Silte Church, Silte, Sweden

Silte Church dates from from the 13th century. During restorative work carried out in 1971-72, the remains of a stave church was however found under the floor of the presently visible church, pre-dating the present church with around one hundred years. The oldest part of the now visible stone church is the choir, dating from the middle of the century and in an early Gothic style. The nave is only slightly later, and apparently by the same workshop, while the tower seems to have been added at the end of the century.

The church is an almost unaltered medieval church. Unusually, even the window openings are original. These, as well as the portals, are decorated with stone dressings in alternating colours. The southern portal is also decorated with carved ornaments in Norse style. One of the choir windows contains some original stained glass window panes, dating from the time of the church's construction. Inside, the church is decorated with frescos from four different periods. The earliest date from the time of the church's construction, and are purely ornamental. On the western wall of the nave, a number of frescos from circa 1300 depict several saints. Next to these is a fresco depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ; these date from the middle of the 15th century. A final set of frescos, dated 1495, adorn the souther wall of the nave.

The church has two particularly noteworthy furnishings: the altarpiece and the baptismal font. The altarpiece is unique in its style on Gotland. Its outer wings are painted, and depict St. Michael, Mary and, on the back, the annunciation. These painting date from circa 1500. The central panel, by contrast, is decorated with wooden sculptures depicting the final judgement, and date from the 13th century. The baptismal font dates from the late 12th century and is thus older than the stone church. It was made by Master Sigraf, and is richly sculptured. Most other furnishings such as pews date from 1902, when a renovation was carried out. The pulpit is however from the middle of the 18th century.

References:

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Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Liza Magnusson (3 years ago)
The church is beautiful and has the community center as a neighbor. Both are beautifully situated with meadows and fields and farms all around. The road from Hablingbo is beautiful and if you're lucky you might see a fox in a meadow. Mao worth passing by.

Nahoj Grebdron (3 years ago)
tag down, you think you're special

Carina Lobro Gaude (3 years ago)
One of all 92 (?) churches on Gotland. A small parish. Nice with all the lambs in a paddock behind the church.

Max Pettersson (4 years ago)
Lush little cemetery. Beautiful rural church

Karl Högvall (7 years ago)
En liten mysig kyrka på södra Gotland.

Silte Church

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Church of St Donatus