Sant'Orsola Church was built for the 'Compagnia di Sant'Orsola' (Brotherhood of Saint Ursula), a group of believers which was founded in 1564 in the neighbouring church of Santi Quaranta Martiri Pisani al Casalotto.
The church was open to the public in 1662. The nave, and maybe the entire building, was designed by Giacomo Amato. In 1672 a beautification work started. During this period the building was decorated with stuccos and paintings. In the following century another beautification work was made. As a result of these actions, the church houses several artworks of important Sicilian artists.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.