Klinte Church ( sv, Klinte kyrka) is a medieval church in

Klinte Klinte is a populated area, a socken (not to be confused with parish), on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Klinte District, established on 1January 2016. Geography Klinte is the name of the socken ...

on the Swedish island of

Gotland Gotland (, ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a province, county, municipality, and diocese. The province includes the islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the ...

, not far from

Klintehamn Klintehamn () is a locality in Klinte on the Swedish island of Gotland with 1,350 inhabitants in 2010. Transportation Klintehamn is a shipping port on the west coast of Gotland where timber and agricultural products are shipped to mainland Swede ...

. Finished around the 1300, it is a largely Gothic church. It is part of the

Diocese of Visby The Diocese of Visby ( sv, Visby stift) is a division of the Church of Sweden consisting of the island of Gotland. Its seat is Visby Cathedral located in the largest town on Gotland, Visby. The Bishop of Visby is also responsible for the episcop ...

History and architecture

The oldest part of Klinte Church is the base of the tower, which is from the first half of the 13th century and built in a decidedly Romanesque style. It is the only remaining part of an earlier, Romanesque church. Around the year 1300, the

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...

and

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

of this church was replaced by the presently visible,

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

choir and nave. During this time the upper part of the tower was also added. Externally, the base of the tower has a Romanesque portal and windows. The upper part of the tower displays Gothic windows. The choir portal is furthermore noteworthy due to its capitals, an accomplished example of stone sculpture from the time. Internally, the choir vault is decorated with murals similar to those in Rone Church. In the eastern window of the choir, some original stained glass window panes survive, depicting religious scenes. They have been assumed to have been made by the same artisan who made the stained glass windows of

Alskog Church Alskog Church ( sv, Alskogs kyrka) is a medieval church in Alskog on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church in its entirety dates from the 13th century, with the last additions probably being made c. 1300. A few alterations are of later date. I ...

. Among the church furnishings, the

triumphal cross A rood or rood cross, sometimes known as a triumphal cross, is a cross or crucifix, especially the large crucifix set above the entrance to the chancel of a medieval church. Alternatively, it is a large sculpture or painting of the crucifixion ...

is medieval, dating from the 15th century. The sandstone

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

bears the date 1643, and was carved by the sculptor Gert van Eghen. The

baptismal font A baptismal font is an article of church furniture used for baptism. Aspersion and affusion fonts The fonts of many Christian denominations are for baptisms using a non-immersive method, such as aspersion (sprinkling) or affusion (pouring). ...

is from 1667, and the

pew A pew () is a long bench (furniture), bench seat or enclosed box, used for seating Member (local church), members of a Church (congregation), congregation or choir in a Church (building), church, synagogue or sometimes a courtroom. Overview ...

s also largely date from the 17th century. A renovation of the church was carried out in 1933.

References

External links

* {{Churches on Gotland Romanesque architecture in Sweden Gothic architecture in Sweden Churches in Gotland County Churches in the Diocese of Visby Churches converted from the Roman Catholic Church to the Church of Sweden

History and architecture

References

Further reading

External links