Alva Church | |
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Alva kyrka | |
57°12′27″N18°21′41″E / 57.20745°N 18.36141°E | |
Country | Sweden |
Denomination | Church of Sweden |
Previous denomination | Catholic |
Administration | |
Diocese | Visby |
Alva Church (Swedish : Alva kyrka) is a medieval church in Alva on the Swedish island of Gotland. The oldest parts of the church date from the late 12th century; with the halted construction of the tower about a century later, building activity ceased. The church contains medieval murals as well as a number of medieval furnishings and pieces of art. It lies in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.
The oldest parts of the church are the late Romanesque choir and the apse, dating from the late 12th century. [1] To this the nave was added during the late part of the same century. Construction of the broad tower started about a hundred years later but was never finished; hence the somewhat squat appearance of the church today. It seems in fact that construction of the church came to a rapid end: apart from the half-finished tower, the main southern portal also seems to have been finished in a haphazard, chaotic way. [2]
The choir portal is Romanesque in style and carried some sculpted reliefs, possibly executed by the workshop or artist known as Sigraf. The similarly Romanesque northern portal of the church is also decorated with sculptures. [2]
Inside, the church displays a set of wall paintings carried out at the end of the Middle Ages, probably just before the reformation and possibly by the same artist who decorated Lau Church. Among the furnishings, the dominating triumphal cross, dating from the middle of the 13th century, and a partly preserved baptismal font, executed by the Romanesque workshop or sculptor referred to as Hegvald sometime during the end of the 12th century, are especially notable. The pulpit dates from 1740 and the unusually decorated altarpiece from 1653. [2]
The church was renovated in 1953–54. [2]
Alva Church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby. [3]
Gammelgarn Church is a medieval church in Gammelgarn on the Swedish island of Gotland. The largely Gothic church stands next to an older defensive tower. The church's main portal is richly decorated with medieval sculpture, and the interior contains an altarpiece from the 14th century of high craftsmanship. The church is in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.
Grötlingbo Church is a medieval church in Grötlingbo on the Swedish island Gotland. The stately Gothic church contains elements of a Romanesque frieze, incorporated from an earlier church building on the same site. Görtlingbo Church lies within the Diocese of Visby.
Hablingbo Church is a medieval church in Hablingbo on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is one of the largest churches on Gotland, and dating largely from the 14th century, although the current church building was preceded by a stave church. The stone portals of the church are comparatively richly decorated. It is used by the Church of Sweden and part of the Diocese of Visby.
Ala Church is a medieval church in Ala on the Swedish island of Gotland. Its oldest parts date from the 12th century. Damaged by fire in the 1930s, it still contains medieval murals and its original baptismal font. The church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby.
Burs Church is a medieval church in Burs on the Swedish island of Gotland. The oldest parts of the church is the Romanesque nave, while the large choir is Gothic and richly decorated in the style of the time. Inside, the church has an altarpiece from the 15th century and a Gothic choir stall, among other things.
Hemse Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Hemse on the island of Gotland. Preceded by the most well-preserved early stave church discovered in Sweden, the current church dates mainly from the 13th century. It contains sets of medieval murals as well as some medieval furnishings. It is part of the Diocese of Visby.
Eke Church is a medieval church in Eke on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church was built during the 12th and 13th century, with only smaller additions and changes made later. Inside, several medieval murals survive. The church is used by the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Etelmhem Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. The largely Gothic church contains medieval murals and a 12th-century baptismal font by the sculptor Hegvald. The church is used by the Church of Sweden and part of Diocese of Visby.
Fardhem Church is a medieval church in Fardhem on the Swedish island of Gotland. The present-day church may have been preceded by a stave church; the current church is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, built in stages from the 12th to 13th century. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Akebäck Church is a medieval church in Akebäck on the island of Gotland, Sweden. It's a largely Romanesque church and its main construction period was at the end of the 12th century. The church is part of the Diocese of Visby within the Church of Sweden.
Boge Church is a medieval church in Boge not far from Slite on the Swedish island of Gotland. Its main construction period was during the 13th century, but the tower was rebuilt following its collapse in a storm during the 19th century. It contains sets of medieval murals. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Buttle Church is a medieval church in Buttle on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is one of the more well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, and contains both a number of medieval furnishings as well medieval murals. Buttle Church belongs to the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.
Ekeby Church is a medieval church in Ekeby on the Swedish island of Gotland. The oldest parts date from the 12th century, and the church has been little altered since the end of the 13th century. Its interior is richly decorated with medieval murals. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Endre Church is a medieval church in Endre on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby, built from the 12th to early 14th century. It contains medieval murals and several medieval furnishings, and belongs to the Church of Sweden.
Fole Church is a medieval church in Fole on the Swedish island of Gotland. The Romanesque tower is the oldest part of the otherwise largely Gothic church. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Follingbo Church is a medieval church in Follingbo on the Swedish island of Gotland. Its Romanesque nave and tower are noteworthy for the professionalism with which they were built. It lies in the Diocese of Visby and is used of the Church of Sweden.
Linde Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church was built between the 12th and the early 13th century and is Romanesque in style. I lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Klinte Church is a medieval church in Klinte on the Swedish island of Gotland, not far from Klintehamn. Finished around the 1300, it is a largely Gothic church. It is part of the Diocese of Visby.
Levide Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. It lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Norrlanda Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.