1917, it was called St. Nicholas' Church.

A distinct landmark in the scenery of central Helsinki, with a tall green dome surrounded by four smaller domes, the church was built in 1830-1852, in neoclassical style. It was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, to form the climax of the whole Senate Square laid out by Engel, surrounded by a number of buildings all designed by him. 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. Engel had intended to place a further row of columns on the west end to mark the main entrance (opposite the altar at the east end), but this was never realised. The building was later altered by his successor Ernst Lohrmann, whose four small domes make the architectural connection to the cathedral's model, Saint Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, even clearer. Lohrmann also erected two separately standing bell towers and zinc statues of the Twelve Apostles at apexes and corners of the roofline.

Today the cathedral is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Helsinki. Annually more than 350,000 people visit the church, some of them to attend religious events, but most are tourists. The church is in regular use for both worship services and special events such as weddings. The crypt was renovated in the 1980s by architects Vilhelm Helander and Juha Leiviskä for use for exhibitions and church functions. Helander was also responsible for the conservation repairs to the cathedral in the late 1990s.

Before the cathedral was built, in its place a smaller church stood, called the Church of Ulrika Eleonora. It was dedicated to its patroness, Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden. A facsimile of this church, made entirely from snow, was later constructed on the Senate Square in the early 2000s.

赫尔辛基大教堂（芬兰语：Helsingin tuomiokirkko；瑞典语：Helsingfors domkyrka）是芬兰路德会赫尔辛基教区的主教座堂，位于芬兰首都赫尔辛基的市中心。这座教堂最初尊崇的是俄国沙皇尼古拉一世，直到1917年芬兰独立，都称为“圣尼古拉教堂”。

赫尔辛基大教堂有一个绿色的大圆顶，周围是四个小圆顶，构成赫尔辛基市中心的一道独特风景。教堂兴建于1830-1852年，新古典主义风格，能容纳1300人。构成议会广场的高潮，周边环绕着其他许多建筑。教堂平面为对称的希腊十字形，四面都有柱廊和三角楣饰。主入口位于西侧，祭坛位于东侧。四个小圆顶模仿了圣彼得堡的圣以撒大教堂。此外还有2个单独的钟楼，屋顶上安置有十二门徒的镀锌雕像。

今天，大教堂是赫尔辛基的主要景点之一。每年有超过350,000人参观这座教堂，其中一些人参加宗教仪式，但是大部分只是游客。这座教堂及举行日常的礼拜，也举行婚礼等特别活动。

在大教堂兴建以前，此处有一座较小的教堂乌尔丽卡·埃利诺拉教堂，主保圣人是瑞典女王乌尔丽卡·埃利诺拉。

References sources : Wikipedia