Vaxholm Church

Last updated

Vaxholm Church
Vaxholms kyrka fran gatan.jpg
Vaxholm Church
Vaxholm Church
59°24′12″N18°20′51″E / 59.40333°N 18.34750°E / 59.40333; 18.34750 Coordinates: 59°24′12″N18°20′51″E / 59.40333°N 18.34750°E / 59.40333; 18.34750
Location Vaxholm, Stockholm County
CountrySweden
Denomination Church of Sweden
Architecture
Architect(s) C F Adelcrantz, Olof Tempelman
Architectural typeChapel
Style Neoclassical
Completed 1803
Administration
Parish Vaxholm parish  [ sv ]
Diocese Diocese of Stockholm

Vaxholm Church (Swedish : Vaxholms kyrka) is a church in central Vaxholm, Sweden. The chapel is a single-nave building built in the Neoclassical style. It was completed in 1803 according to drawings by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz and Olof Tempelman. It replaced an earlier wooden church in Vaxholm.

Contents

Background

16th century

As early as the 16th century Vaxholm had a small chapel or meeting house to gather for worship located where the customs house has stood since 1738, by the water across from Vaxholm Fortress (Kastellsundet). [1] [2]

The old church

Image of the old church taken from Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna by Erik Dahlbergh Suecia 1-147 ; Vaxholms Gamla Kyrka.jpg
Image of the old church taken from Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna by Erik Dahlbergh

In the middle of the 17th century, plans were made to expand Vaxholm. Tax breaks were introduced and the population grew to 163 residents. Vaxholm became its own parish in 1644, and the construction of a more solid wooden church was begun. The church building was financed by mantal and livestock allowances. Drots Per Brahe made the largest contribution, and the church was named St. Peter's Church (Petrikyrkan) after him. [3]

There is some question about where this church was located. The old church was either higher up in Vaxholm, slightly west of today's church, or down by Kastellsundet. [2] It was made of wood and chipboard and had a tower, 28 rows of benches and three stands. Two of the stands were intended for the citizens of the city and the crew of the third fortress. [2] It is featured in Erik Dahlbergh's book. [3]

In 1735, lightning destroyed the belfry. [2] In 1746, the old church was considered to be in such poor condition that it was not worth repairing, but several fixtures were transferred to the new one. [1] The only thing today that attests to the old church is a memorial stone outside the new building with this inscription:

Anno 1644 funderades sanct Petri kyrckia uthi Waxholm genom fordom praepositi och pastoris then ehrewyrdige och wällärde Herr Erichsons Hellbergs påkostnad anno 1678.

On the other side of the stone is the image of a "a poor man's rifle" and a text about donating to the house of God and the poor. [2] [4]

Current church

The first stone for the present church was laid on 20 September 1760, on the rear east side of the church. The construction took time, and the sign above the entrance indicates that the church was not consecrated until 1803. Superintendent Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz was the architect who designed and would finally approve the church building. Architect Olof Tempelman worked under Adelcrantz as an assistant. When Adelcrantz resigned his public duties in 1795, Tempelman completed the construction. [4] The funds raised were not enough to build the planned tower. The idea was to add this later, and a temporary wooden belfry was built instead. It is still used today. [1] The church was dedicated to the then king, Gustav IV Adolf, and was named Gustav Adolfskyrkan. [1]

Vaxholm's church is an aisleless (single-nave) building with a short cross arm and a full-width quire. The building faces east–west with its sacristy to the north. [1] The church is covered by a mansard and hip roof. The sacristy was built in 1896 by architect Johan Laurentz  [ sv ], when the south entrance was blocked and arched windows were inserted into the gable end. In 1962, the roof was replaced with copper plate. The well-preserved interior is covered by a coffered ceiling. [1]

