Medieval churches in Sweden
Västergarn Church
The building of Västergarn Church was started around 1250, and it comprises no more than a chancel. Economic troubles put a stop to the building of the rest of the church. There is also a foundation of another church and the remains of a medieval defence tower.
Founded: ca.1250 |
Location:
Gotland, Sweden
Åre Old Church
Åre Old Church was built in the late 12th century entirely in stone, with inspiration from contemporary Norwegian church buildings, since Jämtland then was a part of Norway. It is situated at the Saint Olaf Pilgrim's Route (S:t Olofleden), and nowadays is the seventeenth stop on the route that goes from Selånger Old Church ruins at Sundsvall, situated at the Gulf of Bothnia, and crosses the Scandinavian M ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Åre, Sweden
Brunnby Church
The Romanesque style Brunnby church originates from the 1100s and the tower from 1400s. The mural paintings were made in the same time and have survived well to present days. The pulpit from 1623 has a monogram of Christian IV, the King of Denmark.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Höganäs, Sweden
Sorunda Church
Sorunda church is an unusually large, medieval church. Its history goes back to the 12th century with major additions made in the 15th and 16th centuries (the current exterior dates mainly from 1540). The church contains burial chapels for local aristocratic families and several interior details dating from the Middle Ages, notably an unusually fine wooden sculpture by Herman Rode. The altar screen dates from the late 140 ...
Founded: 1540 |
Location:
Sorunda, Sweden
Bottna Church
Bottna Church dates from the 12th century when the sea level was much higher, possibly reaching the foot of the hill on which the church stands. The church retains the character of the Middle Ages when entrances were on the southern long wall. The door was moved, but the doorway remains, where there is a carved stone relief.The walls surrounding the basilica and parts of the chancel are original. Additions were made to th ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Dingle, Sweden
Östra Ryd Church
Östra Ryd Church was built around the year 1300 and the nave and vaults were constructed around 1430. The church was rebuilt completely in the 1700s, when the tower was added. The altar screen is made of oak in 1488. The limestone font dates from the mid-1200s and wooden cruficixes from the 1400s. There is also a chapel of Brahe family, added in 1690-1693. They donated lot of valuable inventory to Östra Ryd chur ...
Founded: c. 1300 |
Location:
Östra Ryd, Sweden
Tofta Church
The earliest church on this location in Tofta was probably built during the end of the 12th century. The oldest part of the presently visible church is the tower. The nave and choir both date from the middle of the 14th century. The church walls display fragments of medieval frescos that were found during a restoration in 1958-1959. A few medieval stained glass windows are likewise preserved in the church. Of the furnish ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Tofta, Sweden
Drev Old Church
The old church at Drev is built on a knoll amid an ancient landscape full of early remains. The church is the oldest preserved church in this province, dating from around 1170. There are traces of blocked-up doorways and windows in the walls. The men’s entrance was on the south side, the women’s on the north. the priest entered the chancel directly from the south. The interior is richly decorated with paintin ...
Founded: ca. 1170 |
Location:
Braås, Sweden
Jät Old Church
The Old Church of Jät dates from the year 1226. The wooden sacristy was made in 1733. The external belfry was built probably in the 17th century. It was damaged by fire in 1924 and restored in 1929. The interior is richly decorated by local artist Johan Christian Zschotzscher in 1749. The crucifix dates from the late Middle Ages. There is a legend about Miss Eketrä, who was buried in the crypt. When they opened ...
Founded: 1226 |
Location:
Växjö, Sweden
Enånger Old Church
Enånger Old Church is a well-preserved medieval stone church built in the second half of the 15th century. Walls has been decorated with gorgeous frescoes painted by so-called Tierp school in 1485. The pulpit was made by two masters from Stockholm in 1737.
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Hudiksvall, Sweden
Bärfendal Church
Bärfendal Church was built probably in the mid-1100s. The current tower was erected in 1868. The font dates from the Middle ages and pulpit from 1642. The current altar was made in 1885.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Dingle, Sweden
Sundre Church
Sundre Church was originally built as the church for a large farmstead. This first church was wooden, and built during the early 12th century. A few painted remains of the church have been preserved at the Museum of Gotland in Visby. They were painted by a Russian artist and the scene depicts the Last Judgement. It has been speculated whether the remains were originally parts of an iconostasis, given the Russian origin of ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Burgsvik, Sweden
Morlanda Church
Morlanda church is the only survived medieval church on the island of Orust. The current appearance dates from the 17th century. The bell tower was erected in 1765. The organs, made in 1604 in Copenagen, are the oldest still working organs in Sweden.
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Ellös, Sweden
Säby Church
Säby Church was built around the year 1200 and it was enlarged probably in the 15th century, 1692 and 1746. The medieval frescos made by local master Amund are worth seeing. The pulpit was erected in 1653.
Founded: ca.1200 |
Location:
Tranås, Sweden
Härkeberga Church
Härkeberga church was built in the early 1300s and was enlarged in the 1400s with the vestry and porch. Also vaults were added then. Albertus Pictor decorated arches and walls with murals in the mid 1480's. The wall paintings were restored in the 1930s. The paintings in Härkeberga church are Albertus Pictor's finest works. The stories originate from both the Old and New Testaments. They relate to the Biblia Pauperum, a ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Enköping, Sweden
Bro Church
The first church in Bro was built during the 12th century in Romanescue style. The next church was completed in 1236 and it represented the Gothic style. In the reconstruction around 1300 the nave was demolished and replaced with the present one. In the Middle Ages Bro church was a destination for pilgrimages, because very important relic, an “original” piece of Jesus Christ’s cross was kept there. The p ...
Founded: 1236 |
Location:
Visby, Sweden
Dalhem Church
The nave and chancel of Dalhem Church were contructed in the early 1200s. It was enlarged some decades later by the workshop of master Egypticus. Murals were restored in the early 20th century. There is a beautiful tombstone in the northern wall from the 1100s.
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Dalhem, Sweden
Garde Church
Garde Church was built originally in the mid-1100s. The apsis was added in the 14th century. The Gothic-style church is a good sample of medieval church building tradition in Sweden. The font and crucifix date from the first church, both were made in the 1100s. Pre-Christian picture stones, made between 400-1100 AD, have been found from Garde church during the restoration.
Founded: ca. 1150 |
Location:
Garde, Sweden
Hablingbo Church
Hablingbo Church was made of sandstone. The tower was erected around the year 1200 and the Gothic-style main nave and choir were built in the 14th century. The sacristy was added in the 1730s. The most interesting detail is a Lion Portal, originally the main entrance to the former 12th century Romanesque church. When the church was rebuilt in the 14th century, it was re-used in the north face of the nave. The story of Ca ...
Founded: ca. 1200 |
Location:
Havdhem, Sweden
Ånimskog Church
The oldest parts of the Ånimskog church (a square floor area) were built in the early 13th century by an unknown master. In the beginning of the 17th century the eastern gable was removed and the church was enlarged to the east. The roof paintings were completed in 1739 by Hans Georg Schäffner. The font, made of sandstone, date from the 13th century. The red wooden bell tower was built in 1731.
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Ånimskog, Sweden