There was originally a small chapel in Nurmo built in 1727. After couple of decades it became too small for increasing population. The chapter denied the building of new church, but local people started however to construct it illegally in 1777. The building master was Antti Hakola, but he accidentally drowned to Nurmo river in 1778. His son, Kaappo Hakola, continued the construction and the church completed in 1779.
The interior has been constructed mainly by Solomon Köhlström from Jalasjärvi. He carved doors, seats, windows and also probably the altar. The belfry was erected in already in 1770. The bells were made in Stockholm in 1766 and 1777.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.