Skepptuna Church ( sv, Skepptuna kyrka) is a medieval

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

church in the

Archdiocese of Uppsala The Archdiocese of Uppsala ( sv, Uppsala ärkestift) is one of the thirteen dioceses of the Church of Sweden and the only one having the status of an archdiocese. Lutheran archdiocese Uppsala is the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala. Th ...

in Stockholm County, Sweden.

History

There is evidence in the form of a

runestone A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones d ...

(rune inscription U 358) that there have been Christian people in the area since at least the early 11th century. The oldest part of the church however dates from the early 13th century. It was continuously expanded throughout the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and received its present look during the 15th century. In 1776, the tower spire was found to have started to rot and was exchanged for the present one. Since then the church has remained largely unaltered. A renovation of the church was carried out in 1907, when a number of frescos were also rediscovered and restored.

Architecture

The church is built of roughly hewn stone blocks, with additions made by brick. The most noteworthy part of the exterior is the fine Brick Gothic tower, probably inspired by the nearby

Uppsala Cathedral Uppsala Cathedral ( sv, Uppsala domkyrka) is a cathedral located between the University Hall of Uppsala University and the Fyris river in the centre of Uppsala, Sweden. A church of the Church of Sweden, the national church, in the Lutheran t ...

, which was at the time of the construction of Skepptuna Church's relatively new tower (c. 1400 – 1450). Inside, the church is whitewashed save for a few fragments of medieval frescos. The church's altarpiece is a

Northern Renaissance The Northern Renaissance was the Renaissance that occurred in Europe north of the Alps. From the last years of the 15th century, its Renaissance spread around Europe. Called the Northern Renaissance because it occurred north of the Italian Renais ...

piece, made in the

atelier An atelier () is the private workshop or studio of a professional artist in the fine or decorative arts or an architect, where a principal master and a number of assistants, students, and apprentices can work together producing fine art or ...

of Flemish sculptor Jan Borman (c. 1479-1520). A medieval wooden sculpture depicting

Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

, made in the atelier of

Bernt Notke Bernt Notke (; – before May 1509) was a late Gothic artist, working in the Baltic region. He has been described as one of the foremost artists of his time in northern Europe. Life Very little is known about the life of Bernt Notke. The No ...

(c. 1440-1509), formerly also belonged to the church but is today on display at the Swedish History Museum.

Gallery

Skepptuna kyrka int08.jpg, Pulpit Skepptuna kyrka int05.jpg, Baptismal font Skepptuna kyrka int07.jpg, Lime painting on the north corridor wall Skepptuna kyrka int09.jpg, Organ Skepptuna kyrka int10.jpg, Portal

References

External links

*
Official site (in Swedish)
{{Churches in Uppland Buildings and structures in Stockholm County Church frescos in Sweden 13th-century churches in Sweden Churches in the Diocese of Uppsala Churches converted from the Roman Catholic Church to the Church of Sweden