Veckholm Church ( sv, Veckholms kyrka) is a

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 ...

Uppsala County Uppsala County ( sv, Uppsala län) is a county or ''län'' on the eastern coast of Sweden, whose capital is the city of Uppsala. It borders the counties of Dalarna, Stockholm, Södermanland, Västmanland, Gävleborg, and the Baltic Sea. Prov ...

, Sweden.

History and architecture

The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century. It was later enlarged, and in the 15th century the church was

vaulted In architecture, a vault (French ''voûte'', from Italian ''volta'') is a self-supporting arched form, usually of stone or brick, serving to cover a space with a ceiling or roof. As in building an arch, a temporary support is needed while ring ...

, a

church porch A church porch is a room-like structure at a church's main entrance. A porch protects from the weather to some extent. Some porches have an outer door, others a simple gate, and in some cases the outer opening is not closed in any way. The porch ...

and a

vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government for a parish in England, Wales and some English colonies which originally met in the vestry or sacristy of the parish church, and consequently became known colloquiall ...

was added and the church again enlarged. In the 17th century, a grandly designed burial chapel for the

De la Gardie The De la Gardie family (also de la Gardie) is the name of a distinguished Swedish noble family of French origin. History The family's social status in France is uncertain; the founder, Ponce d'Escouperie, son of a tradesman, came to Sweden as a m ...

family was added to the church, designed by

Nicodemus Tessin the Elder Nicodemus Tessin the Elder () (7 December 1615 in Stralsund – 24 May 1681 in Stockholm) was an important Swedish architect. Biography Nicodemus Tessin was born in Stralsund in Pomerania and came to Sweden as a young man. There he met and wor ...

. The chapel was never entirely finished: it reached its current height in 1675 and work was then suspended. A temporary roof was not replaced with a more permanent one until the 1790s. The church is noteworthy for its rich internal decoration. The altarpiece is made in the atelier of Jan Borman and dates from the early 16th century. 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 from the 15th century, while the baptismal font is from the 12th century. The church also houses an unusual carved wooden bench, dating from the 16th century. The pulpit is from 1640, and the organ from the 1660s with later additions. In addition, the burial chapel houses the sculptured grave of Fredrik Pontus De la Gardie and a large monument over Johan De la Gardie and his wife Catharina Oxenstierna.

Gallery

File:Altartavla Veckholms kyrka.jpg, The altarpiece, made in the atelier of Jan Borman, early 16th century File:Dopfunt Veckholms kyrka.jpg, Baptismal font, 12th century File:Krucifix Veckholms kyrka.jpg,

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 ...

, 15th century File:Predikstol Veckholms kyrka.jpg, Pulpit, 1640 File:Orgel Veckholms kyrka.jpg, Organ, 1660s File:Gravkor Veckholms kyrka.jpg, Grave monument in the grave chapel

References

External links

*
Official site (in Swedish)
{{Authority control Churches in Uppsala County Churches in the Diocese of Uppsala 13th-century churches in Sweden Churches converted from the Roman Catholic Church to the Church of Sweden