Sacramento California Temple
Rexburg Idaho Temple
Helsinki Finland Temple
124th dedicated temple in operation
© Vernon Parmley. All rights reserved.
Services
NO clothing rental availableNO cafeteria food served
Patron housing available
Distribution center nearby (Store Locator)
Announcement:
2 April 2000Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:
29 March 2003 by D. Lee ToblerPublic Open House:
21 September–7 October 2006Dedication:
22 October 2006 by Gordon B. HinckleySite:
7.4 acres | 3.0 hectaresExterior Finish:
Light gray Italian granite and Finnish brown granite (stone walls surrounding temple)Architectural Features:
Single attached end spire with an angel Moroni statueOrdinance Rooms:
Two instruction rooms (two-stage progressive), two sealing rooms, and one baptistryTotal Floor Area:
16,350 square feet | 1,519 square metersTemple Locale
Rising above the numerous trees on a rocky hillside along the highway to Turku stands the majestic Helsinki Finland Temple, located in the suburb of Espoo approximately 7 miles northwest of downtown Helsinki. Sharing the site is a patron housing building to accommodate the members of the vast temple district. The beautifully manicured grounds are open to visitors year round.
Temple History
The Helsinki Finland Temple was the tenth temple built in Europe and the third built in the Nordic countries, following the Stockholm Sweden Temple (1985) and the Copenhagen Denmark Temple (2004).
The Helsinki Finland Temple is the second northernmost temple of the Church, following the Anchorage Alaska Temple.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Helsinki Finland Temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremony for the San Antonio Texas Temple.
About 600 members crowded into the Helsinki Finland Stake Center to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Helsinki Finland Temple. There were so many people that the brethern stood through the services to give room for the sisters to sit.
On April 12, 2005, a 45-meter gleaming copper spire was installed atop the Helsinki Finland Temple, which was later antiqued to a dark brown.
The gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni was added to the Helsinki Finland Temple on Thursday, October 13, 2005.
Though Church membership numbered only 4,500 in this Lutheran nation after 59 years of proselyting, response to the public open house of the Helsinki Finland Temple was staggering. Of the 55,633 total visitors, 5,711 submitted comment cards and 2,713 requested a Book of Mormon delivered by missionaries.
At the time of its dedication, the Helsinki Finland Temple assumed a temple district that stretched over two continents and 12 time zones, including the Baltic states and the entire country of Russia.
The Helsinki Finland Temple was the last temple dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley before his passing on Sunday, January 27, 2008. He had dedicated or rededicated 90 of the 124 operating temples of the Church.
