Medieval Stone

Christianity gained a foothold in Finland during the 11th century. The oldest churches and chapels were built of wood, which remained the most common material until the late 19th century. The oldest preserved wooden churches in Finland date back to the 17th century. The oldest stone church is the St. Olaf's Church in Jomala, Åland. It was completed 1260–1280. Dating the churches is difficult, since there are very few reliable sources. During the era of Finnish nationalism in the late 19th century, the stone churches were considered to be from the 12th or 13th century. They were later mainly dated back to the 14th century. In the 1990s, the Finnish archeologist Markus Hiekkanen claimed the…

The inside walls and vaults were usually painted white and decorated with Fresco-secco mural paintings. They are the oldest examples of Finnish art. The paintings of 47 churches have been preserved. This artwork was often painted over during the Reformation era, but later uncovered. Some churches have notable paintings by foreign masters, but others display a rather primitive form of art. Only a few stained glass windows are preserved. Finnish stone churches have some 800 wooden sculptures, including 130 crucifixes. They were mainly imported from Gotland or Northern Germany, but some are the work of local Finnish masters. The pews were made of wood, as were the pulpits. During the winter,…