Korppoo Church, Korppoo, Finland

The Korppoo Church was erected probably between years 1430 and 1440. It represents the oldest church architecture in Finland. Good example of this is the stone tower, which was probably built for defensive purposes, not for belfry. When the church was renovated in 1952-1953, several overpainted medieval wall paintings were found overpainted and restored.

The oldest wooden statue in Finland, "Korppoon madonna", was originally in the Korppoo Church. It was made in Rheinland approximately in 1225. Today the statue is preserved in National Museum of Finland (Helsinki).

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Peter Bergman (7 years ago)

Markku Miettinen (7 years ago)
Rauhallinen kivikirkko

Marko M (7 years ago)
Korppoon keskiaikaiseen kivikirkkoon tutustumiseen kannattaa varata aikaa etenkin silloin, kun "kaikki" muutkin ovat lomalla eli juhannuksesta elokuun alkuun. Kirkko nimittäin on mantereelta kahden lauttareitin takana, joten kyseinen päivä kannattaa uhrata ensi sijaisesti Korppoon, Nauvon ja Paraisten keskiaikaisten kirkkojen katseluun. Korppoon keskiaikainen kirkko on mantereelta katsoen kauimmainen, joten siitä on hyvä aloittaa. Korppoon kirkko on siitä harvinainen, että vain harvoissa Suomen kirkoissa on keskiaikainen kuori ja kuorirakennuksen esiintyminen osoittaa kirkon korkeaa ikää. Korppoon kirkko kuuluu niihin seitsemään Suomen keskiaikaiseen kivikirkkoon, jossa keskiaikainen kuori on säilynyt keskiaikaisessa asussaan. Kirkossa on myös keskiaikainen torni, jota on mahdollisesti käytetty puolustustornina, eli sitä ei rakennettu kelloja varten, vaan toimi linnoituksena, jonne paettiin levottomina aikoina. Nämä seikat jo sellaisenaan ovat näkemisen arvoisia. Muista näkemisen arvoisista asioista mainittakoon mm. alttarikaappi, useat pyhimyksiä kuvaavat puuveistokset ja 1400-luvulta peräisin oleva kuorilehteri.

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Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.

Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.

There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.

Korppoo Church

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