Medieval churches in Sweden

Lokrume Church

Lokrume Church history dates back to the 12th century. The northern wall of the presently visible church nave dates from this century. Parts of the northern wall of the choir also date from this church. However, later reconstructions have reshaped the church and nothing more remains of this first, Romanesque church. During the second quarter of the 13th century, the larger part of the presently visible choir was built, w ...
Founded: 12th century | Location: Lokrume, Sweden

Vendel Church

The sacristy of Vendel Church was made of brick probably in the late 1200s and it is the oldest still existing part of the church. The current church building was completed around the year 1300. Arches were added in the 1450s and the church was enlarged in the 18th century. Vende church is well-known of its mural paintings, dating back to the year 1451. They were painted by Johannes Ivan and donated by Agneta Krummedik f ...
Founded: late 1200s | Location: Örbyhus, Sweden

Kläckeberga Church

Kläckeberga Church was built in the early 13th century, but was subsequently burned by the Danes in 1611. Today, the interior of the church consists mostly of furnishings and objects from the 18th century and later. The church originally had three floors: a cellar, main floor (the present church hall) and a larger hall above that. In addition, there was once a shooting attic above that hall. So Kläckeberga Chur ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Kalmar, Sweden

Sånga Church

The Sånga church has been mentioned first time in 1308, when madame Ingeborg donated her land property to the church. The church was however built already in the late 1100s and enlarged in the 14th century. The church has interesting mural paintings made around 1470. There are for example humorous paintings displaying events of Holy Bible. Also the pulpit, made in 1635, is richly decorated.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Ekerö, Sweden

Hilleshög Church

The Hilleshög Church is a mostly Romanesque edifice, built in granite and brick, with some parts from the 17th and 18th centuries and later additions. It was probably built in the late 1100s and the sacristy and the porch were added in the 15th century. Many of the paintings in the interior, dating back to the end of 13th century and they early 15th century, were painted over in the 18th century but were restored in ...
Founded: ca. 1170 | Location: Ekerö, Sweden

Sanda Church

The oldest part of the church is the tower, dating from the middle of the 13th century. The nave is from the beginning of the 14th century, while the choir dates from the middle of the same century. There was an earlier church on the same spot, elements of which have been incorporated as building material in the presently visible church. The church is richly decorated inside with frescos dating from the Middle Ages. They ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Sanda, Sweden

Saint Nicholas' Church

The oldest part of the church of Saint Nicholas is from the late 13th century, but the nave was built some decades later. In the 14th century, the church formed part of a Carmelite convent. The altarpiece and pulpit were made in 1620s.
Founded: 13th century | Location: Sölvesborg, Sweden

Dörby Church

The current Dörby church made of sandstone replaced the wooden one in the first half of 13th century. During the Kalmar War 1611-1612 the church was sacked and burnt down. It was restored in 1624-1625 and again in 1778. The crucifix is the only survived item from the medieval church.
Founded: 13th century | Location: Kalmar, Sweden

Vall Church

Vall Church is a largely Romanesque church that dates from the 13th century. It was built in three phases. Oldest is the choir with the apse, and the nave, dating from the early part of the century. The tower was begun during the middle of the century and made higher at the end of the century. The church is a relatively well-preserved Romanesque building, with a tower that is unusually tall in comparison with similar chu ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Vall, Sweden

All Saints Church

All Saints (Alla Helgona) Church was built in the late 1200s, but during the Duke Karl"s time (1590-1618) it went through a radical transformation. At the restoration in 1909 the church received its small ridge turrets, which is a replica of the tower on Erik Dahlberg´s engravings of Nyköping. In 1665 the church was ravaged by fire. At the recent restoration in 1959-1960 were the pillars restored in to ori ...
Founded: 1590-1618 | Location: Nyköping, Sweden

Vomb Church

Vomb Church was built around the year 1200 and vaults were added in the late 1400s. Mural paintings date from 13th and 15th centuries. The current tower was erected in a restoration made by Helgo Zettervall in 1871. Baptismal font, made of limestone, dates from the 13th century. The pulpit and sculptures of Apostles were made in the 16th century.
Founded: ca. 1200 | Location: Veberöd, Sweden

Hejnum Church

The Romanesque tower is the oldest part of Hejnum Church. It originally formed part of a Romanesque church, but the nave and choir were replaced during the mid-13th century by the presently visible, more Gothic parts. Remains of the original church were discovered during an excavation in 1914. A runic inscription above the western portal of the tower bears the inscription 'Botvid master mason'. The church remain ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Hejnum, Sweden

Lojsta Church

The Romanesque choir and nave of Lojsta Church were probably built in the mid-1200s. The tower was replaced with the present one in the 14th century. The baptismal font was made probably in the 12th century, stained glass in 13th century, wall paintings 13th –16th century. The pulpit date from the 1600s and it was repainted in 1749.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Hemse, Sweden

Östra Vemmenhög Church

The original Östra (East) Vemmenhög church was built in the 1100s. The chapel was added in 1580 for many of the near Dybäck castle owners are buried there. The church was enlarged in 1743 and got its present appearance in 1860. The font, made of sandstone, date from the 12th century.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Skurup, Sweden

