Meet the Twelve Apostles on Helsinki Cathedral's Roof

The 12 statues overlooking the city from each side of the roof of the Cathedral are the Apostles, the closest disciples of Jesus. The statues depict St Peter, St Thomas, St Simon, St James the Greater and St James the Less, St Paul, St Andrew, St Philip, St Jude Thaddeus, St John, St Matthew, and lastly St Bartholomew. They are one of the world’s largest uniform collections of zinc sculptures, and rare examples of Neoclassical sculptural art in Finland.

The statues were added to the rooftops after the death of the architect Engel. The decision was made after the church building committee concluded that there was a visual imbalance between the central dome and main body of the church. The statues are work of the period’s two notable German sculptors, August Wredow and Hermann Schievelbein. The statues were cast in zinc in Berlin and brought to Finland in three shipments during 1847–1848. They are believed to have been placed on the roof in 1850.