Turku Cathedral

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Turku Cathedral
Turun tuomiokirkko
Frontside of Turku Cathedral in summer 2008
60°27′09″N 22°16′41″E / 60.4524°N 22.2781°E / 60.4524; 22.2781
Location	Turku
Country	Finland
Denomination	Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Previous denomination	Catholic
Website	Official Website
History
Status	Episcopal polity
Dedication	Blessed Virgin Mary Saint Henry
Consecrated	17 June 1300
Architecture
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Romanesque, Gothic Revival
Years built	1276–1300
Completed	1300
Specifications
Capacity	1,400 people[1]
Length	89 m
Width	38 m
Height	85.53 m
Administration
Province	Western Finland
Archdiocese	Turku
Clergy
Archbishop	Tapio Luoma

Turku Cathedral (Finnish: Turun tuomiokirkko, Swedish: Åbo domkyrka) is the only medieval basilica in Finland and the Mother Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It is the central church of the Lutheran Archdiocese of Turku and the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Finland, Tapio Luoma. It is also regarded as one of the major records of Finnish architectural history.

Considered to be the most important religious building in Finland, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in the nation's history and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols. The cathedral is situated in the heart of Turku next to the Old Great Square, by the river Aura. Its presence extends beyond the local precinct by having the sound of its bells chiming at noon broadcast on national radio. It is also central to Finland's annual Christmas celebrations.

The cathedral was originally built out of wood in the late 13th century, and was dedicated as the main cathedral of Finland in 1300, the seat of the Catholic bishop of Turku. It was considerably expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries, mainly using stone as the construction material. The cathedral was badly damaged during the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, and was rebuilt to a great extent afterwards.