The Church of Ulrika Eleanora, Kristiinankaupunki, Finland

The first wooden church of Kristiinankaupunki was built between 1654 and 1658 on the site where the Ulrika Eleonora Church now stands, however it burned down on 16th June 1697. The building of the Ulrika Eleonora Church, which replaced it, was completed in 1700. The church was renovated and returned to use in 1965. The wooden church is a typical seaside church complete with a votive ship hanging from the ceiling. The ship building skills are also otherwise evident in the architecture of the church, for example in the ceiling structure. Outside the church is an old graveyard where the significant families of the city are buried. This churchyard also holds the graves of warriors of Kristiinankaupunki. Only a few services are held in the church each year. Ulrika Eleonora is a popular venue for summer weddings.

Address

Staketgatan 7, Kristiinankaupunki, Finland

See all sites in Kristiinankaupunki

Details

Founded: 1700
Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Finland)

More Information

edu.krs.fi

Rating

4.1/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Kristiinankaupunki Old Town (0,3 km)
Carlsro Museum (4,3 km)

Närpiö Church (21,3 km)
Susiluola (Wolf Cave) (15,3 km)
Pirttikylä Church (50,1 km)

User Reviews

Licht Korn (2 years ago)
Eine der schönsten Kirchen die wir auf unserer Tour gesehen haben. Unbedingt Mal anschauen.

Bo Nylen (2 years ago)

Vesa Savolainen (2 years ago)
Kristiinankaupungin ehdoton nähtävyys, vanha Ulrika Eleonoran kirkko. Kirkko kuuluu kaupungin vanhimpiin rakennuksiin. Se on rakennettu vuonna 1700. Aiemmin paikalla ollut kirkko paloi vuonna1697 salaman sytyttämänä. Tämä pieni kirkko on hyvin kaunis ja kesäpäivänä se suorastaan hehkuu väreissä. Myöskin kirkkopiha on erityisen kaunis ja hautakappeli sopii pihapiiriin erittäin hyvin muodostaen suljetun piha-alueen. Vanha kiviaita myöskin suojelee tämän karun kauniin kirkon sisäpihaa. Suosittelen tätä kirkkoa kesäisenä tutustumiskohteena lämpimästi. Ehdottomasti Kristiinankaupungin suosituimpia turistikohteita.

Jari Sundman (2 years ago)
Vanha kirkko ja ympäristö jätetty kauniisti muuttelematta ja hyvinkin vanhassa kuosissa jossa näkyy hyvin ajan patina.

Jesse Wirkkala (3 years ago)
Kaunis vanha puukirkko.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

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Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

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The Church of Ulrika Eleanora