Oulu Cathedral

Oulu, Finland

The Oulu Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Oulu. The church was built in 1777 as a tribute to the King of Sweden Gustav III of Sweden and named after his wife as Sofia Magdalena's church.

The wooden structures burned in the large fire of the city of Oulu in 1822. The church was built again on top of the old stonewalls with famous architect Carl Ludvig Engel as the designer. The restoration works were completed in 1832, but the belfry was not erected until 1845.

Reference: Wikipedia

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Address

Linnankatu 4, Oulu, Finland
See all sites in Oulu

Details

Founded: 1777 (restored 1832)
Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: The Age of Enlightenment (Finland)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.ouluon.fi

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Oulu Castle (0,5 km)
Oulu City Hall (0,2 km)
Museum of Northern Ostrobothnia (0,3 km)


Haukipudas Church (19,3 km)
Turkansaari (13,2 km)
Kempele Old Church (10,9 km)
Iin Hamina (34,9 km)
Kierikki Centre (44,1 km)
Ylikiiminki Church (30,6 km)
Temmes Church (38,2 km)

User Reviews

Illar Salusoo (49 days ago)
historical object
Yanni H (2 months ago)
Not big on churches. Had to go, but unwilingly.
khaled mohammad (11 months ago)
nice architecture building
Alan Pembshaw (2 years ago)
A beautiful example of a Lutheran cathedral - simple and not overly-ornate. Very well-maintained. The ship model signifies that it is also a seamen's church. Several lovely stained glass windows. The organ loft is also very beautiful. One of the must see sights in Oulu. Well worthwhile
Outi Rikola (2 years ago)
Beautiful, inside and outside
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Lübeck Cathedral

Lübeck Cathedral is a large brick-built Lutheran cathedral in Lübeck, Germany and part of the Lübeck UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1173 Henry the Lion founded the cathedral to serve the Diocese of Lübeck, after the transfer in 1160 of the bishop's seat from Oldenburg in Holstein under bishop Gerold. The then Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1230, but between 1266 and 1335 it was converted into a Gothic-style building with side-aisles raised to the same height as the main aisle.

On the night of Palm Sunday (28–29 March) 1942 a Royal Air Force bombing raid destroyed a fifth of the town centre. Several bombs fell in the area around the church, causing the eastern vault of the quire to collapse and destroying the altar which dated from 1696. A fire from the neighbouring cathedral museum spread to the truss of the cathedral, and around noon on Palm Sunday the towers collapsed. An Arp Schnitger organ was lost in the flames. Nevertheless, a relatively large portion of the internal fittings was saved, including the cross and almost all of the medieval polyptychs. In 1946 a further collapse, of the gable of the north transept, destroyed the vestibule almost completely.

Reconstruction of the cathedral took several decades, as greater priority was given to the rebuilding of the Marienkirche. Work was completed only in 1982.

The cathedral is unique in that at 105 m, it is shorter than the tallest church in the city. This is the consequence of a power struggle between the church and the guilds.

The 17 m crucifix is the work of the Lübeck artist Bernt Notke. It was commissioned by the bishop of Lübeck, Albert II. Krummendiek, and erected in 1477. The carvings which decorate the rood screen are also by Notke.

Since the war, the famous altar of Hans Memling has been in the medieval collection of the St. Annen Museum, but notable polyptychs remain in the cathedral.

In the funeral chapels of the southern aisle are Baroque-era memorials by the Flemish sculptor Thomas Quellinus.

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