Study Tour Part 2: Turku, Finland

The next stop on my study tour was in Turku, Finland. (See part 1 here.) We took an overnight ferry from Stockholm and it was like a mini cruise! In Turku we visited some absolutely amazing buildings.

St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel

We arrived here early in the morning, sleepy-eyed, but we were treated to a beautiful wooden chapel. Like a boat rising out of the sea, this slightly curved space had a wonderful quality. To top it all off, a girl in my class played the piano for us there and it was the most incredible experience to be in a beautiful place with beautiful music. Definitely a highlight of the trip.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

After the piano music at the art chapel, I didn’t think this day could get much better, but it did! The Chapel of the Holy Cross quickly became one of my favorite buildings ever. I didn’t know anything about it before we arrived, but the quiet, somber spaces and the honest use of materials captured my heart. It’s the type of building you never want to leave. I felt so comfortable here, even though it’s a funeral chapel. You can really tell that the architect cared about every little detail of the design.

Paimio Sanatorium

And last but not least, an architecture history classic, the Paimio Sanitarium by Alvar Aalto! Our first Aalto of the trip. This sanitarium was built for tuberculosis patients to heal by getting fresh air out in nature.

If walls could dream… they’d dream of having their breath taken away by beautiful chapels in Finland.