Religious Building · Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki Cathedral
Helsinki Cathedral (Finnish: Helsingin tuomiokirkko, Suurkirkko; Swedish: Helsingfors domkyrka, Storkyrkan) is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki, Finland, at the Senate Square. Built 1851–1852.
Photo: Manster323 via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Helsinki, Finland |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | 1851–1852 |
| Architect | Carl Ludvig Engel |
| Elevation | Elevation: 12 m |
| Coordinates | 60.1703° N, 24.9522° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Helsinki Cathedral is known for
Helsinki Cathedral (Finnish: Helsingin tuomiokirkko, Suurkirkko; Swedish: Helsingfors domkyrka, Storkyrkan) is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki, Finland, at the Senate Square.
About Helsinki Cathedral
Helsinki Cathedral (Finnish: Helsingin tuomiokirkko, Suurkirkko; Swedish: Helsingfors domkyrka, Storkyrkan) is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki, Finland, at the Senate Square. The church was originally built from 1830 to 1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. It was also known as St Nicholas's Church (Finnish: Nikolainkirkko, Swedish: Nikolajkyrkan) until Finland declared its full independence in 1917.
History
After Helsinki was made into the capital of Finland in 1812, Alexander I decreed in 1814 that 15 percent of the salt import tax were to be collected into a fund for two churches, one Lutheran and one Orthodox. The cathedral was built on the site of the smaller 1724–1727 Ulrika Eleonora Church, which had been dedicated to its patroness, Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden. Helsinki Old Church was built between 1824 and 1826 in nearby Kamppi to serve the parish while the Ulrika Eleonora Church was being demolished and until the consecration of the new cathedral.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Helsinki Cathedral website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Helsinki |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Helsinki Malmi Airport (HEM) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Helsinki Vantaa Airport (HEL) · Helsinki (Vantaa), Finland · 10.2 miles away
- Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (TLL) · Tallinn, Estonia · 52.5 miles away
- Turku Airport (TKU) · Turku, Finland · 95.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Finland
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is Helsinki Cathedral?
Helsinki Cathedral (Finnish: Helsingin tuomiokirkko, Suurkirkko; Swedish: Helsingfors domkyrka, Storkyrkan) is the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the neighborhood of Kruununhaka in the centre of Helsinki, Finland, at the Senate Square.
Where is Helsinki Cathedral located?
Helsinki Cathedral is in Helsinki, Finland. Its coordinates are 60.1703° N, 24.9522° E.
How do I get to Helsinki Cathedral?
The nearest town is Helsinki, and the nearest airport is Helsinki Malmi Airport (HEM), about 6.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Helsinki Cathedral built?
Helsinki Cathedral was built 1851–1852.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helsinki_Cathedral — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q738015 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://helsingintuomiokirkko.fi/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.