Story
The story of Tampere Cathedral
Look up at the highest point of the main vault. A winding serpent of paradise is painted there, holding in its mouth the apple of the knowledge of good and evil. When Hugo Simberg painted the frescoes in 1905 and 1906, this serpent, the skeletons in his Garden of Death and the naked little boys carrying a garland around the gallery caused loud disapproval.
Even after the Second World War, some demanded that the offensive frescoes be removed. Today the paintings of Simberg and Magnus Enckell are considered masterpieces of Finnish symbolism. On either side of the altar you will see The Wounded Angel and The Garden of Death, among Simberg's best-known works.
The church was designed by Lars Sonck in the National Romantic style and built of grey granite between 1902 and 1907. Originally called St. John's Church, it became the cathedral of the Diocese of Tampere in 1923.
This story is compiled from Wikipedia and other open sources; dates and numbers are checked against the source. The text is shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Source ↗
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More highlights in Tampere
- HämeensiltaHämeensilta is a bridge in Tampere, Finland, crossing the Tammerkoski rapids. The main street of Tampere, Hämeenkatu, runs along the bridge, connecting the Kyttälä district to the western parts of the city center.
- Museum Centre VapriikkiThe Vapriikki Museum Centre is a cluster of museums operating in the old factory premises of Tampella, in Tampere, Finland. The name Vapriikki derives from the Swedish word fabrik, meaning factory.
- Sara Hildén Art MuseumArt museum at Särkänniemi in Tampere, named after Sara Hildén, a clothing entrepreneur who built up a large collection of Finnish and foreign art.
- Aleksanteri ChurchThe Alexander Church is a stone church in Tampere, Finland, and it is part of the Tampere Cathedral Parish.
- Pyynikki observation towerThe Pyynikki observation tower is a 26 meter observation tower in Pyynikki, a district and a nature reserve in Tampere, Finland. It was completed in 1929 by the design of the city architect Vilho Kolho, and built using local red granite.
- SärkänniemiSärkänniemi is an amusement park in Tampere, Finland, located in the district by the same name. The park features an aquarium, a planetarium, Doghill Fairytale Farm, an art museum and an observation tower Näsinneula (Näsi Needle).