Temppeliaukio Church hosts Stabat Mater on 13 November
Published on 10/24/2026 at 13:59 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSMusic beneath the copper dome
- Karl Jenkins brings Stabat Mater to Helsinki on 13 November 2026.
- Pia Freund and Säde Bartling perform solo parts with three named ensembles at Lutherinkatu 3.
- The protected granite church was completed in 1969 by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen.
- The venue sits in Töölö at Lutherinkatu 3, Helsinki.
Temppeliaukio Church (Temppeliaukion kirkko) in Helsinki will host Karl Jenkins’s Stabat Mater on 13 November 2026. The concert brings together Kilven Kuoro, Kamarikuoro SonorEnsemble and the Helsinki Police Band for a programme inside Finland’s best-known rock-cut church.
The performance is scheduled for 6.30pm to 7.30pm at Lutherinkatu 3. The official church event page lists the date, venue and performers, while the programme information identifies Pia Freund and Säde Bartling as the soloists.
Stabat Mater brings three ensembles to Helsinki
Karl Jenkins composed his Stabat Mater in 2007. The work uses texts in English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, drawing on the much older Catholic hymn about Mary’s suffering during the crucifixion of Jesus.
Sami Ruusuvuori conducts the performance, with Hanna Remes responsible for preparing the choirs. The event page names the two soloists as soprano Pia Freund and singer and composer Säde Bartling. Doors open at 5.30pm, according to the organiser’s listing, and the concert begins at 6.30pm.
The date and venue are also listed by MyHelsinki’s event listing. The official programme page gives the same 13 November 2026 date for the church in central Helsinki.
Temppeliaukio Church sets the music inside granite
The concert takes place in a church embedded in natural granite. Architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen won the relevant design competition in 1961, and the building was completed in 1969.
A copper-lined dome covers the church hall, while reinforced concrete beams rest on the rugged rock walls. Windows around the dome admit filtered daylight to the altar wall, where a natural ice-age crevice serves as the altarpiece. These architectural details make the venue more than a neutral concert room: the choral programme is set within the rock and beneath the dome that define the building.
The church became a protected building in 2004 and is listed in the Finnish DOCOMOMO selection of important modernist architectural and environmental sites. Further confirmed architectural details appear in the Finnish Architecture profile.
Visiting Temppeliaukio Church: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Stabat Mater takes place on 13 November 2026 at Lutherinkatu 3, with the concert scheduled from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
- The event has a special concert schedule, with doors opening at 5.30pm according to the organiser’s page; regular visits and the concert are separate activities.
- The church is in the Töölö district of Helsinki at Lutherinkatu 3. Its granite walls, dome and natural rock surfaces are the defining features of the interior.
- Finland’s official languages are Finnish and Swedish, and the national currency is the euro.
Searching for Temppeliaukio Church on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Temppeliaukio Church
When does Stabat Mater take place at Temppeliaukio Church?
The Karl Jenkins work is scheduled for 13 November 2026, with the concert running from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
What is Temppeliaukio Church?
It is a church embedded in natural granite in Helsinki, designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and completed in 1969.
Where is Temppeliaukio Church and how do you get there?
The venue is at Lutherinkatu 3 in Helsinki’s Töölö district.
