Stavby Church ( Stavby kyrka) is a medieval church located north-east of Uppsala. The construction probably started in the middle of the 13th century with the eastern parts of the present church. A western, more narrow, extension was built later during the Middle Ages, and the church porch dates from the end of the medieval period. Two lychgates were also built during the 15th century, one of which still remains. Inside, the vaults and walls of the church are decorated with frescos made in the 1490s, probably by a pupil of Albertus Pictor; the frescos adoring the vaults are well-preserved while the frescos on the walls survive only in fragments. The wooden belfry, standing separately from the church, contains two church bells, both made in Stockholm in the workshop of the same family (Meyer) in 1655 and 1752 respectively.
The furnishings of the church include a medieval choir stall made of oak, two medieval sculptures depicting saints and a baptismal font in limestone believed to be from the 15th century. The choir has a window painting by John Österlund made in 1929.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.