Muhos Church

Muhos, Finland

The church of Muhos was completed in 1634 and is the third church in the parish. Muhos church is the oldest wooden church in Finland, which has been preserved almost in its original shape. It is built in the form of a rectangular basilica, a so called buttress church. Torninrakentaja-Hannu (Hannu the Tower Builder) is regarded as the builder of the church. There are 500 seats in the church.

The pulpit was built by Mikael Sigfridsson Balt, a carpenter and a sculptor, late in the seventeenth century. On the canopy there stand two angels dressed in white playing trombones and between the angels there is the Saviour with a flag of victory and the globe in his hands. It is assumed that these sculptures are a booty from Germany during the Thirty Year´s War (1618-48). A dove, the symbol of the holy spirit, is hanging from the canopy of the pulpit.

In the 1762 the church was completely renovated and the belfry was built under the guidance of Matti Honka, a famous church builder. The belfry represents the Ostrobothnian Renaissance style. There are two church bells. The bigger one was cast in Stockholm 1757 and the smaller in Helsinki 1885.

During the period of 1773-75 the church was illustrated with paintings of biblical motifs by Emanuel Granberg, a church painter, who was born in Vihanti. When the windows were enlarged and increased in number in 1839, some of the wall paintings in the church hall were destroyed. The ones that survived were covered later with boarding. Some of Granberg´s paintings have been preserved to the present day on the walls of the sacristy and on the gallery balustrade, where from left to right the prophets Ezekiel, Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah and Daniel are depicted.

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Address

Laituritie, Muhos, Finland
See all sites in Muhos

Details

Founded: 1634
Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Finland)

More Information

www.muhoksenseurakunta.fi

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Pirkko Kandelberg (9 months ago)
The doors were open to the church on a beautiful hot day. The church is located on the really beautiful Oulujoki bank. Finland's oldest wooden church that has remained almost unexpanded. The church contains old historical artefacts.
Kari Kangas (9 months ago)
Muhos church is the oldest wooden church in Finland that is still in regular, year-round use. It was consecrated in 1634. The church has 500 seats. In the summer of 2024, the church will be open daily from 12:00 to 18:00. There will be an expert guide (you should check the opening times on the website of the Muhos parish, for example).
Henri Oesch (2 years ago)
A really nice valuable church in a beautiful location. It's worth a visit.
Erkki Ojala (4 years ago)
Finland's oldest church in year-round use
Raija Sassi (4 years ago)
Really beautiful Finland's oldest wooden church in a great location.
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