Chapel of Silence. Sights of Helsinki. Chapel of Silence Kamppi. Who built the Chapel of Silence and when? Brief history of the chapel
Not much in the capital of Finland historical places, and in this regard, Helsinki is inferior not only to its Scandinavian neighbor - Stockholm, but also to its Baltic comrades - Tallinn and Riga.
But in some ways, Helsinki is completely on par with many European capitals: for example, in original religious buildings, the likes of which are in Europe, but what about in Europe, there are only a few in the world.
We have already talked about an amazing church carved directly into granite rock in the article “
Our story today is about another, no less interesting and original attraction of Helsinki - the Kamppi Chapel of Silence.
The chapel was designed by Finnish architects who worked on the Helsinki: World Design Capital 2012 program. Let us note that the project intrigued many even before its implementation.
The constructed building attracts attention with its unusual architectural form, at the same time simple and original design solution - it is a spacious wooden structure with no windows, and in appearance it resembles the shape of an egg or part of a ship.
Thanks to the unusual design and good location in the city center, the chapel of silence has become very popular among both tourists and local residents— within six months after its opening, about a quarter of a million people visited it!
The purpose of the chapel is to help you retire, be alone with yourself and psychologically relax. Coupled with the magical, unusual shape of the building, a visit to the chapel has a therapeutic effect.
Interestingly, the chapel does not belong to any particular denomination - its doors are open both to believers professing any religion and to hard-core materialists. The different types of wood from which the walls of the chapel were built also help to tune in and gain peace just from being inside.
You can sit on wooden benches or on ottomans, which resemble stone boulders in color and shape, which brings to mind a comparison with another Finnish celebrity - the sauna.
Light penetrates inside through a specially shaped slot in the roof, creating a very subdued, cozy background.
Entrance to the chapel is free; those who wish can leave donations.
Working hours: according to weekdays 07.00 – 20.00, on weekends 10.00 – 18.00.
Chapel address: Simonsgatan 7 00100 Helsingfors
Getting to the chapel is not difficult: it is located in the city center, close to the train station.
In our opinion own experience Let us note that the room has a special aura; while inside you are completely immersed in your inner world, problems recede into the background, and a kind of “reboot” of thoughts occurs.
One of our compatriots, after visiting the chapel, left the following review, which, in our opinion, most closely describes the feelings that arise when visiting it:
“This is something truly Finnish. A room made of wood where you can sit in silence in the city center. There are strange objects lying around. There is a feeling of slight claustrophobia. The senselessness is astonishing. You understand that you don’t understand anything, and probably this is above you and there is some deep meaning that you didn’t understand..”
H The Tower of Silence is located in the Kamppi area on Narinkkatori Square.
This is a project dedicated to the theme “Helsinki - the capital of design”. Creative place. The Kamppi Chapel of Silence is also called the chapel or chapel of silence. Services (baptisms, funerals) are not held in the chapel, but prayer services are held, although the Kamppi Chapel of Silence is not associated with a specific religion. Everyone is welcome here, regardless of their religiosity and worldview...
The chapel was built in one year in 2012.
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The initiative to build a chapel on Narinkka Square came from the Helsinki City Planning Department, which organized the architectural competition. Studio K2S won the City Planning Department's competition to build the chapel in 2008.
The wooden chapel with a curving façade was designed by architects Mikko Summanen, Kimmo Lintula and Nico Sirola of the K2S architectural bureau (pictured below).
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Construction of the chapel.
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In 2012, 250 thousand people visited the chapel, 750 of whom had personal conversations and received psychological assistance. (C) Wikipedia))) scary place, as it appears...
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It’s really almost deathly silence inside... but it’s good to think...
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The height of the main hall is 11.5 m. The internal walls of the chapel are lined with carefully fitted milled black alder beams.
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Simplified ash furniture. There are even pillows to lie on...
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The silver altar cross is the work of Finnish jeweler Antti Nieminen. The vestments of the throne - textile artist Tiina Uimonen. Everything is simple at the level of minimalism...
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The facades are made of horizontal spruce slats bent at different radii, treated with glaze wax using nanotechnology.
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The frame of the building is made of massive milled laminated wood frames.
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If you're near her, stop by, it's interesting))
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View of Narinkkatori Square from above... part of photos and pictures (C) Internet.
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In the center of Helsinki, on Narinkkatori Square, near the big shopping center there is a place where those who are tired of the incessant human movement can go to retreat for a while, sit, take a deep breath and exhale, slowing down the pace of their day. This is the Kamppi Chapel, also known as the Chapel of Silence. A wooden structure without windows, shaped like a large cup without a handle.
