Turun tuomiokirkko renovation delayed after contract dispute

The renovation of Turku Cathedral will face delays after a construction company filed a complaint over the contract award, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.

The Turku and Kaarina Parish Union confirmed it has received notice from the Market Court that Rakennustoimisto Laamo has challenged the procurement decision. The parish had selected NCC Suomi as the contractor in February.

Property manager Kalle Luoma told Yle the parish will submit its response to the Market Court but could not disclose details of the complaint, as the case is still under review.

The dispute will impact the project timeline. The parish had originally planned for NCC Suomi to begin work next week, but Luoma said the parish will now start protective measures on the cathedral’s structures independently to mitigate delays.

“We will carry out the safeguarding work ourselves rather than through the contractor to keep the project moving forward,” Luoma said. He declined to estimate how long the delay might last but noted that the scope of the contract could be adjusted if necessary.

The total budget for the cathedral’s renovation is approximately €23 million, with the contract bid around €16 million. The cathedral closed to the public in early February and was expected to reopen by the first Sunday of Advent in 2028.

Three bids were submitted for the project.