Norra Sandsjö Church

Norra Sandsjö church was originally built in the late 1100s. It has been enlarged later in the Middle Ages and again in the 1600s. The tower collapsed in 1635 and replaced with external bell tower. The Baroque-style interior is mainly from the early 18th century.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Nässjö, Sweden

Östra Eneby Church

Östra Eneby church nave was built first around 1200, but arches were added in the 14th century. In the Great Northern War (1719) Russian soldiers burnt it down. The middle nave was rebuilt 1727-1733 and the tower few years later. There are still some medieval frescoes visible in arches.
Founded: c. 1200 | Location: Norrköping, Sweden

Skårby Church

‎Skårby Church was built in the mid-1100s. The first record of donations for the new church was dated to 1145. The medieval construction is well-preserved, only small changes and additions have been made between 1300s-1500s and in the early 1700s. The interior is covered with significant mural paintings. The bleacher date from the 17th century, the altar was made by Matthias Stenberg in 1734 and the pulpit was ...
Founded: ca. 1150 | Location: Ystad, Sweden

Alunda Church

Alunda Church originates from the 1200s and it was enlarged in 1400s. It was badly damaged by fire in 1542 and 1715. The ruins were left to decay until the reconstruction made in 1780-1787. The font is the main item of inventory retained from medieval times. There are also the remains of medieval frescoes made in 1465. The altarpiece is from 1862 painted by Johan Zacharius Blackstadius.
Founded: 13th century | Location: Östhammar, Sweden

Anga Church

Anga church, built in the 1200s, is one of the smallest in Gotland. The interior is richly decorated by master Halvard. The altar date from the 14th century and triumph cruficix from the 15th century. The pulpi was made in the late 1600s. There is a runic inscription in the northern wall listing peasants, who worked in the construction.
Founded: 13th century | Location: Katthammarsvik, Sweden

Maglarp Church

Maglarp Church was built around 1200 and is one of the oldest brick churches in Sweden. Arhaeological evidences reveal that there has been probably a stave church on the church site before. Maglarp Church medieval exterior is very well-preserved. The oldest inventory is a font dating from the 1200s. The crucifix is also medieval from the 1400s. The beautiful Renaissance pulpit from 1568 is the oldest in Scania region.
Founded: c. 1200 | Location: Trelleborg, Sweden

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Königstein Fortress

Königstein Fortress is located on the left bank of the River Elbe. It is one of the largest hilltop fortifications in Europe. The 9.5 hectare rock plateau rises 240 metres above the Elbe and has over 50 buildings, some over 400 years old, that bear witness to the military and civilian life in the fortress. The rampart run of the fortress is 1,800 metres long with walls up to 42 metres high and steep sandstone faces. In the centre of the site is a 152.5 metre deep well, which is the deepest in Saxony and second deepest well in Europe.

The fortress, which for centuries was used as a state prison, is still intact and is now one of Saxony's foremost tourist attractions, with 700,000 visitors per year.

By far the oldest written record of a castle on the Königstein is found in a deed by King Wenceslas I of Bohemia dating to the year 1233. It is probable that there had been a stone castle on the Königstein as early as the 12th century. The oldest surviving structure today is the castle chapel built at the turn of the 13th century. In the years 1563 to 1569 the 152.5 metre deep well was bored into the rock within the castle - until that point the garrison of the Königstein had to obtain water from cisterns and by collecting rainwater.

Between 1589 and 1591/97 Prince-Elector Christian I of Saxony and his successor had the castle developed into the strongest fortification in Saxony. The hill was now surrounded with high walls. Buildings were erected, including the Gatehouse (Torhaus), the Streichwehr, the Old Barracks (Alte Kaserne), the Christiansburg (Friedrichsburg) and the Old Armoury (Altes Zeughaus). The second construction period followed from 1619 to 1681, during which the John George Bastion was built. The third construction period is seen as the time from 1694 to 1756, which included the expansion of the Old Barracks. From 1722 to 1725, at the behest of August the Strong, coopers under Böttger built the enormous Königstein Wine Barrel, the greatest wine barrel in the world, in the cellar of the Magdalenenburg which had a capacity of 249,838 litres. It cost 8,230 thalers, 18 groschen and 9 pfennigs. The butt, which was once completely filled with country wine from the Meißen vineyards, had to be removed again in 1818 due to its poor condition. Because of Böttger, Königstein Fortress is also the site where European porcelain started.

Even after the expansion during those periods of time there continued to be modifications and additions on the extensive plateau. The Treasury (Schatzhaus) was built from 1854 to 1855. After the fortress had been incorporated in 1871 into the fortification system of the new German Empire, battery ramparts were constructed from 1870 to 1895 with eight firing points, that were to have provided all-round defence for the fortress in case of an attack that, in the event, never came. This was at this time that the last major building work was done on the fortress.

Because Königstein Fortress was regarded as unconquerable, the Saxon monarchs retreated to it from Wittenberg and later Dresden during times of crisis and also deposited the state treasure and many works of art from the famous Zwinger here; it was also used as a country retreat due to its lovely surroundings.

The fortress played an important role in the History of Saxony, albeit less as a result of military action. The Saxon Dukes and Prince-Electors used the fortress primarily as a secure refuge during times of war, as a hunting lodge and maison de plaisance, but also as a dreaded state prison. Its actual military significance was rather marginal.

Since 1955 the fortress has been an open-air, military history museum of high touristic value.

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