St. Mary's Church

Sigtuna, Sweden

St. Mary's Church (Mariakyrkan) is the oldest still used building in Sigtuna. The brick-made church was constructed in the mid-13th century and inaugurated in 1247. It was, however, completed probably in 1255, when the archbishop Jarler was buried there. The church was enlarged and sacristy added in the 1280’s. Due the Reformation King Gustav Vasa ordered to demolish the adjacent abbey in 1530 and St. Mary's became a parish church.

The full restoration was made in the 1640’s and the present was added then. Mural paintings were restored between 1904-1905. There are couple medieval artifacts remaining in the church, like fonts, a triumph crucifix and small altarpiece.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Uppsalavägen 4, Sigtuna, Sweden

See all sites in Sigtuna

Details

Founded: 1230-1255
Category: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

More Information

www.karenbrown.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

St. Olof's Church Ruins (0,1 km)
Sigtuna Museum (0,4 km)

Storkyrkan (38 km)
Finnish Church (38 km)
Axel Oxenstierna Palace (38 km)
Gamla Stan (38,1 km)
Tessin Palace (38,1 km)
Royal Palace (38 km)
German Church (38,2 km)
The Royal Coin Cabinet (38,1 km)
Vasa Museum (38,4 km)

User Reviews

Kourosh M (2 years ago)
Nice place .

Ajay Kumar (2 years ago)
The park's lush greenery and well-maintained pathways create a peaceful atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for a leisurely stroll, a relaxing picnic, or simply unwinding amidst nature. The view of the Mariakyrkan church's centuries-old architecture adds a unique touch, making the park truly special.

I B (2 years ago)
Lovely place to visit. Very beautiful and serene space.

Per Häggdahl (3 years ago)
Beautiful church. One of the older in sweden.

Helena Sunny (6 years ago)
A beautiful Brick Church built in the 13th century with Romanesque and Gothic style. Located very close to the famous St. Olof Church Ruins, it is well worth a visit. There are many church ruins in Sigtuna with lots of history. We did a day trip to Sigtuna and Uppsala from Stockholm. Enjoyed.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Infomastern

Historic Site of the week

Visby Cathedral

Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.

Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.

There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.