Appreciate the simple charm of the city’s oldest church, which is set in a park where more than 1,000 plague victims are buried.
The Old Church of Helsinki is a neoclassical structure that stands in its namesake park in the city center. Dating back to 1826, it is the oldest existing church in the city and has an iconic status. Admire the white façade and elegant design of this church and its scenic gardens.
Note how the brown portal stands out against the predominantly white façade. This wooden church is particularly charming in the snowy winter. Gaze up at the green dome atop the wooden tiles of the church roof.
Enjoy a picnic on the steps of the church porch and relish the serene setting. Enter the structure to admire its elegant white interior and inspect the 19th-century organ with 32 stops.
Hear how the adjacent park was nicknamed Plague Park in reference to an 18th-century pandemic. Some of the plague’s victims are buried here. See around 50 gravestones and memorials that remain in this former cemetery. Among the most intriguing structures is the Sederholm Tomb for a former local merchant in the northeastern section of the park. See the graves of Finnish and German soldiers who died in the civil war of 1918.
Learn the history of the church, which was initially constructed as a temporary spiritual home before the completion of the Helsinki Cathedral 25 years later. It was designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel in 2 years and was the first Lutheran church to be constructed after Helsinki became the Finnish capital city.
Visit the church from Monday to Friday from noon until late afternoon. Note that it remains open until late evening on Thursdays. It is free to enter and is a popular site for private events such as weddings and other functions.
Find the Old Church of Helsinki in the busy central part of the city. Ride a bus to one of the many stops in the area. The railway station and its eponymous plaza is a 10-minute walk north from the church. Visit nearby attractions such as the Amos Anderson Art Museum and the Aleksanterin Theater.