This chapel was designed by the architectural studio K2S in 2008 and built three years later. The customer for the construction was the Helsinki municipality as part of a program to improve the quality of life of citizens: the fact is that despite high level welfare Scandinavian countries still remain quite high in the lists of countries in terms of suicide rates; Finland still ranks 33rd in the world, ahead of almost all others European countries, and in the 90s Helsinki was even called the “city of suicides”. Lack of warmth and sun, gray skies lead Finns to depression, the level of religiosity in the country is declining (but Sweden is still the most atheistic country), even social support to some extent has a paradoxical effect on citizens - the more a person is protected, the more predictable and Life seems useless to those who are suicidal. The problem has remained relevant for many years, and authorities annually come up with new ways to reduce the number of suicides: in Finland there is even a special Suicide Prevention Day, which includes bike rides, marathons, public discussions and other events. The construction of the Chapel of Silence was one of these measures.
Even when it is gloomy outside, the chapel is filled with warm light. Thin wooden slats made of alder, which line the walls outside and inside, are a cheerful, cozy yellow-orange color. The soft, curved shape of the chapel seems to embrace visitors. The simple furniture of the temple (benches and pulpit) is made of light ash, and on the side of the benches there are stones - soft felt stones, from which you can make a couch on the floor and sit comfortably, like in a nest.
Here you can really be safe, warm, and think about something of your own. There are no religious services held in the chapel, no baptisms, no weddings or funeral services; it is rather a place of meditation - a guest can take a Bible (bibles in many languages are collected here) and read, or can simply be with oneself in silence and in harmony. It is not customary to talk in the chapel itself, but in the hall in front of the entrance there are social workers and clergy on duty who are ready to talk with those who need support. The Kamppi Chapel is open daily from morning to evening and entry is free to everyone.
This is a good place, and it is good for everyone - except for living up to its own name. The acoustics of the bowl are such that every tiny sound easily spreads throughout the room and touches every ear. And people are great generators of these small sounds. With each person who opens the door, snatches of conversation and laughter from the hall enter the chapel. Each person who enters rustles his clothes on the way to the bench, his steps, coughs, and sighs can be heard. He sits down noisily. His mobile phone is ringing in his pocket. He does not immediately find it in his bag, rattling objects, answers in an expressive whisper, and turns it off. He takes out the camera, beeps with the voiced focus, and clicks the shutter. He puts the camera in his pocket, loudly closing the zipper. He leaves, slamming the door and again letting in sounds from the hall... And now you have to take into account that the Chapel of Silence is quite a popular place and even on a weekday there are 10-15 people there at the same time (and in total it can accommodate up to 70 visitors).
It’s good to sit on felt pebbles, plugging your ears with your fingers. For some reason, my eyes close at the same time. And when all that remains is the warm orange light penetrating through the eyelids, peace finally comes, it can’t help but come.
…The Chapel of Silence appeared in the city center in the spring of 2012, during the Year of Design, and quite unexpectedly, like out of a magician’s hat.
...Entering the Chapel, people for some reason begin to try their best to feign unbearable reverence and remember the rules of unimaginable politeness. Despite the worthy idea, you are unlikely to be able to stay in silence...
...What a wonderful idea - to erect a monument to strawberries! You have to figure this out! And tell me now that Finns are pragmatic crackers, not romantics!)
I'm in and
CHAPEL OF SILENCE IN KAMPPI
This facility was built in the spring of 2012, and I would like to note that the appearance of this uniquely shaped structure on central square Narinkkatori, next to the bus station/shopping mall/Kamppi metro station, was quite spectacular. It's like coming out of a magician's hat. The Finns, it should be noted, are quite conservative and think for a very long time in terms of the appearance of any new object in the familiar city landscape. 
What can I say about the Chapel? The information is fairly standard.
1) Built in the “Year of Design” and is intended to serve as proof of the fact that Helsinki is the “capital of design”;
2) Architects - Mikko Summanen, Kimmo Lintula and Niko Sirola;
3) The outside wood is bent spruce impregnated with wax, and the inside is black alder. Ash furniture.
Adjacent to the wooden structure is a rectangle of glass and concrete, creating a rather unexpected contrast of antagonism of materials. 
Conceptually, the Chapel of Silence is designed to “not allow the noise and bustle of the outside world to penetrate inside, in order to allow visitors to turn their gaze to the spiritual world.”
The chapel is open on weekdays 7:00-20:00, on weekends 10:00-18:00. The entrance is free.
Entering the Chapel, people for some reason begin to feign unbearable reverence with all their might and remember the rules of unimaginable politeness. Despite the worthy idea, you are unlikely to be able to stay in silence, since someone is constantly entering or leaving, shutters click, bags fall, soles squeak, someone sneezes or has a criminal cough, phones ring, etc., bringing in unexpected people. sound noise producers are in a state of extreme embarrassment. 
I call this building the Glass.
Personally, my relationship with the Glass of Silence did not quite work out. Because before I had time to slip inside with a face depicting an unprecedented degree of decency and decorously land on the ash bench, they first sang my SMS three times, then the phone let out a cheerful jingle, ruining the process of communicating with this very silence for everyone around me. As luck would have it! It was very uncomfortable...
In addition, having angrily turned off the phone, I could not catch the moment of shavasana; my head was busy thinking about how to use the room more practically. For some reason I thought that a cylindrical room would be perfect for stunts. Vzhzhi, vzhzhzhie, how cool it would be to see mad motorcyclists here!!!...*shucks her head into her shoulders*… 
MONUMENT TO STRAWBERRY
I love it. What a wonderful idea - to erect a monument to strawberries! You have to figure this out!
