April 11: Temppeliaukio
A few of us met up to check out Temppeliaukion kirkko (the Rock Church), the zoo on Korkeasaari, and the Ateneum, the art museum downtown.
Temppeliaukio (designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, completed 1969) is just northwest of the center of town. Its interior is carved out of the rock outcropping that existed there previously. It's ringed on the outside by enormous rock piles; you can see its dome just a bit at top.
The interior is quite striking. All around the edge of the dome are skylights illuminating the rock walls.
A view across.
The balcony over the entrance.
The inside surface of the dome is these circular strips of copper. It was an expensive project.
The junction of the wall and floor.
From the balcony toward the altar.
A closer view of the ceiling.
Along the balcony.
The edge of the altar plinth is detailed in a rather nice, subtle way.
Back toward the entrance.
A font, quite in keeping with the building materials-wise.
Out the skylights.
The exterior rock wall is a haven for pidges. You could hear dozens of muffled coos through the gaps.
The rock is ringed by normal housing blocks.
No climbohs.
The dome.
The cross, also nicely done. (It's only a foot or two high; the scale is difficult to figure out from the photo.)