Kaleva Church
{{Short description|Church in Tampere, Finland}}{{Infobox church
| name = Kaleva Church
| native_name = Kalevan kirkko
| native_name_lang = Finnish language
| image = Kaleva Church 4.jpg
| caption = Main facade of Kaleva Church in Tampere.
| country = Finland
| location = Tampere
| denomination = Lutheran
| style = modernism
}}{{More citations|History section|date=December 2023}}
Kaleva Church ({{langx|fi|Kalevan kirkko}}; {{langx|sv|Kalevakyrkan}}) is an Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland church building in the Liisankallio district of Tampere, Finland. It was designed by Reima and Raili Pietilä and built in 1964–66.{{cite web|url=http://www.visittampere.fi/place/700|title=Kaleva Church|publisher=Tampere Tourist Information|accessdate=February 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228090853/http://www.visittampere.fi/place/700|archive-date=February 28, 2014|url-status=dead}} The church accommodates approximately 1,120 people.{{cite web|url=http://www.tampereenseurakunnat.fi/kirkko_tampereella/in_english/churches#Kalevachurch|title=Churches in Tampere|publisher=Tampereen ev.lut. seurakunnat|accessdate=February 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219044901/http://www.tampereenseurakunnat.fi/kirkko_tampereella/in_english/churches#Kalevachurch|archive-date=February 19, 2014|url-status=dead}} It is considered an example of modern architectural style{{Cite web|url=https://ksamedia.osu.edu/work/67782|title=Kaleva Church, Tampere, Finland|last=|first=|date=|website=Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture Digital Library|publisher=|language=en|access-date=2017-01-28|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202115602/https://ksamedia.osu.edu/work/67782|url-status=dead}} and is one of the main sights of Tampere.
History
Kaleva parish was established in 1953, but without its own church. In 1959, the board of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Tampere announced a competition to design a church building for the parish. The entry selected was by architect Reima Pietilä, whose architectural partner (and, from 1963, wife) Raili Paatelainen later became involved in the project.
The site chosen for the church was a small hill at the head of the convergence of two of Tampere's major streets: Teiskontie and Sammonkatu.
Architecture
File:Kaleva Church altar and organs.jpg
The building was constructed using slip forming. It is made from 17 narrow {{Cvt|35|m}}-high hollow concrete u-shapes, with full height windows between them.[https://web.archive.org/web/20190626001056/https://declad.com/kaleva-brutalist-church/ Declad] – Kaleva Church Like the windows, there are also 18 entrances to the building. These concrete u’s are all slightly different. Because at the time many grain elevators in Finland were built with slip forming, the church got the nicknames “Silo of the Souls” and “Viljanen’s Silo” (referring to the Vicar Paavo Viljanen). The {{Cvt|35|m}}-high walls were cast in 12 days.[https://finnisharchitecture.fi/kaleva-curch/ FinnishAchitecture.fi] – Kaleva Church
The surface area of the church is {{Cvt|3600|m2}}, and its volume is {{Cvt|47000|m3}}. The floor plan of the church resembles a fish, an ancient symbol of Christianity.[http://www.uusiverso.fi/files/979/Kaleva_Church_2010.pdf Uusi Verso] – Kaleva Church The main hall is {{Cvt|30|m}} high and offers seating for 1120 people.
The roof of the church is flat, and surmounted by a bell tower in the shape of a stylised cross, housing three bells manufactured in West Germany. In addition to the main hall, the church features a chapel, sacristy and auxiliary facilities. All furnishings in the church are made of lacquered Finnish pine.
Recognition
The plans for the church had already received international attention before building started. The church is considered to be among the key works of post-war Finnish modernism and was protected by the Church Act in 2006. Kaleva Church is featured on the Docomomo Finland list of modern Finnish architectural masterpieces.[http://en.docomomo.fi/projects/kaleva-church/ DOCOMOMO] – Kaleva Church
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commonscat-inline|Kaleva church}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060114205738/http://www.tampere.fi/matkailu/english/architec.htm Reima and Raili Pietilä's architecture in Tampere]
{{coord|61|29|57|N|023|47|38|E|region:FI-LS_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Tampere Cityscape}}
Category:Lutheran churches in Finland
Category:Buildings and structures in Tampere