Lappeenranta Orthodox Church

At the Lappeenranta Fortress, you will find the oldest Orthodox church in Finland, the Protection of the Theotokos Church (Pokrova), dating from 1785. The patron saint icon of the church is the Pokrova icon from 1780, which depicts the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.In winter, the church is open to the public, during services. Concerts also take place at the church.

The first Orthodox church in Lappeenranta was built by the Regiment of Wladimir that was stationed in the City after the Battle of Lappeenranta. The church was completed in 1744. It was a wooden church with St. Petersburg influences dedicated to “Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God”, and included a tall belfry built of logs, a church of.

In 1780, Catherine the Great adapted the Building Code of the Lappeenranta Fortress. In accordance with the Building Code, the old church of the Regiment of Wladimir had to be replaced with a new stone church. The present-day church of “The Protection of the Theotokos” was built where the old church used to stand and was inaugurated in 1785. In the early 1900s, the nave of the church was expanded in both directions. The vestibule and the chancel remain intact.