Endre Church

Endre Church (Swedish: Endre kyrka) is a medieval church in Endre on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby, built from the 12th to early 14th century. It contains medieval murals and several medieval furnishings, and belongs to the Church of Sweden.

Endre Church
Endre kyrka
Endre Church, view of the exterior
Endre Church
Location on Gotland
57°36′37″N 18°27′55″E
CountrySweden
DenominationChurch of Sweden
Administration
DioceseVisby

History and architecture

The presently visible church was preceded by an older, Romanesque church. Of this church, only the tower, built in the 12th century and heightened in the 14th, remains. A few stone sculptures have also been re-used in the later church, e.g. one sculpture depicting a dragon and another a lion. These are now immured in the southern façade of the church. The rest of the church dates from the 13th century (the choir and sacristy) and the early 14th (the nave).[1] The building material of the church is limestone.[2]

Apart from the aforementioned Romanesque sculptures, the exterior of the church is also adorned with sculpted portals, both Romanesque and Gothic in style.[1]

Internally, the church is decorated with medieval murals made by the artist known as the Master of the Passion of Christ in the middle of the 15th century. The paintings were uncovered during a renovation in 1915. The church also have several preserved stained glass window panes, one of only a few cases of medieval stained glass in Sweden still in its original location. The altarpiece is furthermore medieval, from the late 14th century, as is a preserved church tabernacle. The triumphal cross dates from circa 1300, and the baptismal font, possibly made by the artist Hegvald, is a Romanesque piece from the 12th century, richly decorated.[1]

The church lies in a cemetery that is surrounded by a low limestone wall, in which a medieval lychgate still survives.[3]

Endre Church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby.[4]

References
  1. Lagerlöf, Erland (1973). Lagerlöf, Erland (ed.). Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 125–128. ISBN 9129410355.
  2. "Endre kyrka". Region Gotland. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  3. "Endre kyrka". Church of Sweden. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  4. "Endre kyrka" (in Swedish). Diocese of Visby (Church of Sweden). Retrieved 25 January 2020.

Further reading
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