Expansion and renovation

Temporary belfry Vaxholms kyrkas klockstapel.jpg
Temporary belfry

Decoration

Man of Sorrows

In the left corner of the choir is an 83 centimetres (33 in) painted wooden sculpture of Christ in the form of the Man of Sorrows . It may be from the early 17th century. It is one of the earliest figures of this type. [2]

Paintings

On each side of the choir window hang two paintings. To the left, a copy of Rubens' The Descent from the Cross . Rubens' original has hung in Antwerp's Cathedral of Our Lady since 1611, and is a model for many altarpieces. The painting was donated to the church in 1816 by the Baron von Post. [2] To the right hangs what is the altarpiece in the old church. The motif is the "crowned Jesus" and the frame is believed to be from Burchard Precht's workshop in Stockholm. The painting is considered to be by a successor to Carlo Dolci, who organized a school in Florence for this type of artwork. [2]

Crucifix

On the altar is a 65 centimetres (26 in) high Gothic style crucifix with Jesus attached in a Gothic way to the cross with a single nail. The body is sculpted in wood and is believed to be from the late 18th century. When the church was renovated in the early 20th century, a new arm was made and the cross replaced. It has "INRI" engraved on the cross above the crown of thorns. [2]

Baptismal font

The baptismal font was made from Gotland sandstone during the late 14th century for the Riddarholmen Church. In 1677 it was donated to Vaxholm. By 1835 the church had moved the font to a shed in the cemetery. The head of the Vaxholm Fortress, Commander Panchen, took possession of the font and it was converted into a birdbath in the commander's garden, Blynäsgården. [7] Freiherr Frans Oscar Leuhusen took over the Blynäsgården around 1850. In 1933, his relatives understood that the piece was a baptismal font and it was returned to the church. It stood in the cemetery until the early 1960s, when it was taken back into the church. [7] More than a hundred years as a birdbath had left its mark, however, and in 1981 the pastor asked the National Heritage Board for permission to move the baptismal font. Blynäsgården got its birdbath back in 2008. [8]

Organ

The church organ dates to the mid 18th century: [9]

Manual IManual II Pedal Coupler
Principal 16'Bourdon 16´ Sub-bass 16´I/P
Bourdon 16'Flute Principal 8'Bourdon 8'II/P
Principal 8'Principal 4'Choralbass 4'II/I
Harmonic Flute 8'Flute Octaviante 4'Trombone 16'I 4'/I
Octave 4'Nasard 2 2/3'II 16'/II
Gedackt 4'Waldflöte 2'
Quintadena 2 2/3'Tierce 1 3/5'
Octave 2'
Sifflet 1'
Mixture

Choir organ

The current choir organ, a mechanical organ, was built in 1978 by Nels Munck Mogensen  [ sv ], Hovmantorp. It is placed high in the choir loft. [10]

Manual Pedal Coupler
Gedackt 8' Sub-bass 16'Man/Ped
Chimney Flute 4'Gedackt 8'
Geigen 2'
Quint 1 1/3'
Sifflet 1'

Further listening

Related Research Articles

Maria Magdalena Church

Maria Magdalena Church is a church on Södermalm in central Stockholm, Sweden.

Garde Church Church in Sweden

Garde Church is a medieval church in Garde on the Swedish island of Gotland. It was built in stages during the Middle Ages. The oldest part is the nave and the base of the tower, while the most recently constructed part is the large chancel. A large renovation was carried out in the 1960s. Garde Church together with its cemetery and its four lychgates constitute one of the most well-preserved medieval church ensembles in Sweden.

Lärbro Church Church in Sweden

Lärbro Church is a medieval church in Lärbro on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church is located at a former strategically important spot, as testified by the adjacent fortified tower. The presently visible Gothic church replaced an earlier Romanesque church during the 13th and 14th century. The cemetery of the church contains several graves of victims from Nazi concentration camps who were taken to a field hospital in Lärbro during and after World War II.

