Overview

Johannes church was the third Lutheran church in Helsinki, and it is still the biggest. It was built in Neo-Gothic style towards the beginning of the 1890s, as the surrounding population had begun to grow. The twin towers are 74 meters in height, so the church has very impressive dimensions. The church has 2,600 seats, so there is plenty of room for big concerts and events as well. The altarpiece shows Saul's conversion and the painting, called A Divine Revelation is by Eero Järnefelt, brother-in-law to Jean Sibelius. The name Johannes (John) surprisingly has its roots in the Finnish ancient era and not in the name of John the Baptist. Johannes church stands on a hill that for many centuries had been a place for Midsummer bonfires (Midsummer is also "John's Day", Juhannus in Finnish). It is also interesting that the well-known composer Oskar Merikanto worked as an organist in this church.