St. Gertrud’s Church

Västervik, Sweden

St. Gertrud’s Church was built in the 1450s after King Eric of Pomerania had ordered to move the town of Västervik from Gamleby to the present location. The city and the Stegeholm castle were destroyed in a battle in 1517 and inhabitants moved back to the old city. After King Gustav Vasa ordered them to move back, the church was restored as a Lutheran church. It was once again destroyed in 1612 during the battle against Danish. The church was renovated and enlarged until 1739. The cuppa of baptismal font is the only original item in the church. The altarpiece was painted by Burchard Precht date from the late 1600s and the pulpit from 1743.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1450s
Category: Religious sites in Sweden
Historical period: Kalmar Union (Sweden)

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Kerstin Gustafsson (4 years ago)
Very beautiful church
Christina Ohlsson (5 years ago)
A church well worth a visit. I was fortunate to have a lady guide. She was very knowledgeable.
Peter Menzel (5 years ago)
I grew up a stone's throw from the church and often played in the church park as a child. In other words, have visited the church many times over the years but I never tire of every detail in the church hall. The fact that it is also very beautiful both inside and outside makes it a unique experience. The oldest parts are from the 1450s and the church benches are from 1748. Thus a church with a fascinating history that is well worth a visit.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château du Lude

The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.