Rock and refuge: Finland’s Temppeliaukio Church blends nature and faith

The architects preserved the natural contours of the rocky hill, opting to excavate a circular underground hall instead of imposing a conventional above-ground building.

Kim Bong-ryeol

The author is an architect and professor emeritus at Korea National University of Arts.

In Helsinki’s Toolo district, a church carved directly into granite has become one of Finland’s most visited landmarks. Temppeliaukio Church, also known as the “Rock Church,” was dedicated in 1969 after decades of delay due to World War II. Its bold design combines Lutheran tradition with a distinctly Nordic reverence for nature and minimalist aesthetics.

Plans for a parish church in Toolo date back to the 1930s, as Lutheranism — based on the teachings of Martin Luther — remained the predominant faith across Scandinavia. But construction was halted by the war, and it was not until 1961 that efforts resumed through a design competition. The winning proposal, submitted by Finnish architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, called for an unconventional subterranean structure set within a granite outcrop at the heart of the neighborhood.

Interior view of Temppeliaukio Church in the Toolo district of Helsinki. [KIM BONG-RYEOL]

The architects preserved the natural contours of the rocky hill, opting instead to excavate a circular underground hall rather than imposing a conventional above-ground building. Although the original design was scaled down due to postwar budget constraints, the completed sanctuary still seats 750 people. Its walls are made from stone quarried on-site, with a central dome 24 meters (78.72 feet) in diameter, supported by radial concrete beams. Narrow skylights between the beams allow daylight to flood the space, creating a serene atmosphere.

The dome itself is a work of craftsmanship, wrapped in a coil of copper wire measuring a total of 22 kilometers in length. The structure blends the natural roughness of the surrounding rock with the precision of modern engineering.

The church’s raw rock surfaces were left exposed following advice from conductor Paavo Berglund, a noted interpreter of Jean Sibelius’s music. The irregular stone walls enhance the acoustics, making the church a celebrated concert venue. Today, more than 400 performances are held there each year. Even the altar was designed with sound in mind, placed against a narrow crevice formed during the Ice Age. This natural feature acts as a sound reflector, offering visitors the experience of music bouncing across stone, as if within a canyon.

At first, some critics compared the structure’s stark concrete entrance to a wartime bunker. But public opinion has shifted. Now drawing over 900,000 visitors annually, Temppeliaukio is widely regarded as a modern architectural icon of Helsinki.

The rock that encases the sanctuary recalls Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The dome, clad in copper, stands like a protective shield — a union of strength, shelter, and sacred space.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.