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The Lutheran Temppeliaukio Church is located in Toolo district, at the intersection of Fredrikinkatu and Lutherinkatu streets. This unique church is also often called "church in rock" for it is quarried out of natural bedrock. Its dome of copper and glass bears on rock walls. Daylight gets inside through glass cells of the dome. There are only 12 meters from the church's floor to the dome but copper plates laid spirally create illusion of the height.
The Temppeliaukio (Temple square) was supposed to be the place for a future church in the 1930s. Then the winner of the second competition to design the architecture of the church was J. S. Siren. The work began, but was interrupted almost at the beginning when WWII began in 1939. After the war, in 1961 another architectural competition took place, and Timo Suomalainen and Tuomo Suomalainen became the winners. Construction finally began in February of 1968, and in September of 1969 the rock-temple was consecrated. The Temppeliaukio Church was built in 1969 upon the project of Finnish architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The interior was excavated and built into the rock, but the glazed dome of the church enters natural light. Due to its unusual design, there are no bells at the church. They are replaced with a recording of bells composed by Taneli Kuusisto. The visitors can listen to this wonderful sounds played via loudspeakers on the exterior wall.
The church is functioning. Church services are regularly held in Finnish and English. Due to its unique architectural solution the Temppeliaukio Church has magnificent acoustics. The organ with 43 pipe-registers is placed inside the church. Various concerts of organ and violin music are held here all year round. The Temppeliaukio Church is also often used as a recording studio.
