Sodankylä Old Church

Description

Built in 1689 for the people of central Lapland, the old timber church in Sodankylä is one of the wooden churches to survive in Lapland and one of the oldest in Finland. Following the completion of the new stone church, the old church was decommissioned in 1859. In terms of style, the church is a sample of Finnish medieval ecclesiastic architecture and Ostrobothnian wooden church designs. The church was restored in 1926 and the shingled roof and external cladding repaired during 1992-95 by the National Board on Antiquities. The church is unique in having preserved its original design and atmosphere throughout centuries.

Prayer meetings are held in the church in summer, and it is a specially popular venue for weddings.

Reference: Sodankylä Municipality