Helsinki Cathedral

Helsinki Cathedral

Think of one landmark in Helsinki and it will most likely be Helsinki Cathedral. It sits proudly above Senate Square, but it is not Helsinki’s only cathedral. We’ll visit a different cathedral in Helsinki another day.

Food stalls at Helsinki Christmas Market.

Consecrated in 1852, this majestic, white cathedral was designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel. It was originally named St Nicholas Church (‘Nikolainkirkko’ in Finnish) for Nicholas I, the Russian Tsar, as well as for St Nicholas. Upon Finland’s independence, it was called Suurkirkko (‘The Great Church’ in Finnish), then finally, when the Diocese of Helsinki was formed in 1959, it became Helsinki Cathedral (or ‘Helsingin tuomiokirkko’ in Finnish). The cathedral is one of ten cathedral churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Outside Helsinki Cathedral.

The grand columns of Helsinki Cathedral.

I approached the cathedral from Unioninkatu. The main door into the cathedral is actually at this side rather than the side facing Senate Square. Due to the snow & ice, I decided to make use of the handrail while climbing the steps to the cathedral. I had no desire to fall flat on my face right at the beginning of my holiday!

Inside Helsinki Cathedral, I was greeted by architecture just as grand as it is on the outside. Beautifully decorated sweeping arches, smooth domes, columns and statues stand proud.

Inside Helsinki Cathedral.
Inside Helsinki Cathedral.

Inside Helsinki Cathedral.

Inside Helsinki Cathedral.

Looking up in Helsinki Cathedral.
Looking up in Helsinki Cathedral.

Your eyes are drawn to the altar and its painting depicting the entombment of Jesus before his Resurrection. The painting was a gift from Tsar Nicholas I, and was painted by a Baltic-German academician & court painter, Timeon Karl von Neff.

The Altar in Helsinki Cathedral.
The Altar in Helsinki Cathedral.

The altar in Helsinki Cathedral.

The organ at Helsinki Cathedral.
The organ at Helsinki Cathedral.

The cathedral’s grand organ (with 57 stops) sits on the balcony above the main entrance. It was manufactured by a Danish company called Marcussen & Son in 1967.

I found the cathedral to be fairly busy with visitors. Some just sheltering from the cold, others taking in the awe of the building.

The Pulpit at Helsinki Cathedral.
The Pulpit at Helsinki Cathedral.

A statue and pews at Helsinki Cathedral.

Helsinki Cathedral.

An ornate door handle at Helsinki Cathedral.
An ornate door handle at Helsinki Cathedral.

Visitors to the cathedral are invited to pay a voluntary admission fee – 5 euros in the winter and 8 euros in the summer (at the time of writing).

Looking over Senate Square from Helsinki Cathedral.
Looking over Senate Square from Helsinki Cathedral.

The view from outside of the cathedral is fantastic. Standing above Senate Square on an early December afternoon, I was able to look over Helsinki Christmas Market and the surrounding grand buildings, as the sun started to set.

43 comments

  1. Kelly says:

    As impressive as the exterior is, it can’t compare to the inside! I love cathedral/church architecture of any period, but the clean, simple lines here are gorgeous. And that painting! I find the arrangement of the pews interesting. Do you think they suggest a lower cost donation in winter to encourage people to come in and shelter from the cold?

    • Nikki says:

      It’s actually quite refreshing to see a cathedral with the pews still in place. Many British cathedrals have removed the old pews in favour of chairs they can place & remove for various events. You may be right about the suggested donation.

  2. You’re really smitten with Finland, aren’t you, Nikki? And I can really see why. It’s beautiful, and very stylish. Funnily enough, I thought that Leeds had only one cathedral, but I found out this trip that it has two. Live and learn.

    • Nikki says:

      Yes, there’s so much more of it I want to see. I didn’t know Leeds had two cathedrals either, but then I’ve only changed trains at the railway station there. I will have to visit Leeds properly one day.

  3. Ginnie Hart says:

    I definitely remember this cathedral from the outside but not from the inside, Nikki, which tells me we saw it on our tour without going in. I always look for the pulpit and organ whenever I enter a church because of my preacher dad and my musician mom (piano, organ, choir director, etc.). I was incredibly impressed by the curved organ. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life! WOW.

    • Nikki says:

      Did you visit Uspenski Cathedral while you were in Helsinki? I’ll be doing a blog post on that one soon. It’s a completely different cathedral to this one. You also might be interested in Oulu Cathedral (another upcoming post!)… You’ll be able to hear it’s organ in full flow!

  4. jeanie says:

    Nikki, your photos are always just fantastic. I can see why this was such a wonderful subject with its beautiful details, those magnificent high ceilings, the facade. The evening lighting photo is just splendid.

  5. Astrid says:

    What an incredible series of pictures you show us. It is a joy to follow you in your footsteps. The interior is so elegant in its simplicity. The outside is just impressive. Thank you for the details as well.
    Have a nice day.

  6. Beverley says:

    Helsinki cathedral is stunning. You have captured the detail inside perfectly. If we ever visit the city, it will be on our ‘must see’ list. Thank you for sharing x

  7. Catherine says:

    What a beautiful space. Your photographs are excellent. I noticed your comment about the pews in some cathedrals being replaced with chairs. I’ve been in a few with that arrangement and I think it destroys the whole feeling of the interior. As in the lovely building above, the old pews should remain intact. But I guess that’s another topic! Thanks for the lovely post.

  8. Tanja says:

    I went inside too, impressive cathedral. I need to blog about my Helsinki trip too, lately it takes me between a year or two to actually write about my trips, lol

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