Global Treasures: Muhoksen Kirkko

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1231

UPC: 879061008306

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Approximately 30 kilometres southeast of the Finnish city of Oulu is an architectural gem, the Muhoksen Kirkko, the oldest timber-built church in Finland. It dates back to 1634.

The canopy above the pulpit is decorated with a number of exceptional wooden sculptures. It is believed that these figures were manufactured in Germany and brought to the church during the Thirty Years' War. The pulpit was the work of Mikael Sigfridsson Balt, a gifted Finnish carpenter and sculptor of the late 17th century.

The pews of the rectangular church can accommodate a congregation of five hundred. The interior is dominated by a magnificent altarpiece created by Emanuel Granberg that dates back to 1778 and portrays a scene from the Old Testament of Moses and the brass serpent.

Due to a great deal of loving care, the Muhoksen Kirkko, in the parish of Muhos, is now a well-preserved jewel of historic Finnish architecture.