Medieval churches in Sweden
Torpa Church
Torpa church is one of the churches in Central Sweden that researches have dated as far back as the end of the 12th century. What makes this church remarkable is that it is one of the few churches that appears to have been signed by its founder. On the original reliefs on the southern doorway there is runic writing that reads Odulf gjorde kyrkan (Odulf built the church). The current chapel was originally a nave in the Rom ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Kungsör, Sweden
Skuttunge Church
Skuttunge Church was probably built in the early 14th century, but sacristy may be older. The interior is mainly from the 18th century.
Founded: c. 1300 |
Location:
Uppsala, Sweden
Knutby Church
Knutby church is a medieval stone church built probably in the late 13th century. The sacristy was built during the 1300s or 1400s. The porch was added probably in the 1400s. The nave, together with the tall and wide chancel is covered by a single pitched roof. The interior is richly decorated with murals, more than any other of Uppland churches. Albertus Pictor was the author of the younger paintings depicting the life ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Knutby, Sweden
Bollnäs Church
Bollnäs church was originally built in the 14th and 15th centuries. One opening is known to have taken place November 3, 1468, probably concerning the church tower. Later alterations include the addition of the north and south transepts, built in 1753-1755. The church holds a larger collection of wooden medieval sculptures than any other parish church in the Nordic countries. Three of the altarpieces are major works ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Bollnäs, Sweden
Färentuna Church
Färentuna Church was built around the year 1175. The nave was enlarged in the 15th century when the church was under the protection of Karl Knutsson Bonde. The enlargement was made for his daughter’s weddings because the church was too small for all people. The latest notable reconstruction was made in 1732, when the medieval tower was replaced by the present wooden cap. The pulpit of Färentuna church was ...
Founded: 1175 |
Location:
Ekerö, 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
Lye Church
The main nave of Lye Church originate from the 12th century. The tower has dated to the year 1240 and the chancel was built in the early 1300s. The interesting detail is a stone-made relic chect made in the 1100s. There are also several mural paintings and artefacts made during the Middle Ages. The pulpit was added in 1705.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Lye, Sweden
Ventlinge Church
Ventlinge Church, dedicated to St. Lawrence, was built during the first half of the 1100's. It began as a towerless vestibule church of Romanesque style. Around the year 1200, a defensive tower entirely on its own grounds was added. Above the staircase entrance in the porch is a throw shaft straight up through the wall. Church defenders could also stand on the tower’s second floor and throw stones at unwelcome visit ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Degerhamn, Sweden
Levene Church
Leven Church was built in the 11th century as a manor chapel for the near Levene manor. It was enlarged in the 1600s by J. H. Reuter. The font and small bell date from the original church. Levene church has royal connections. Three sisters of King Carl Gustav were confirmed at this church. Governor Johan Hindrikson Reyter greatly assisted the expansion of the church in the 17th century and had a family crypt built. The c ...
Founded: 11th century |
Location:
Stora Levene, Sweden
Källunge Church
Källunge church (Källunge kyrka) is a church in the island-bishopric of Visby on Gotland. The church is richly decorated with reliefs and frescoes. The frescoes are important evidence of the strong Byzantine influence on Swedish art of the 12th and 13th centuries. An early depiction of a nyckelharpa is found in a relief dating from circa 1350 on one of the gates of the church. The church gives its name to the K ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Balkåkra Church Ruins
Balkåkra stone church was built around 1200. It was abandoned in 1867 when Marsvinholm church was completed. The restoration was done in the 20th century. Today it is occasionally used for worship services.
Founded: ca. 1200 |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Löderup Church
The oldest parts of Löderup Church date from the 12th century. The defensive tower and vaulting were probably added in the 15th century. The major restoration was done in 1860s. The oldest artefact in the church is the font which was made around 1160. The pulpit date from 1604.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Älvkarleby Church
The nave of Älvkarleby Church was built between 1478-1490. It was enlarged in 1690-1702 and the post-medieval sacristy was also replaced with a new one. The spire was removed in 1829. The altar screen, from 1490, features an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church also has several extremely well preserved medieval frescoes, including some of angels, which are well worth seeing.
Founded: 1478-1490 |
Location:
Älvkarleby, Sweden
Flen Church
The oldest parts of Flen Church date from the 13th century. The choir was added in the 17th century, probably in 1664 and the new sacristy in 1746. Baptismal font is the oldest item in Flen church, dating from the 12th century. There are also few other medieval artefacts, like crucifix from the 14th century. The pulpit was donated by Brita Ribbing-Rosenhane in 1664 and it was originally painted in black and white. The pr ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Flen, 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
Håstad Church
Håstad Church was built in the 1200s in Gothic style. The tower was added later in the Middle Ages. It remained untouched until 1861, when it was restored by the design of C. G. Brunius. The font and wooden sculptures date from the 16th century. The triptych is also medieval. The altarpiece was painted by Justus Lundsgård on 1930.
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Lund, Sweden
Rinkaby Church
The oldest parts of Rinkaby church were completed probably in the late 1100s. It was enlarged to the west and the sacristy was added sometimes in the 1200s or early 1300s. The vaulting was added in the late 1400s and the chapel in 1620. The major restoration was made 1779-1780 and in 1839 the current tower replaced the medieval one.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Örebro, Sweden
Hossmo Church
The first church built in Hossmo was most likely a wooden one. Coffins found show that there was probably a church here already in the 11th century. The construction of that church has been linked to the royal court or a powerful local family. Hossmo is considered to have been the centre of a region in the late Iron Age or early Middle Ages. The church was probably built as a royal demesne or a church for a powerful leade ...
Founded: c. 1120 |
Location:
Ljungbyholm, Sweden
Hälsingtuna Church
Hälsingtuna Church was built in the late 1100s, but enlarged several times. Among medieval wooden sculptures the Baroque pulpit dates from 1665 and altar from 1680. There are two runestones in the churchyard; another one, so-called Hälsingtunastenen is probably the biggest in Sweden.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Hudiksvall, Sweden
Hög Church
Hög Church was originally built around the year 1190. Later it was enlarged to west and between 1702-1703 also the east. There are several medieval wooden sculptures in the church, for example a triptych made in 1471. The pulpit was moved to Hög Church in 1671.
Founded: c. 1190 |
Location:
Hudiksvall, Sweden