Rymättylä Church

The mediaeval grey stone church of Rymättylä is dedicated to the name and memory of Apostle James Senior. The oldest part of the church is the sacristy, built to serve the 14th century wooden church. The stone church was built either in the end of the 14th century or the beginning of 15th century.

There are three sculptures in the church related to the St. James pilgrimage. The oldest, a beautiful wood statue with original colours from the 1350’s is known as the smiling James of Rymättylä. The paintings are the last mediaeval ones in Finland, dating back to the 1520’s.

The church is surrounded by a stone fence, part of which is mediaeval, with a porch from the late mediaeval times, newly inaugurated on the St. James of Rymättylä pilgrimage in 2004. Farther up on the so-called the hill of James the ore bells ring with beautiful tones from the wooden 18th century belfry.