Finland Guide
Helsinki and the south
Temppeliaukio kirkko
Opening time: Mid-May to mid-Sept Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am–8pm, Wed 10am–6.45pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11.45–1.45pm & 3.30–6pm; closed Tues 1–3.30pm in winter and during services
Address: Lutherinkatu 3
Brilliantly conceived by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and finished in 1969, the breathtaking Temppeliaukio kirkko is an underground church built inside a massive block of natural granite in the middle of an otherwise ordinary residential square. While here, try to see it from above if you can (even if you have to shin up a drainpipe), when the copper dome that pokes through the rock makes the thing look like a ditched flying saucer. The odd combination of man-made and natural materials has made it a fixture on the tourist circuit, but even when crowded it's a thrill to be inside. Classical concerts frequently take place here, the raw rock walls making for excellent acoustics – check the noticeboard at the entrance for details.