Turku Orthodox Church, Turku

Turku Orthodox Church, or the Church of the Holy Martyr Empress Alexandra, is the main church of the Turku Orthodox parish located on the northeast corner of Turku Market Square in Turku, Finland.

The church was built under the order of Nicholas I of Russia in 1838 and designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel. Construction of the Neoclassical church began in 1839 and was completed in 1845. The church was consecrated on September 2, 1846.

Turku Orthodox Church was dedicated to Alexandra, the spouse of Diocletian, Roman Emperor. She had publicly become Christianised and suffered a martyr's death. It is thought, she was chosen as the patron saint since Nicholas I's wife was named Aleksandra.

The church was built in the late Empire architectural style, in the shape of an equal-armed cross. The exterior consists of Doric porticoes with four columns. The dome is crowned with a cross lantern. The total height of the church is 102 feet.

The interior of the church features 16 composite columns made of artificial marble. The walls are white, while the space under the dome is blue and studded with golden stars. The church has a two-story iconostasis. The bottom row consists of nine icons, and the top - of the four. Most of the icons came from Valaam Monastery located in the Russia's Karelia region.

The religious services are held in Finnish and once a month in the Church Slavonic language. The Turku Orthodox Church building is protected as an architectural monument of state importance.