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Founded: 1410-1440Category: Religious sites in Finland
Historical period: Middle Ages (Finland)
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Pernaja medieval stone church was built between years 1410 and 1440 to the place of previous wooden church. The interior was completed during centuries: there are for example a christening pool from the 1300s, a crusifix from 1400s and pulpit from the 17th century. Beautiful chalk paintings in walls are dated back to 1440s.
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.