Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Finland

The Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Catholic convent in Espoo with sections for prayer, living quarters for the nuns, and spaces designed for silent contemplation. The complex housed individual cells for the residents and communal areas for religious gatherings.

The monastery was established in 1988 by sisters from a Carmelite convent in California as an expansion of their religious mission. Operations ceased in 2021 when the final residents departed.

The nuns spoke French as their primary language, reflecting their ties to the broader Carmelite community across Europe and beyond. This created a distinct multilingual spiritual space in a Lutheran region.

The site is located in Espoo and accessible by local transport, though visitor access is limited due to its private monastic nature. Those interested in visiting should check in advance about access policies before traveling to the location.

The monastery housed around 20 sisters from different countries, creating a rare internationally diverse religious community in a predominantly Lutheran nation. This composition made it a notable example of Catholic presence in Finland.

Location: Espoo

Inception: 1988

Website: http://karmelfinland.org

GPS coordinates: 60.27528,24.65861

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:45