Alva Church

Last updated
Alva Church
Alva kyrka
Gotland-Alva-Kirche 01.jpg
Alva Church, external view
Sweden Gotland location map modified.svg
Red pog.svg
Alva Church
Location on Gotland
57°12′27″N18°21′41″E / 57.20745°N 18.36141°E / 57.20745; 18.36141 Coordinates: 57°12′27″N18°21′41″E / 57.20745°N 18.36141°E / 57.20745; 18.36141
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.

Contents

History and architecture

View of the interior towards to choir Interior da igrexa de Alva.jpg
View of the interior towards to choir

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]

Related Research Articles

Gammelgarn Church Church in Sweden

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.

Hablingbo Church Church in Sweden

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.

Hejdeby Church Church in Sweden

Hejdeby Church is a medieval church in Hejdeby on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church was built in stages during the 13th century, and contains medieval muralsfrom two different periods. Hejdeby Church is part of the Diocese of Visby within the Church of Sweden.

Anga Church, Gotland Church in Sweden

Anga Church is a 13th century church in Anga on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, and was possibly preceded by a stave church. Inside, the church is decorated with medieval murals from three different periods, as well as some medieval furnishings. Some wooden sculptures from the church are today exhibited in a museum in Visby. The church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby.

Burs Church Church in Burs, Sweden

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.

Eke Church Church in Sweden

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.

Etelhem Church Church in Sweden

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.

Boge Church Church in 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 Church in Sweden

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.

Bäl Church Church in Sweden

Bäl Church is a medieval church in Gute, Bäl, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It was built during the first half of the 13th century and contains sculptural decoration in both Romanesque and Gothic styles. The interior is decorated by medieval wall paintings. It belongs to the parish Väskinde, in the Diocese of Visby.

Ekeby Church Church in 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 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.

Fole Church Church in 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.

Rone Church Church in Sweden

Rone Church is a medieval church in Rone on the Swedish island of Gotland. The Gothic church contains a number of medieval murals. It is part of the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.

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.

Linde Church Church in 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 Church in Sweden

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.

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.

Norrlanda Church Church in Sweden

Norrlanda Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.

När Church Church in Sweden

När Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island Gotland. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.

References

  1. ↑ Lindgren, Mereth (1995). Karlsson, Lennart (ed.). Signums svenska konsthistoria: Den romanska konsten (in Swedish). Lund: Signum. p. 90. ISBN   91-87896-23-0.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Lagerlöf, Erland (1973). Lagerlöf, Erland (ed.). Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 90–92. ISBN   9129410355.
  3. ↑ "Telefon och adresslista till alla våra 10 pastorat på Gotland" (in Swedish). Diocese of Visby (Church of Sweden). Retrieved 24 January 2020.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.