Linde Church

Linde, Sweden

Linde Church is a homogeneous Romanesque church. Construction of the presently visible church started in the late 12th century and was finished in the early 13th century. A single, large Gothic window was inserted in the eastern wall in the 14th century.

The external nave and choir portals are both decorated with Romanesque sculptures. Inside, the church is decorated with frescos. On the northern wall is a set of paintings depicting the Passion of Christ, dating from the 15th century. On the western wall is another set, also from the 15th century, depicting women being harassed by devils. Among the church furnishings, the altarpiece from 1521 is especially noteworthy. It depicts God the Father with Christ, with Saint Giles and Saint Olaf on each side of them. Additionally, the doors of the altarpiece contain sculptures of the apostles, Saint Canute, Saint Eric and Saint Bridget. The church furthermore contains a copy of a triumphal cross today kept in the Swedish History Museum. The original dates from the end of the 12th century. The church furthermore rather unusually contains two baptismal fonts. Both are probably from the 12th century, and one may be a work by the stonemason Hegvald.

South-west of the church lie the ruins of a medieval house, probably the former parsonage.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

545, Linde, Sweden
See all sites in Linde

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Hemse Church (5,2 km)
Lojsta Church (3,7 km)


St. Lawrence's Church Ruins (40,6 km)
St. Catherine's Church Ruins (40,4 km)
Gotland Museum (40,4 km)
Visby Cathedral (40,6 km)
St. Clement Church Ruins (40,7 km)
St. Hans' & St. Peter's Church Ruins (40,2 km)
Holy Spirit Church Ruins (40,7 km)
Powder Tower (40,7 km)
Visby City Wall (40,6 km)

User Reviews

Piter Pan (11 months ago)
Linde romanska 1200-talskyrka påminner till det yttre om Levide kyrka eller Hangvars och Halls kyrkor i samma stift. Det är lätt att tro att kyrkan uppförts av grå kalksten i enhetligt sammanhang. Istället har det skett etappvis. Allra först vid slutet av 1100-talet eller början av 1200 byggdes kor och absid. Cirka fyra decennier senare uppfördes långhuset, vars kryssvalv bärs upp av en mittpelare. Vid mitten av 1200-talet tillkom slutligen tornet. Under 1300-talet försågs absiden med ett fönster i gotik. Triumfbågen vidgades och fick en spetsig utformning. Medeltida kalkmålningar pryder interiören. Här, liksom i flera andra gotländsk kyrkor, har den flitige 1400-talskyrkomålaren Passionsmästaren varit verksam med sin bildsvit ur Kristi lidandes historia. I tornkammaren och långhuset finns målningar från 1300-talet av apostlar, var och en i ädikula. (Wikipedias text)
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Must-see historic sighs in Luxembourg
Photo from Flickr, copyright RoyP

Historic Site of the week

Steinvikholm Castle

Steinvikholm Castle is an island fortress built between 1525 to 1532 by Norway's last Catholic archbishop, Olav Engelbrektsson. Steinvikholm castle became the most powerful fortification by the time it was built, and it is the largest construction raised in the Norwegian Middle Ages.

The castle occupies about half of the land on the rocky island. The absence of a spring meant that fresh water had to be brought from the mainland. A wooden bridge served as the only way to the island other than boat. Although the castle design was common across Europe in 1525, its medieval design was becoming obsolete because of the improved siege firepower offered by gunpowder and cannons.

The castle was constructed after Olav Engelbrektsson returned from a meeting with the Pope in Rome, presumably in anticipation of impending military-religious conflict. As Archbishop Engelbrektsson's resistance to the encroachment of Danish rule escalated, first with Frederick I of Denmark and his successor Christian III of Denmark, Steinvikholm Castle and Nidarholm Abbey became the Catholic Church's military strongholds in Norway. In April 1537, the Danish-Norwegian Reformation succeeded in driving the archbishop from the castle into exile in Lier in the Netherlands (now in Belgium), where he died on 7 February 1538. At the castle the archbishop left behind St. Olav's shrine and other treasures from Nidaros Cathedral (Trondheim). The original coffin containing St. Olav's body remained at Steinvikholm until it was returned to Nidaros Cathedral in 1564. Since 1568 St. Olav's grave in Nidaros has been unknown.

From the 17th to 19th century, the island was used as a quarry and some of its masonry was sold and removed from the site. This activity was condoned by the Danish-Norwegian authorities as a way of eliminating a monument to the opposition of the Danish–Norwegian Union.

Steinvikholm fort is owned and operated today by The society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments. The island has been the site of the midnight opera which details the life and struggles of the archbishop. The opera is held in August annually. The opera is organized by Steinvikholm Musikkteater since the beginning in 1993.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2019 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.