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The Church of Raisio

Sami Raninen and Ann-Christin Antell

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ccording to the present view, Raisio Church was built sometime between the years 1480 and 1550. The church is named after St. Martin, a mediaeval saint. His picture is also placed in the Raisio city coat-of-arms.

The church body has one nave, and is covered with a barrel vault. At the south end of the church there is an armoury pourch, a curious semi-belfry at the west end and the sacristy at the north end. The present sacristy was built probably not before the beginning of the 16th century, but remnants of an older, wider sacristy can be seen in the north wall. In the east end of the church there is a choir window. Some of the ancient stained glasses have been preserved until our time, as well as the several mediaeval wooden statues. (Nowadays they are kept in the National Museum of Finland.)


Some old objects are still on view in the church. The crucifix, made by the so-called Master of Lieto, dates from the 14th century. The crucifix separates the choir from the actual nave. On the left side of the altar there is a mediaeval cupboard for sacramental utensils. Beside the altar there is a grandfather clock, too, from 1786 presented by the «young men» of Raisio. The church votive ship was constructed by a dragoon Lenfors in 1786, too. The pulpit was presented by an officer called Ivar Friesensköld to the church in 1643 or 1653.

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