Kärsämäki shingle church

Kärsämäki shingle church is a wooden structure with a central log core enclosed by layers of black tarred shingles. The outer shingle skin creates a protective buffer space housing utility areas between the inner and outer walls.

An original church occupied this site from 1765 until its demolition in 1841 when the congregation outgrew the space. The current building was completed in 2004 following traditional Finnish construction methods.

The construction followed traditional Finnish building methods, with logs processed using hand tools and corner joints crafted through classical woodworking techniques.

Interior seating can be rearranged and the altar positioned flexibly to adapt the space for different worship services. This movable arrangement allows the building to serve various religious purposes as needed.

The roof required approximately 50,000 individual aspen shingles, each split by hand and treated with hot tar for protection. This extensive handcrafted work demonstrates a commitment to authentic traditional construction in a modern building.

Location: Kärsämäki

Inception: 2004

Architects: Anssi Lassila

Address: Pappilankuja 24, 86710 Kärsämäki

Website: https://karsamaenseurakunta.fi/kirkko-ja-tilat/paanukirkko

GPS coordinates: 63.97861,25.76667

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:41