Helsinki - getting to Rock Church

[Smbruner]

We will be in port in June and I'd really like to see the Rock Church. Can we get there on our own or do we need to book a tour to get to the church?

 

Thanks for any help.

[KenCT]

There's been much discussion on these boards regarding the 3B/3T Tram. Stop #9 takes you right to Temppeliaukio Church

 

http://www.hsl.fi/FI/matkustajanopas/Documents/3B3T_esite_en_2012.pdf

[Smbruner]

There's been much discussion on these boards regarding the 3B/3T Tram. Stop #9 takes you right to Temppeliaukio Church

 

http://www.hsl.fi/FI/matkustajanopas/Documents/3B3T_esite_en_2012.pdf

 

Thank you!

[Stelladoro]

We just walked to the Rock Church. Easy to do, with a good map. This was also a "must see stop" for us. We were lucky to see the Church last year, as it just re-opened after several months of renovations.

Enjoy!

[MeHeartCruising]

I also just walked there. It was a nice walk and let me browse the neighborhoods some.

[Stelladoro]

I should clarify that depending where your ships docks in Helsinki, you may need some transportation to the area close to the city market. We took the ship's shuttle bus. We walked from the market area to the Rock Church.

 

Also, you can email the tourism office in Copenhagen, Oslo (not sure if your ship makes this stop), Tallinn, and Helsinki, and request city maps. They will mail them to you, free of charge. We received maps within a few days. Great tool for planning ahead, especially if you like to do things on your own.

[Genessa]

we got on bus (#16?) bought an all day pass from the driver, switched to the 3 - getting off at the stop right after you "see" the church.

 

however, we did this so early that we ended up at the church almost 45 minutes ahead of the time that it opened.

 

we explored all around it, which took maybe 10 minutes.

[Ashland]

We also used the ship offered shuttlebus and from the drop off point in market square we walked with the help of some very friendly locals we asked along the way that pointed us to some shortcuts..ended up being very easy...enjoy

[Steamboatin]

Sorry but we were not impressed.

 

Now it is unsual and very nice.

 

Just to us over hyped.

 

Bye the way, when we visited we were on a ship excursion that took us right to it. Based on our ride I would not attempt to walk it because of distance from where we were docked.

 

There was a small but very nice well stocked tourist item shop directly across the street when we visited.

[Ultima Thule]

It very much depends on where you dock and what your other plans for that day are.

 

As already mentioned tram 3T circles downtown and goes by quite close to the rock church. Church is hard to see from the tram so you'll have to know where to get off. The stop is named : "Kauppakorkeakoulut"

 

You could use the tram if you first take a shuttle or local bus 16. into downtown

 

Local bus 14B would take you from the West Harbour (Hernesaari quays) straight to the rock church. Again, it is not visible from the bus so you'll know where to get off. Its the same stop as for the 3T tram : "Kauppakorkeakoulut"

 

You could consider walking if you first take a shuttle or bus to downtown. Shuttles use to stop near the Swedish Theatre and bus 16 will pass there as well. It is 0.75 miles to the church from there. Easy walk apart from a bit uphill in the end.

 

Bus 16 continues to the Market Square. it is 1.1 miles walk from there to the rock church.

[Giantfan13]

We enjoyed out time at the Church in the Rock. We started at Market Square and took the #3 Tram to do that figure 8 loop of Helsinki. It enables us to get a good look at this marvelous city and then we got off to view the church.

 

Here is a short video and a few pixs of this Church to give you some perspective of what it is and how it looks

 

http://s834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/?action=view&current=europemaster1163.mp4

 

From the outside you might just walk right by this city attraction

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1098.jpg

 

But once inside, it opens up into a world of it's own

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1107.jpg

 

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1102.jpg

 

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1103.jpg

 

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe1101.jpg

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Len

[bazzaw]

How do you pay for tickets on the 3T tram - can you get a day pass??

 

Barry

[jstducky]

How do you pay for tickets on the 3T tram - can you get a day pass??

 

Barry

 

Yes, you can buy a day pass. The tram and bus drivers sell them directly on board.

 

According to the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority, it looks like a 1 day pass in 2012 is 7 Euros

 

http://www.hsl.fi/EN/ticketsandfares/prices/Pages/internaltickets.aspx

[Mrssmithysrat]

We went on an old London Bus tour of Helsinki which included stops at the church in the rock, and the sibelius monument.

 

There were a variety of HOHO buses at the port where we docked, many of them covering this attraction.

[TLCOhio]

We will be in port in June and I'd really like to see the Rock Church. Can we get there on our own or do we need to book a tour to get to the church? Thanks for any help.

 

As others have noted and detailed you can do it on your own, including by walking from the main, central market/square area. Or, public transit. If you want to do more, including the Sibelius Monument, old Olympic site, etc., then some type of cruise tour bus will allow that and make things easier and more time-efficient. Your choice and decision!!!

 

Personally, I found the Rock Church to be very interesting in its design, construction, etc. Others might have different opinions and/or rate Helsinki as less great than other "superstars" in the Baltics. On a cruise with lots of wonderfully great "old stuff" in St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm and Copenhagen, it was a nice "change of pace" to see some more contemporary and unique things such as this Rock church. Just as Len did, below are some of my photo "evidence" for what we saw and liked in Helsinki.

 

Here's the web location for the official tourism office in Helsinki.

http://www.visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor/Helsinki/Tourist_Information.iw3

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 70,503 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 63,945 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Helsinki’s Church of Rock, or Temppeliaukion Kirkko, is carved out of solid stone with a unique contemporary design.:

 

 

 

Uspenski Cathedral, Helsinki’s traditional Orthodox Church is placed on a solid stone base overlooking the main market:

 

 

 

Overlooking Helsinki's Senate Square, this is the Lutheran Church with its dome that is a key local landmark:

 

 

 

Helsinki’s City Hall in the main downtown overlooking the market area:

 

 

 

Helsinki’s main market is right on the water with lots of goods and foods for sale:

 

 

 

This Helsinki park has a stainless steel sculpture dedicated to composer Sibelius who is best-known for his symphonic work: