Explore the historic highlights of Saaremaa
Saaremaa, Estonia
1959
Saaremaa, Estonia
ca. 1250-1290
Saaremaa, Estonia
13-14th century
Saaremaa, Estonia
1227
Saaremaa, Estonia
1863
Saaremaa, Estonia
13th century
Saaremaa, Estonia
14th century
Saaremaa, Estonia
ca. 1261
Saaremaa, Estonia
1785-1786
Saaremaa, Estonia
1940-1991
Saaremaa, Estonia
1920's
Saaremaa, Estonia
1760-1770
Saaremaa, Estonia
1000-500 BC
Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.