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The old
church at Hattula. The castle of Håmeenlinna was built to
protect the border of the Kingdom of Sweden, and in the early 14th
century Hattula Church, located 6 kilometers from the castle, was
built to be the religious center of the area. The church was used
until 1857, when a new church was built in this region. |
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The vistors
center of the old church at Hattula, with the steeple of the church
in the background. |
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The chancel
of the church at Hattula. |
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The inside
of the church, looking towards the chancel. The church exhibits
the plain late-Gothic hall-church style. Thick square pillars divide
the church into three aisles. The church has the largest number
of medieval wooden sculptures of any church in Finland. |
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The vestry
of the church. In the floor is a wooden door leading to a wine cellar. |
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The frescoes
in Hattula Church are the latest and best representatives of the
Late Gothic monumental painting in Finland. There are 180 frescoes
on the walls and ceiling of the church, representing the largest
number of these type paintings in any church in Finland. This is
a painting of the apostles. with crosses of consecration. |
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A chandelier
in the church from the 1400's. |
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Painting
on the south aisle wall of The Presentation in the Temple. |
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The triumph
Crucifix, above the altar, is a Finnish creation from the early
14th century. |
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Sculpture
of Jesus, from the 1400's |
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The cover
over the pulpit, with many carvings. |
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The elaborately
decorated pulpit. |
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The entrance
to the pulpit. |
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A sculptor
of the Apostle Paul. The sculptor holds up the pulpit. |
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A sculptor
of a Roman soldier. |
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Sculptor
of Saint Gertrude, from the 1400's. |
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Sculptor
of Saint Olaf from the 1400's. This statute came from Germany. |
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Statute
of the Virgin Mary in the entry way, called the Porch. |
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Sculptor
of the Virgin Mary, from the 1500's. |
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Stocks
in the entry way (porch) of the church. Members of this church came
from 75 kilometers (45 miles) away, in the 1400's. Church attendance
was manditory at least once a month. If a person didn't attend at
least once a month, then were placed in these stocks when they did
attend, and open for public humiliation. |
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On the
north wall of the vestry, a painting of a swan feeding her young
with her own blood. |
