Sodankylä Old Church

Sodankylä, Finland

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

Address

Kirkkotie 1-5, Sodankylä, Finland

See all sites in Sodankylä

Details

Founded: 1689
Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Finland)

More Information

www.sodankyla.fi

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Sodankylä Church (0,1 km)

User Reviews

Aleksander Kuberacki (2 years ago)
Amazing church!

Stefan Stöhr (2 years ago)
A beautiful wooden church. This is located just a few minutes from the center. The church was built in 1689 and restored in the 1920s. Unfortunately, the church is currently not open to visitors. But the view from the outside is also worth a visit.

M Juntunen (2 years ago)
A fine and impressive wooden church built in 1689. There are many interesting details in the church, for example the ridge comb of the water roof and the pennants on the roof.

David Caballero (3 years ago)
It may not be worth going expressly, but if you pass through the area, be sure to visit the church and the attached cemetery. A beauty, an island of tranquility. We visited in winter and the atmosphere with the snow is fantastic

Pertti A. Ervasti (4 years ago)
The odour of tar was good.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright missbutterflies

Historic Site of the week

Saint-Émilion Old Town

Saint-Émilion is a picturesque medieval village renowned for its well-preserved architecture and vineyards. The town and surrounding vineyards was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, owing to its long, living history of wine-making, Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.

An oppidum was built on the hill overlooking the present-day city in Gaulish times, before the regions was annexed by Augustus in 27 BC. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine.

Because the region was located on the route of the Camino de Santiago, many monasteries and churches were built during the Middle Ages, and in 1199, while under Plantagenet rule, the town was granted full rights.