Hilleshög Church

Hilleshög Church is a medieval Lutheran church in the Diocese of Stockholm. It is located in Hilleshög, Ekerö Municipality just outside Stockholm, Sweden. Hilleshög Church is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches in Stockholm County, together with Markim Church.

Munsö Church Church in Sweden

Munsö Church is a medieval Lutheran church in the Diocese of Stockholm. Its site, Munsö, is a village and formerly an island in Ekerö Municipality, Sweden. Because of post-glacial rebound, this island in Lake Mälaren is now connected to the island Ekerö. Munsö Church lies not far from Väsby hage Nature Reserve. The round church at Munsö is one of a few so-called round churches in Sweden.

Atlingbo Church Church in Sweden

Atlingbo Church is a medieval church in Atlingbo on the Swedish island Gotland. Atlingbo Church was built in stages during the 13th century, with only the sacristy being of later date. The church contains a decorated Romanesque baptismal font made by the workshop or sculptor known as Byzantios. It is used by the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.

Endre Church Church in Sweden

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.

Follingbo Church Church in Sweden

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.

Hogrän Church Church in Sweden

Hogrän Church is a medieval church in Hogrän on the Swedish island of Gotland. It was built in stages between the 12th and 14th century, and contains several medieval church fittings. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.

Lummelunda Church Church in Sweden

Lummelunda Church is a medieval church in Lummelunda on the Swedish island of Gotland. The oldest parts were built circa 1200, and the last major alterations made in the 14th century when a new choir was built. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.

Hejde Church Church in Sweden

Hejde Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Hejde on the island of Gotland It lies the Diocese of Visby.

Väte Church Church in Sweden

Väte Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Väte on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.

Hejnum Church Church in Sweden

Hejnum Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Hejnum on the island of Gotland, Sweden. The church lies in the Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden.

Lokrume Church Church in Sweden

Lokrume Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. The oldest parts of the church are from the 12th century. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.

Tisselskog Church Church in Västra Götaland County, Sweden

Tisselskog Church belongs to the Steneby-Tisselskogs parish in the Diocese of Karlstad, Sweden. The church is located on a hill about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Lake Råvarpen, a part of the Dalsland Canal. Approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) south of the church is a former clergy house, built in 1935. In the south part of the grave yard is a mourge built in the 1940s and a storage house built in 1995.

Bengtsfors Church Church in Västra Götaland County, Sweden

Bengtsfors Church belongs to the Ärtemark parish in the Diocese of Karlstad, Sweden. It is situated on a point in the Lelång Lake in the municipality of Bengtsfors.

Bäcke Church Church in Västra Götaland County, Sweden

Bäcke Church in the Bengtsfors Municipality belongs to the Bäcke-Ödskölts parish in the Diocese of Karlstad, Sweden.

Sjonhem Church Church in Sweden

Sjonhem Church is a medieval church on the island of Gotland, Sweden. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.

Asmundtorp Church Church in Sweden

Asmundtorp Church is a church in Asmundtorp, Landskrona Municipality, Skåne, Sweden. The current neo-Gothic church was built in 1895–1897 and replaced a medieval church on the same site. Designed by architect Gustaf Hermansson, it is one of the most accomplished examples of 19th-century church architecture in Skåne. It contains a medieval bronze baptismal font of northern German origin, the only one of its kind in the province. The church belongs to the Church of Sweden and is in the Diocese of Lund.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Legars 2004.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kilström 1977.
  3. 1 2 Dahlbergh 1670.
  4. 1 2 Boëthius & Eriksson 1980, pp. 256–257.
  5. Harnesk 1964.
  6. Legars 2004, pp. 9–10.
  7. 1 2 "Historik". Blynäsgården i Vaxholm (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  8. Vaxholms församling 2011.
  9. Hülpers 1773.
  10. Johansson, Tore, ed. (1989). Strängnäs stift; Stockholms stift (in Swedish). Förlag Svenska orglar. ISSN   1100-2700. Inventarium över svenska orglar

Bibliography

Further reading