Alajärvi Church, also known as the Church of Gabriel (Finnish: Gabrielin kirkko), is the main Lutheran church in the city of Alajärvi, Finland.[1]
| Alajärvi Church | |
|---|---|
| Church of Gabriel | |
Alajärven kirkko | |
 Alajärvi Church in 2015 | |
 | |
| 63°00′02″N 23°49′32″E / 63.000556°N 23.825556°E | |
| Location | Alajärvi |
| Country | Finland |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| Website | https://www.alajarvenseurakunta.fi/kirkot-ja-tilat/alajarven-kirkko |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Archangel Gabriel |
| Consecrated | 21 March 1841[1] |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | protected |
| Architect(s) | Carl Ludvig Engel |
| Architectural type | neoclassical |
| Completed | 1836 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,000 |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Materials | timber |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Alajärvi parish (Alajärven seurakunta) |
Architecture edit
The church was designed by the leading architect operating in Finland at the time, Carl Ludvig Engel, completed in 1836 and consecrated in 1841.[1][2] It is designed in the neoclassical style, and constructed of timber, under a tarred wood shingle roof. There is a standalone bell tower next to the church.[1]
The main altarpiece was created in 1907[3] by the Finnish, Alajärvi-born[4] post-impressionist artist Verner Thomé, and depicts Jesus's agony in the Gethsemane.[2]
In 1896, the church was refurbished, adding an internal balcony with seating, bringing the total seating capacity to 1,200, although in its current configuration it seats c. 1,000.[1]
The church, along with the city centre public and administrative buildings complex designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, has been designated and protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency as a nationally important built cultural environment (Valtakunnallisesti merkittävä rakennettu kulttuuriympäristö).[5]
Gallery edit
-
Interior view towards the chancel -
Interior view with the altarpiece and pulpit visible -
Interior view towards the church organ
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Gabrielin kirkko - Alajärven kirkko". AlajarvenSeurakunta.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Tiekirkot kutsuvat kulkijoita" (in Finnish). Torstai. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Thomé, Verner". Kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Alajärven alttaritaulu päätyi Kallioon" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 3 December 1994. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Kohdetiedot - Alajärvi". RKY.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Heritage Agency. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
