Temppeliaukion kirkko

About the museum

The site for the church was reserved as early as 1906, in the first town plan for the Arkadia district, which gave the church its name: Temppeliaukio, meaning “temple square”. The church was planned for a long time: no winner was chosen in the competitions of the 1930s, and excavation work begun in 1939 was interrupted by the Winter War. In the third competition, held in 1960–1961, the first prize went to the proposal “Kivikirkko” (Rock Church) by the brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen.

Construction began in February 1968, and the church was consecrated on 28 September 1969 as the Taivallahti Church; the name was changed to Temppeliaukio Church in 1971. The Suomalainen brothers had the church hall blasted into the rock, so that the rock surface remains visible inside. The roof is a reinforced concrete dome supported by 180 radial beams, and a skylight illuminates the altar area. The dome and the gallery are clad in unpatinated copper. The church was protected in 2004.

The acoustics of the church hall are good, and therefore many concerts are held there. The church is an active Lutheran congregation, and services are usually held on Sundays and most public holidays at 10:00. At the same time, it is Finland's most visited architectural site: in 2019 it received 938,000 visitors.

Highlights

• Church hall hewn into the rock, with the bare rock surface visible
• Copper dome and skylight
• Designed by the Suomalainen brothers, consecrated in 1969
• Good acoustics and concerts
• Guided tours in Finnish, Swedish, English, German and Danish

Founded

1969

Operated by

Töölön seurakunta

Admission & discounts

Adult tickets (for those aged 18 and over) cost €8. Tickets are sold at the entrance (cash and most international credit cards) and can also be bought in advance online. The Helsinki Card, the Helsinki City Pass and the Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) give free admission, as do members of the Töölö parish.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main entrance and the church hall are at street level and can be reached by wheelchair, pram and rollator. The gallery can only be reached by stairs, and there is no lift.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

It is about a 10-minute walk to the church from the Kamppi shopping centre. The main entrance is at Lutherinkatu 3. Bicycle parking is available on Lutherinkatu and Temppelikatu, and city bike stations are located near Kauppakorkeakoulu, Sammonpuistikko and Cygnaeuksenkatu.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The church shop, Temppis Shop, sells products; more information about the shop is available on the church's website. For security reasons, large suitcases and rucksacks are restricted.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Concert organisers can book the church hall; bookings are made via the church's website.

Plan your visit