Stone tower
Tall and old.
Henry Söderlund — CC BY 4.0 · Håkan Skogsjö — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Henry Söderlund — CC BY 4.0 · Håkan Skogsjö — CC BY-SA 4.0
St Olaf's Church is a medieval stone church in the municipality of Jomala on Åland's main island, about 6.5 km in a straight line north of Mariehamn. It dates from roughly 1260 to 1280 and is possibly the oldest Christian church in Finland. The church is built of local red granite with limestone, under a roof of wooden shingles. It stands beside a large Iron Age burial ground and is dedicated to King Olaf II of Norway, patron saint of the Åland Islands and Jomala. Its tall stone tower rises above the body of the building, and walls of irregular red and grey stones give it a venerable, ancient look. It was extended in the 19th century into an unusual T shape, and inside are coloured wall paintings from the 1280s. Viewing the church from outside is free, and you can go in during its opening hours, so check them before you visit. Keep quiet inside, as it is a working church.
Tall and old.
Local stone.
Beside the church.
Jomala, Åland
Yes, during opening hours.
It dates from the 13th century.