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Approximately 30 kilometres southeast of the Finnish city of Oulu is an architectural gem, the Muhoksen Kirkko, the oldest timber built church in Finland that dates back to 1634. The canopy above the pulpit is decorated with a number of exceptional wooden sculptures. It is believed that these figures were manufactured in Germany and brought to the church during The Thirty Years’ War. The pulpit was the work of Mikael Sigfridsson Balt, a gifted Finnish carpenter and sculptor of the late 17th century. The pews of the rectangular church can accommodate a congregation of five hundred. The interior is dominated by a magnificent altarpiece created by Emanuel Granberg that dates back to 1778 and portrays a scene from the Old Testament, Moses And The Brass Serpent. Due to a great deal of loving care, the Muhoksen Kirkko in the parish of Muhos is now a well preserved jewel of historic Finnish architecture.