Medieval churches in Sweden
Husby-Sjutolft Church
The oldest part of current Husby-Sjutolfts church was probably built in the 1200s or 1300s and originally belonged to an earlier wooden church. The nave was probably built during the 1300s and steeple in the early 1400s. The tower got its present appearance tower in 1783. Albertus Pictor decorated Husby-Sjutolft church with biblical subjects in the 1470s or 1480s. His signature is above the entrance to the sacristy. The ...
Founded: 13-14th century |
Location:
Ekolsund, Sweden
Föra Church
Föra Church was established in the 11th century, but the oldest still remaining parts date from the mid-1100s. The massive tower was built some decades later. The octagonal lantern was added in 1828. Fonts date from the early 1200s. There are several tombstones in the floor. The crucifix and couple of images of saints were made in late Middle Ages. The reredos was made in 1776. Pulpit was made in 1762 by Jonas Bergg ...
Founded: ca. 1150 |
Location:
Borgholm, Sweden
Kinneved Church
The medieval Kinneved church was made in the Romanesque style between in the late 1100s. It have thick limestone walls. The vestry was added in the 18th century, and the tower built in the 19th century. Much of the interior furniture and ornamentation dates from the 18th century. There is also a medieval gravestone embedded in the wall outside the nave.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Falköping, Sweden
Abild Church
The oldest parts of Abild Church were built in the 12th and 13th century. It is said to previously have had the name Saint John's church after John the Baptist. Most of the inventories are from the 17th century, during which the church was prolonged to the east. The church was painted in 1767. These paintings were later covered by new paintings, until they were restored in 1953. The church has been refurbished in 1927 and ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Falkenberg, Sweden
Tumbo Church
The medieval Tumbo church is very well-preserved. It was built in a Romanesque style in the 1100s. The sacristy and porch were added in the 15th century. The original tower was collapsed in 1734 and the new one was built couple of years later. The pulpit was made in 1630. The sandstone-made font date from the 1100s and polyptychs date also from the Middle Ages.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Kvicksund, Sweden
Löt Church
The sacristy is the oldest part of the Löt Church. It was originally built for the previous wooden church in the 1100s. The present nave and apsis were added in the late 1200s and the church was enlarged in the late 1400s. One of the key attractions is the collection of frescoes on the walls. These were painted by the master Albertus Pictor in the 15th century. The pulpit date from 1657. The separate bell tower was e ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Grillby, Sweden
Svärdsjö Church
Oldest parts of the Svärdsjö Church date from the 1300s and the latest restoration was made in 1873. The church was substantially extended in the 17th and 18th centuries. A particular attraction are the ceiling frescoes, which were painted in the late 15th century. The baptismal font date from from the 13th and triumph crucifix from 16th century.
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Svärdsjö, Sweden
Baldringe Church
Baldringe Church was built in the late 1100s or in the beginning of 1200s in Romanesque style. The restoration was made in 1880s and some medieval mural paintings were removed. The bell tower was also added then. The baptismal font, made of limestone of Gotland, date from the 1200s as well as the triumph crucifix. The pulpit and altar were made in the 1600s. There is also a Viking Age runestone, so-called Baldringestenen, ...
Founded: ca. 1200 |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Herrestad Church
Herrestad Church is one of the oldest existing churches in Sweden. According the Radiocarbon dating of wooden parts the construction was started in 1112. Archaeologists have also found nearby an early Christian tomb from the 1000s. It is quite probable there has been a wooden church before the stone church was built. Herrestad church was made of limestone in early Romanesque style. The interior includes a medieval tripty ...
Founded: ca. 1112 |
Location:
Vadstena, Sweden
Högestad Church
The beautiful stone church of Högestad was built in the 12th century. The tower was added in the 14th century. The church bell date also from the 14th century. The pulpit was made in 1726. There are also fine medieval frescoes in walls.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Bjäresjö Church
Bjäresjö Church was built in the mid-1100s. The new nave was added in 1760 and it was enlarged in 1892. The church is very attractive due colourful and intricate frescoes from the Middle Ages. These have been somewhat heavily restored so that some of the detail has been lost, but the effect is still stunning and gives the visitor a real feeling of what the place would have been like hundreds of years ago. The i ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Borrie Church
Borrie Church is one of the oldest and smallest in Scania. It was probably built in the early 1100s in Anglo-Saxon style. It consisted of a nave, chancel and apse. The tower was added in the 13th century and demolished in the 19th century. The church was abandoned and left to decay before the reconstruction made in the 19th century.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Övraby Church
Övraby Church was built in the 1100s. The porch and tower were added in the 15th century. The church contains some interesting frescoes, whitewashed over after the Reformation and only rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century. Experts have dated these to the 12th century, making them some of the oldest surviving church frescoes in Scandinavia. The pulpit and altarpiece are both from the early 17th century.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Tomelilla, Sweden
Bromma Church
Bromma Church was built in the late 1100s. The tower and vaulting were constructed in the 1400s. The church was partially reconstructed in 1852. Also well-preserved mural paintings were found and restored then. The altarpiece was made between 1564-1627.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ystad, Sweden
Hedeskoga Church
Hedeskoga Church was built in the mid-1100s, probably by local stone master Carl. The tower was added in the 15th century. The tympanum in a south portal is a unique detail. The pulpit date from 1652 and altar from 1714. The great bell has a mark "1471".
Founded: ca. 1150 |
Location:
Ystad, 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
Värna Church
The present church in Värna was constructed in the 1500s of stone and brick. At first the church had a south entrance, but it has always had the same nave. The belfry was erected in 1860.The altarpiece with its wood sculptures was made in Germany in the mid-1400s. The pulpit is made of wood and its framework is most likely from the 1600s. Beautiful mural paintings were made in 1728 by Anders Wikström.
Founded: ca. 1500 |
Location:
Linköping, Sweden
Torpa Church
The construction of Torpa church has been dated back to 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 Roman church. The vault mural ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Varberg, Sweden
Hardeberga Church
Hardeberga Church was built around the year 1200. It was enlarged and the vaulted tower and porch were added in the Middle Ages. The current tower dates mainly from the restoration made in 1909-1910. The altarpiece dates from the early 17th century and the font from the Middle Ages. The decorated roof was painted by Godfrey Pettersson in 1909. In 2003 archaeologists found the previously unknown rune carving from the nort ...
Founded: ca. 1200 |
Location:
Södra Sandby, 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