Forshem Church

Hällekis, Sweden

The oldest part of Forshem Church is the nave from the middle of the 12th century. The present vaults are late medieval. The chancel is not original and was built in the 13th century. The most thorough changes were made in the 1760´s when the church was transformed into a cruciform church. It was restored in 1939 when the 17th century paintings were uncovered from underneath the whitewash of the walls.

The interior contains some very old stone reliefs. There are also lily stones unique for this part of Sweden. They symbol the tree of life, the resurrection of Christ and eternal life, depicting steps at the bottom, a stem and branches in blossom.

Also visit the Forshem Stone Museum on the opposite side of the road, exhibiting 20 fragments of lily stones and grave stones, including an Irish 12th century cross.

References:

Svenska Kyrkan

Address

2714, Hällekis, Sweden

See all sites in Hällekis

Details

Founded: c. 1150
Category: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

More Information

www.svenskakyrkan.se

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Kinne-Vedum Church (6,9 km)
Fullösa Church (4,3 km)

Lidköping City Hall (23,2 km)
Skara Cathedral (26,1 km)
Åsle Tå (50,3 km)
Läckö Castle (16,8 km)
Varnhem Abbey (27,9 km)
Falbygden Museum (50,3 km)
Mariestad Cathedral (21,8 km)
Gudhem Abbey Ruins (42,4 km)
Husaby Castle Ruins (12,5 km)

User Reviews

birgitta strand (3 years ago)
It turned out that it was not open although there was a sign outside the church that it was open had gone from Hjo we were there 4 Oct.

Mac Cat (3 years ago)
Sweden's oldest stone church gives an old and solid impression with fine decorations and surroundings. Generous opening hours. Missing info folder.

Leif Nordlander (3 years ago)
This unique church dedicated to the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The inside is that there may have been crusaders in the village. Maybe Arn has a little historical background.

Christer Lundberg (3 years ago)
Well worth a visit and look at the old interior

Dag-Inge Fäger (3 years ago)
Very beautiful! The story is also interesting.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright Christian Lauw

Historic Site of the week

Wieskirche

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.