I came across it completely by accident.
Located in the very center. Approximately opposite the building next to which the sculpture is located, across the road there is the well-known equestrian monument to Mannerheim and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, so it’s easy to find.
Sculptor - Jukka Lehtinen.
Year of construction - 2007
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What is most surprising is that this is a meaningful sculpture. The Finns have a proverb similar to ours: “Away is good, but home is better,” which goes like this: "Oma maa mansikka, muu maa mustikka" - “One’s own land is strawberries, someone else’s is blueberries”.
I remember how surprised I was when, while removing silver metal berries and flowers, I accidentally looked down. The spring snow on the lawn where the strawberry plant was already melting, and suddenly I saw real green strawberry leaves! And tell me now that Finns are pragmatic crackers, not romantics!))) 
Opposite, through the branches of the trees, a monument to Mannerheim is visible 
How touching! 
And here is such a strawberry lawn here in the summer! Please note that this is the CENTER of Helsinki!) 
Stories about Finland
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Natalia Burnos
On February 1, 2012, an unusual landmark appeared on the city map - KAMPINKAPPELI - Chapel of Silence.
The Kamppi Chapel of Silence created a lot of noise. And its many visitors cannot be called quiet: crowds of emotional Chinese and Japanese tourists with loud whispers, rustling of packages, constant movements, clicking and flashing of cameras (it should be noted that filming inside is prohibited, so as not to distract parishioners from being in the sacred space).
In a word - vanity!
But in Kamppinkappeli, a feeling of calm will invariably cover you, wrap you up and make you find something divine inside and listen to His silence, feel like you are in an egg, warm, cozy and dear. Such a protective design find - ergonomics and harmony, both inside and outside!
The Kamppi Chapel of Silence is located in Helsinki, in a very crowded place on Narinkkatori Square, designed for privacy and meeting people. It offers the opportunity to enjoy peace in the busiest place in Finland.
The Church in Helsinki (Kirkko Helsingissä) and the Helsinki Social Service are responsible for the activities of the chapel on a partnership basis. The parish associations of Espoo and Vantaa also participated in the planning of the activities. In the chapel you can meet with parish and Social Services staff for personal discussions. The activities of the chapel provide for the development of forms of voluntary work. The chapel also provides information on the services of parishes and social services in Helsinki.
Divine services or church ceremonies - baptisms and weddings - are not held in the Kamppi Chapel of Silence; this space is open every day from morning to evening for privacy and meetings. From the fall of 2012, short services in the form of regularly recurring prayer services are planned to be held in the chapel.
The designers of the chapel are architects Kimmo Lintula, Niko Sirola and Mikko Summanen from the K28 architectural bureau. The chapel is an innovative wooden structure and aroused great interest even before its opening. In particular, the project was awarded The Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award 2010. The Kamppi Chapel of Silence is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 program.
The most representative room of the chapel is the main hall, 11.5 m high. A sacred silence reigns in the hall, separating visitors from the bustle outside the walls. The room is filled only by the light falling at an angle and the feeling of warmth from the wood.
The interior walls of the chapel are lined with carefully fitted milled black alder beams.
The simplified furniture of the hall is made of solid ash. The silver altar cross is the work of jeweler Antti Nieminen. Textile design elements are the work of textile artist Tiina Uimonen.
The facades are made of horizontal spruce slats bent at different radii, treated with glaze wax using nanotechnology. The frame is made of massive milled laminated wood frames. The oval shape of the small structure allows it to fit well into the urban environment. In the same time, interior space The chapel is always ready to welcome the visitor into the safe embrace of its soft forms.
The chapel can be approached from all sides. From Simonkatu Street, visitors enter a small public garden that opens towards Narinkkatori Square, from where they go down the stairs to the entrance platform. The main wooden structure contains only the central hall. The remaining rooms are located on the ground floor, facing Narinkkatori Square. The entrance lobby also serves as a space for exhibitions and receptions.
The entrance is made through a glass base, facing both the Narinkkatori square and the Lasipalasti (“Glass Palace”) building.
The chapel is open daily: Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Kamppi Chapel of Silence (Kampin kappeli)
Address: Simonkatu, Helsinki, Finland
Client: Association of Parishes of Helsinki / “Church in Helsinki”
Project work: 2008-2012 Opening: 05/31/2012 Area: 352 m²
Architecture, furniture and interior project: Architectural bureau K23 Ou
Structural designer: Engineering Bureau Vahanen Oy
Plumbing and automation designer: Engineering Bureau Äyräväinen Oy
Electrical Designer: Engineering Bureau Nurmi Oy
Acoustics designer: Akukon Oy Engineering Bureau
Fire-technical designer: L2 paloturvallisuus Оу
Contractor: PakrakОу
Responsible operators: Church in Helsinki (Kirkko Helsingissä) and Helsinki Social Services
Contacts: [email protected]