Temppeliaukio Church
Temppeliaukion kirkko
A round church carved directly into granite, with a copper-strip dome and 180 glass windows letting natural light fall onto the rugged rock walls. Its acoustics are excellent.
Temppeliaukio Church was designed by the Suomalainen brothers and completed in 1969. It is one of Finland's signature works of modern architecture. The architects did not place the building on top of the rock. Instead, they excavated a granite hill downward, leaving the interior walls with the rough original rock surface from blasting. The roof is a copper dome about 24 meters in diameter, made from roughly 22 kilometers of copper strip coiled together. Between the dome and the rock walls, 180 radial windows let in natural light, creating a serene and bright space. The irregular rock surface gives excellent acoustics, and the church often hosts organ and choral concerts. It is one of Helsinki's most popular attractions. Tickets cost about €8 (check the official site). The church is closed to visitors during worship services, weddings and concerts, so check the official schedule before you go. It sits in a residential area of the Töölö district. From outside it looks like a small hill enclosed by stone walls, and its entrance is quite inconspicuous. It is about a 15-minute walk from Helsinki Central Station, or you can take tram 2. You can combine a visit with Sibelius Park just to the north.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat about 10:00am–5:00pm; Sun about 12:00–5:00pm (visits paused during events; check official website)
Nearby sights
- National Museum of Finland
- Finlandia Hall
- Kamppi Chapel of Silence
- Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
- Helsinki Central Library Oodi
- Amos Rex
- Helsinki Olympic Stadium
- Sibelius Monument