Alva Church

Alva Church
Alva kyrka
Alva Church, external view
Alva Church
57°12′27″N 18°21′41″E / 57.20750°N 18.36139°E / 57.20750; 18.36139
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

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

History and architecture

Fresco fragment depicting a Passion scene

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 locally active Master Sigraf. The likewise Romanesque northern portal of the church is also decorated with sculptures.^[2]

Inside, the church displays a set of frescos 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 master carver 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]

References

↑ Lindgren, Mereth (1995). Karlsson, Lennart, ed. Signums svenska konsthistoria: Den romanska konsten (in Swedish). Lund: Signum. p. 90. ISBN 91-87896-23-0.
1 2 3 4 Lagerlöf, Erland (1973). Lagerlöf, Erland, ed. Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 90–92. ISBN 9129410355.

External links

Official site (in Swedish)
Media related to Alva Church at Wikimedia Commons

Churches on Gotland, Sweden

Akebäck Ala Alskog Alva Anga Ardre Atlingbo Barlingbo Björke Boge Bro Bunge Burs Buttle Bäl Dalhem Eke Ekeby Eksta Endre Eskelhem Etelhem Fardhem Fide Fleringe Fole Follingbo Fröjel Fårö Gammelgarn Ganthem Garde Gerum Gothem Grötlingbo Guldrupe Hablingbo Hall Halla Hamra Hangvar Havdhem Hejde Hejdeby Hejnum Hellvi Hemse Hogrän Hörsne Klinte Kräklingbo Källunge Lau Levide Linde Lojsta Lokrume Lummelunda Lye Lärbro Martebo Mästerby Norrlanda När Näs Othem Roma Rone Rute Sanda Silte Sjonhem Slite Sproge Stenkumla Stenkyrka Stånga Sundre Tingstäde Tofta Träkumla Vall Vallstena Vamlingbo Viklau Visby Cathedral Visborg Vänge Väskinde Västergarn Västerhejde Väte Öja Östergarn

Commons

Coordinates: 57°12′27″N 18°21′41″E / 57.20750°N 18.36139°E / 57.20750; 18.36139

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/25/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.