Vendel Church, Örbyhus, Sweden

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 from the near Örbyhus castle.

In 500-800 AD Vendel was a significant market and cultural centre. Archaelogists have found 14 so-called ship burials from the Vendel churchyard. Noblemen were buried there with their horses and equipments between 550-800 AD. Some foundings are displayed in the church's gate building. The historical era is named as a Vendel period after foundings in Vendel area.

References:

Marianne Mehling et al. Knaurs Kulturführer in Farbe. Schweden. München 1987.

User Reviews

Markku Maijala (4 months ago)
Amazingly beautiful church worth a visit.

Hans Bjorkman (5 months ago)
A very nice and beautiful church, both on the outside and inside. Looks so exciting with the bare brick and the beautiful medieval paintings in the church room. Today there was also a multimedia exhibition.

Anna Lantz (18 months ago)
So beautiful. Tyvärr kom vi när de stängde. Vi återkommer för ett längre besök.

Åsa Elmerfeldt (20 months ago)
So beautiful, both inside and out. Located on a hill with a view of Vendelsjön and both the site (Viking graves) and the church have a fantastic history. And the church's paintings tell a lot from the stories of the Bible and are very well preserved!

Margareta Holmgren (21 months ago)
Wonderful church considering that it is located so beautifully, it is worth seeing, was at a wedding and baptism there.

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The church underwent two restorations in the fifth and eighth centuries and in 1140-43 it was re-erected on its old foundations under Pope Innocent II.

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