Carlo Bassi 1824
C. L. Engel 1829
The first town plan of Tampere from 1780 (Tontti- ja moisiokartta) reserved four places for churches around Keskustori (Central Square). The first -- and to date also the only one -- was the lutheran church built in 1824.
Building the church was not easy. First, there was a lack of money. After the money had been raised, the material of the church and its place had to be decided. A natural place would have been near the town cemetary, where Aleksanterin kirkko (the church of Alexander) is situated today, but it was decided that the new church should be in the town center. When it became evident that the money would not suffice for building a stone church, a decision to build a wooden church was made. The church was drawn by architect Carlo Bassini of Italian origin. He worked as the head of intendentinkonttori (the state intendent office), and he was the first architect in Finland who had received formal education in architecture.
The main building of Tammerkosken kartano (Tammerkoski manor) had served as a temporary church for four decades. When the new church was built, the building was moved to a site at Kauppakatu street. In 1829 architect C. L. Calonius drew the clock tower that was erected on top of the cellar of Tammerkosken kartano. The tower served also as a fire watch tower.
The church is regarded as one of the most beautiful of the sixty churches and church repairs drawn by Carlo Bassi.
The altar painting was painted by R. W. Ekman in 1831, and it portrays a scene from Getsemane. The clock was bought from Ilmajoki from the famous clock maker Juha Jaakonpoika Könni. The first clock was bought from a clockmaker in Suoniemi, but it never functioned. The clock only had an hour arm, but compared to the two bell ringings twice a day that had served as the clock for town people, the new clock was a big improvement.
The first park in town was planted around the church in 1835, when apteekkari (drug store keeper) A. W. Tennberg planted 20 maple trees (vaahtera).
In 1847 the altar end of the church (kuorisakara) was extended by one window width, and the altar was moved eastwards. The extension was drawn by E. J. Wennerqvist. At the same time, balconies were built in the sides of the church. Anders Thule drew the organ facade in 1848.
In 1901 the church was repaired, and at that time the neoclassical (uusklassinen) building received neoreneissance (uusrenessanssi) decorations.
The church was returned almost to its original state in 1953-54 according to the plans of professor Nils Erik Wickberg. The balconies and arch windows giving to the balconies were removed. The neoreneissance decorations were also removed, and the furniture in the church was renovated.