Västerås Cathedral

Västerås, Sweden

The oldest parts of Västerås Cathedral date from the 13th century. It was originally built as a triple-aisled basilica in the 1230s and inaugurated in 1271. The cathedral was rebuilt and enlarged during the next two centuries. The tower was erected around 1420. The steeple was added in 1691 and it was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger.

The most famous person buried to the Västerås Cathedral is King Erik XIV, the son of Gustav Vasa. The highlights of the interior are three beautiful triptychs, although there is much other fine interior furniture, including the pulpit.

References:
  • Marianne Mehling et al. Knaurs Kulturführer in Farbe. Schweden. München 1987.
  • Wikipedia

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1230-1271
Category: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dilan Munasinghe (7 months ago)
I highly recommend visiting this church if you're traveling Västerås. The architecture is beautiful and rich with history, making it a must see for anyone interested in cultural landmarks.
Christer Sandahl (7 months ago)
This is a very beautiful cathedral, with many altarpieces, both catholics and protestants. Since the cathedral is very old, a lot of ancient familiar exhibits their coats of arms, as patrons and donators of the church. Also Swedish ancient kings have their graves in the church flor.
Maria Haritou (2 years ago)
Exceptionally polite personnel. Beautiful sculpture depicting the life of Christ.
Sara McGuff (2 years ago)
Beautifully preserved medieval church with countless pieces of art and history on every wall and tucked in every corner. Make sure to look in the treasury in the northwest corner (left side after you enter) for amazing artifacts and to learn about this church's place in the history of the Reformation in Sweden. Staff are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable.
Benno Changor (3 years ago)
Wonderful ancient cathedral of the swedish church. The copper lights are beautiful. The museum inside tells the historical journey of the Church and the clergy from the beginning. A must place to visit.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Beckov Castle

The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.