24 proposals were received for the design competition. Lars Sonckin a National Romantic grey stone church in the Art Nouveau style, won the competition. The architect was still finalising his plans, also for financial reasons. The most significant change was the abandonment of the 16-metre tower on top of the spire. The foundation stone was laid on 13 July 1908 and the church was consecrated on 1 September 1912. The original shell housed the altar, pulpit, choir loft and organ as a single unit. The first change in the location of the pulpit was in the 1920s. The three chandeliers by Paavo Tynell were not installed until 1932. The organ was moved to the north loft during the extensive renovation in 1955-56. At the same time, the area of the choir was renovated to its present appearance. The rich ornamentation of the church, both inside and outside, was designed by Lars Sonck. The most prominent is the triumphal arch: the altar is accessed through a pearly gate. There are 1200 pearls painted on the arch.

Who was Lars Sonck?

Lars Sonck (1870-1956) was a Finnish architect who was a prominent figure in the Finnish National Romantic and later Classicist and Functionalist periods. His work covers a wide range of buildings, including churches, residential buildings, and public buildings, and he was one of the early and influential figures in Finnish architecture.