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Founded: 1896-1900Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Finland
Historical period: Russian Grand Duchy (Finland)
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Pitkäniemi is a mental hospital area built by the government in the end of the 19th century. It was then one of the largest building projects in Finland and purposed to provide mental health services to entire Western Finland. Pitkäniemi buildings were designed by architects S. Gripenberg, M. Schjerfbeck and E.A. Kranck.
The common supposition in the 19th century was that dwelling in nature and working outdoors is the best way to cure mental illnesses. The beautiful park were also added soon after buildings to Pitkäniemi.
Pitkäniemi area is a well-preserved and solid sample of public architecture in the later 19th century. It’s still in hospital use, but the park and Pyhäjärvi beach is open to the public.
Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.