Turku Cathedral

Turku Cathedral
Frontside of Turku Cathedral in summer 2008
60°27′09″N 22°16′41″E / 60.4524°N 22.2781°E / 60.4524; 22.2781Coordinates: 60°27′09″N 22°16′41″E / 60.4524°N 22.2781°E / 60.4524; 22.2781
Location	Turku
Country	Finland
Denomination	Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	Official Website
History
Dedication	Blessed Virgin Mary Saint Henry
Architecture
Status	Episcopal polity
Completed	1300
Specifications
Capacity	1,400 people
Length	89 m
Width	38 m
Height	101.90 m
Administration
Archdiocese	Turku
Province	Western Finland
Clergy
Archbishop	Kari Mäkinen

Turku Cathedral (Finnish: Turun tuomiokirkko, Swedish: Åbo domkyrkka) is the Mother Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It is the central church of the Archdiocese of Turku and the seat of the Archbishop of Finland, Kari Mäkinen. It is also regarded as one of the major records of Finnish architectural history.

Considered to be the most important religious building in Finland, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in the nation's history and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. The cathedral is situated in the heart of Turku next to the Old Great Square, by the river Aura. Its presence extends beyond the local precinct by having the sound of its bells chiming at noon broadcast on national radio. It is also central to Finland's annual Christmas celebrations.

The cathedral was originally built out of wood in the late 13th century, and was dedicated as the main cathedral of Finland in 1300, the seat of the bishop of Turku. It was considerably expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries, mainly using stone as the construction material. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, and was rebuilt to a great extent afterwards.

As the town of Turku began to emerge in the course of the 13th century as the most important trading centre in Finland, the Bishop's see of the Diocese of Finland was transferred from its previous location at Koroinen, some distance further up on the bank of Aura river, to the middle of the town. By the end of the 13th century, a new stone church had been completed on the site of the former wooden-built parish church on Unikankare Mound, and it was consecrated in 1300 as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Henry, the first Bishop of Finland.