Pielpajärvi Church
The Church of Pielpajärvi is a wooden church in the village of Inari in Finnish Lapland . The church, built between 1752 and 1760, is one of the oldest buildings in Northern Lapland. It is located around 10 kilometers north of Inari on the shores of Lake Iso Pielpajärvi in the middle of uninhabited wilderness, which is why it is often referred to as the "Solitary Church" (erämaakirkko) . The church can only be reached via a 4.5 km long footpath. The path leads through forests and past small lakes.
history
After the Christianization of the Sami population Inaris, a first small (6.8 × 5.5 m) church was built in the winter village on the banks of the Pielpajärvi in 1647, where the semi-nomadic Sami came together during the cold season to do their religious and judicial trade To settle matters. The Swedish Queen Christina had the church named after herself and donated the bell and the priest's dress. After the maintenance of the old church had been neglected for many years and it had become dilapidated, the current church was built in its place from 1752–1760. 1760–1766 the bell stack was added. Around the church there were originally 30 to 40 parlors, in which the church visitors who had traveled from far away were accommodated, a rectory and a few other buildings, none of which have been preserved. However, there was no cemetery because the Sami traditionally buried the deceased on islands in Lake Inari . Around 1846, the Pielpajärvi church was renovated and received its present form.
When the Sami Inaris settled down, the winter village on Pielpajärvi was given up. After settled settlements arose in the village of Inari, a new church was built there and the church of Pielpajärvi was abandoned in 1888. After the church of Inari was destroyed in a Soviet bombing raid during the Winter War in 1940 , the church of Pielpajärvi was used again until the new church of Inari was completed in 1951. Today, services are held in the church of Pielpajärvi every year on the midsummer festival and on Holy Saturday , and weddings are held in the church.
Building description
The church of Pielpajärvi is a very simple wooden structure with a floor plan in the form of a Greek cross with almost equal arms . The length of the church is 11.75 meters in east-west direction and 11.45 meters in north-south direction. A stack of bells is built on as a continuation of the western cross arm . The church is built as a block construction and clad horizontally from the outside with tarred boards. The roof is covered with wooden tiles , the crossing is crowned by a pennant. The interior of the church can accommodate 150 worshipers. It is painted white and is closed by a timbered vault. The interior dates from the period of renovation in the mid-19th century. The doors of the church remain unlocked all year round. Inside is a guest book in which visitors can note their presence.
Web links
- (German)
- luontoon.fi: Pielpajärven erämaakirkon historia (finn.)
- Finnish Monument Protection Register 1993: Pielpajärven kirkko ympäristöineen (Finnish)
- Finnish Museum Authority: Museovirasto restauroi (Finnish)
Coordinates: 68 ° 57 ′ 4 ″ N , 27 ° 6 ′ 57 ″ E