Block-pillar church


The block-pillar church was a common type of wooden church in Ostrobothnia in the 17th century. Individual specimens are also found elsewhere in Finland and in northern Sweden.

Construction

The basic form of a block pillar church is a nave church, where the walls are made of horizontal logs and the joints between the logs are placed inside a timber pillar. The pillars are square timbered cavities as high as the walls with interlocking joints and are visible from both outside and inside the church. The pillars support a long timber wall so it doesn't start to buckle due to pressure from the roof. Inside the church, the walls are supported by tie beams between the parallel walls. Most commonly two pairs of block pillars were used, but the largest block-pillar church is, which has three pairs of pillars. In the west gable, the churches often have a timbered tower with a high spire. Most often the tower had no church bells, and a bell tower was built separately. Block-pillar churches appear to have been an Ostrobothnian specialty.

Preserved churches

Around a hundred block-pillar churches were built, twelve of which have been preserved. The oldest preserved is from 1627, which was expanded into a cruciform church in 1777.
PlaceChurchBuiltNotesPicture
Alastaro, Loimaa, Finland1754moved from Loimaa in 1841[file:Alastaro kirkko.JPG|120x120px|Alastaro Church]
Jukkasjärvi, Kiruna, Sweden1726[file:Kirche Jukkasjärvi.jpg|120x120px|Jukkasjärvi Church]
Kempele, Finland1688–1691[file:Kempele Church 2006 07 24.JPG|120x120px|Kempele Old Church]
Kristinestad, Finland1700[file:Ulrika Eleonoran kirkko.jpg|120x120px|Ulrika Eleonora Church]
Muhos, Finland1634[file:Muhos Church 2006 08 26.JPG|120x120px|Muhos Church]
Sodankylä, FinlandSodankylä Old Church1689[file:Sodankylä vanha kirkko.JPG|120x120px|Sodankylä Old Church]
Temmes, Tyrnävä, Finland1767[file:Temmes Church 2006 07 27.JPG|120x120px|Temmes Church]
Tervola, Finland1687–89[file:Tervola Old Church 20140917 02.JPG|120x120px|Tervola Old Church]
Tornio, Finland1684–86[file:Tornion kirkko.jpg|120x120px|Tornio Church]
Ullava, Kokkola, Finland1783[file:Ullavan kirkko.jpg|120x120px|Ullava Church]
Utajärvi, Finland1762[file:Utajarvi Church 2007 06 28.JPG|120x120px|Utajärvi Church]
Vörå, Finland1626–27expanded to cruciform church in 1777[file:Vörå kyrka.jpg|120x120px|Vörå Church]