, native_name_lang = fi , image = Pihlajaveden-kirkko-2.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Church pictured in 2007 , pushpin map = , pushpin label position = , pushpin map alt = , pushpin mapsize = , relief = , map caption = , coordinates = , osgraw = , osgridref = , location =

Pihlajavesi, Keuruu Pihlajavesi (historically also known as Pihlainen) is a town and a former municipality of Finland, which in 1969 was merged into the municipality of Keuruu, located in the Central Finland region. Geography Pihlajavesi borders Ähtäri, Vilppu ...

, country =

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

, denomination =

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

, previous denomination = , tradition = , religious institute = , churchmanship = , membership = , attendance = , website = , former name = , bull date = , founded date = , founder = , dedication = , dedicated date = , consecrated date = 1787 , cult = , relics = , events = , past bishop = , people = , status =

Parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

, functional status = Seasonal use , heritage designation = , designated date = , architect =

Matti Åkerblom Matti Åkerblom ( Pärnä; 18 July 1740, Eräjärvi — 10 June 1819, Orivesi) was a notable Finnish church designer and builder of the late 18th century, who also held the office of the regional master builder of the Province of Tavastia. Å ...

, architectural type = Finnish traditional , style = , years built = 1780 — 1783 , groundbreaking = , completed date = , construction cost = , closed date = , demolished date = , capacity = 300 , length = , width = , width nave = , height = , diameter = , other dimensions = , floor count = , floor area = , dome quantity = , dome height outer = , dome height inner = , dome dia outer = , dome dia inner = , spire quantity = 1 , spire height = , materials = Timber , bells = , bells hung = , bell weight = , parish = Keuruu Parish , benefice = , deanery = , archdeaconry = , episcopalarea = , archdiocese = , metropolis = , diocese = Diocese of Lapua , province = , presbytery = , synod = , circuit = , district = , division = , subdivision = Pihlajavesi Old Church (

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

: ''Pihlajaveden vanha kirkko''), also known as Pihlajavesi Wilderness Church (Finnish: ''Pihlajaveden erämaakirkko''), is a

Lutheran church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

in the town of Pihlajavesi, in

Central Finland Central Finland ( fi, Keski-Suomi; sv, Mellersta Finland) is a Regions of Finland, region ( / ) in Finland. It borders the regions of Päijät-Häme, Pirkanmaa, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, Northern Savonia, No ...

. It is called 'Wilderness Church', because it is situated in a forest outside the main populated areas.

Background

Pihlajavesi formed part of the large

Ruovesi Ruovesi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipalities are Juupajoki, Mänttä-Vilpp ...

parish, and travel to the nearest church was difficult due to lack of roads in the area; therefore the populace petitioned the

Archdiocese of Turku The Archdiocese of Turku ( fi, Turun arkkihiippakunta, sv, Åbo ärkestift), historically known as '' Archdiocese of Åbo'', is the seat of the Archbishop of Turku. It is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and its see city is ...

cathedral chapter According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...

for a permission to build their own local chapel and cemetery. The request was granted, but during the design and construction phase what was originally intended as a small prayer room gradually grew into a full-blown church, which the permission did not allow. The Diocese complained and admonished the ''Kirkkoherra'' (

Vicar A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...

) of

Keuruu Keuruu (; sv, Keuru) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The popul ...

over this unlicensed development, initially refusing to sanction its use, but allowed the building to remain and eventually consecrated it as a church in 1787. When a new, larger and more modern church was built in Pihlajavesi in 1870, the old church was abandoned and fell into such disrepair that it was scheduled for demolition. It was, however, rediscovered and renovated in the 1920s, followed by a replacement roof installed in 1966. The church is not heated, and therefore mostly used during the summer months, when it is popular as a wedding church and a venue for small-scale concerts and events.

Architecture

The church was designed and built 1780—1783 by a notable church builder of the time,

, who also built the , the main church of the then parish. It is of timber construction, with the massive logs unclad both on the exterior and interior sides. There is an integral

bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...

under a

wood shingle Wood shingles are thin, tapered pieces of wood primarily used to cover roof shingle, roofs and walls of buildings to protect them from the weather. Historically roof shingle, shingles, also known as shakes, were split from straight grained, kno ...

roof, at the western end of the building, above the entrance. The church is a notable example of 18th-century Finnish church design, and of the 'long church' (''pitkäkirkko'') style typical to parts of the southern and western Finland. It is also revealing of timber construction methods of the time, especially thanks to the unlined wall and ceiling structures. The church and its surrounding milieu have been designated and protected by the

Finnish Heritage Agency The Finnish Heritage Agency ( fi, Museovirasto, sv, Museiverket), previously known in English as the National Board of Antiquities, preserves Finland's material cultural heritage: collects, studies and distributes knowledge of it. The agency is a ...

as a nationally important built cultural environment (''Valtakunnallisesti merkittävä rakennettu kulttuuriympäristö''). Somewhat unusually, the church has never had an

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

or housed any other church art.

Gallery

References

External links

*: Keuruu Parish website (in Finnish) *: tour of the church {{Portal, Finland Churches completed in 1783 Lutheran churches in Finland Buildings and structures in Central Finland Keuruu Wooden churches in Finland