Hellvi Church, Hellvi, Sweden

The choir portal of Hellvi Church carries a runic inscription which proclaims that a man called Lafrans Botvidarson built the church. The oldest part of the church is the tower, Romanesque in style. The upper part of the tower collapsed following a storm in 1534, hence its unusual shape. The nave and choir date from the middle of the 13th century and display an early form of Gothic style. The nave consists of two aisles, divided by two central columns. The choir is square in form and the church lacks an apse; the straight eastern wall has a group of three Gothic windows.

The altarpiece bears the initials of the Swedish king Charles XII and the date 1726. The pulpit is older, from 1633. A gallery that today is placed in the north-western corner of the interior was built in 1704 and paid for by 16 skippers from Sønderborg in Denmark; a testimony to intense maritime contacts. It is decorated with pictures of the apostles, Christ and two saints. The baptismal font is from the 17th century but with a copper dish from 1704; the latter also a gift by a Sønderborg skipper.

References:

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Sigmaringen Castle

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.

Nahoj Grebdron (3 years ago)
don't go here, the roads here gave me Vietnam flashbacks. The church was chill

Stefan Soder (4 years ago)
Surprisingly nice visit. The little brochure about the church was very helpful.

Thereses Axensjö (6 years ago)
Cozy little church that is nicely located by a large meadow!

Monica Eklund (6 years ago)
Vacker, medeltida kyrkobyggnad med fin kyrkogård.

Hellvi Church

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Sigmaringen Castle