Alajärvi church

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
63.000556°N 23.825556°E / 63.000556; 23.825556
LocationAlajärvi
CountryFinland
DenominationLutheran
Websitehttps://www.alajarvenseurakunta.fi/kirkot-ja-tilat/alajarven-kirkko
History
StatusParish church
DedicationArchangel Gabriel
Consecrated21 March 1841[1]
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationprotected
Architect(s)Carl Ludvig Engel
Architectural typeneoclassical
Completed1836
Specifications
Capacity1,000
Number of spires1
Materialstimber
Administration
ParishAlajärvi parish (Alajärven seurakunta)

Architecture

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]

References
  1. "Gabrielin kirkko - Alajärven kirkko". AlajarvenSeurakunta.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  2. "Tiekirkot kutsuvat kulkijoita" (in Finnish). Torstai. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  3. "Thomé, Verner". Kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  4. "Alajärven alttaritaulu päätyi Kallioon" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 3 December 1994. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  5. "Kohdetiedot - Alajärvi". RKY.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Heritage Agency. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
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