Old Church of Messukylä
The Old Church of Messukylä is a medieval stone church in the Messukylä district of the city of Tampere , Finland . The church was built around 1520 and is the oldest building in the city. The patron saint of the church is the Archangel Michael .
history
Originally there was a wooden one between 1434 and 1520. The inscription "1434" can be found on a beam. This year is believed to be the most likely year of construction, as the images of the saints in the church are from the 15th century. The pictures of Archangel Michael and Saints Jacob and Olaf can still be seen in the church today.
The stone walls were erected around 1510-1530. The sacristy on the side of the church was built at the end of the 15th century. The building was renovated several times in the 17th and 18th centuries, after which the church fell into disrepair for some time.
In the Middle Ages the old church served as a burial place. The deceased were buried under the ground, the last at the end of the 18th century.
In 1879 a new church was built in the Messukylä district. From this time on, the old church was only used as a granary for decades.
In 1958/1959 the church was completely renovated. It is in good condition and is open for various events in summer.
present
The church is very popular as a wedding church. The pulpit of the church is unique and the decorations in the wood are particularly beautiful. The pulpit was a gift from Governor EJ Creutz in the 17th century.
The church belongs to the Messukylä parish and is part of the Finnish Parish Association. The church is closed in winter as there is no heating.
The building
The church is a typical Finnish church building from the Middle Ages for this region. The direction of the chapel runs from east to west, the main door is in the west. Opposite the sacristy is an old armory. The exterior decoration is modest with round decorations, a rose window and the cross on the gable of the sacristy. The walls are made of field stone and the roof is made of wood.
See also
Web links
- Messukylän historiaa. Messukylän perinneseura ry., Accessed March 1, 2018 (Finnish).
- Messukylän seurakunta. Tampereen seurakunnat, accessed March 1, 2018 (Finnish).
Coordinates: 61 ° 29 ′ 5 ″ N , 23 ° 50 ′ 32 ″ E