Alskog Church

Alskog Church
Alskogs kyrka
Alskog Church, external view
Alskog Church
Location on Gotland
57°19′53″N 18°37′38″E / 57.33144°N 18.62733°E / 57.33144; 18.62733Coordinates: 57°19′53″N 18°37′38″E / 57.33144°N 18.62733°E / 57.33144; 18.62733
Country Sweden
Denomination Church of Sweden
Previous denomination Catholic
Administration
Diocese Visby

Alskog Church (Swedish: Alskogs kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church in Alskog on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.

History and architecture

Medieval painted glass in Alskog Church

The oldest part of the church is the nave, dating from the first quarter of the 13th century. It displays an unusual southern portal, decorated with sculptures. Inside, the nave is divided in two parts by two central columns and has a vaulted ceiling. The tower is somewhat later but also from the early 13th century. Its portal show similarities with the tower portal of Visby Cathedral. The much larger choir and vestry were added circa 1300. The ambition was probably to rebuild the whole church into a larger, Gothic church, but for some reason only the eastern part of the church was rebuilt.[1]

Few alterations have been made since the Middle Ages. During the 19th century, some windows were added and new pews installed. The church underwent a renovation in 1964–1965.[1]

Of the furnishings, the triumphal cross, dating from circa 1200 is perhaps the most noteworthy, together with the richly carved baptismal font, complete with substantial traces of original colour,[2] from the same time. A few separate medieval sculptures also survive, originally part of a 14th-century retable. The church windows have several preserved stained glass panes from around 1300, probably when the choir was built. They depict scenes from the life of Jesus. From the time after the Reformation, the pulpit deserves mention. It was made in 1586 and is the oldest pulpit on Gotland. The church also has a pair of embroidered bags for collection of alms made in Istanbul in 1775. They were brought to the church by the priest at the Swedish legation in the city, who was the son of a pastor in Alskog Church.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Svahnström, Gunnar (1973). Lagerlöf, Erland, ed. Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 88–90. ISBN 9129410355.
  2. ↑ Albertson, Lars-Olof. "Dopfunt och krucifix från medeltiden i Alskogs kyrka på Gotland". formonline.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2013-08-12. Retrieved 12 August 2013.

Further reading

  • Lagerlöf, Erland (1968). Alskogs kyrka (PDF) (Summary in English). Sveriges kyrkor, konsthistoriskt inventarium (in Swedish). 118. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell. pp. 171–240. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
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