När Church

När Church (Swedish: Närs kyrka) is a medieval church on the Swedish island Gotland. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.

När Church
Närs kyrka
När Church, view of the exterior
När Church
Location on Gotland
57°15′26″N 18°37′31″E
CountrySweden
DenominationChurch of Sweden
Administration
DioceseVisby

History and architecture

The oldest part of the presently visible church at När is the tower, erected at the middle of the 13th century. Originally, it was designed to be able to function as a defensive tower, with arrowslits still visible on the first floor. The present nave and choir of the church were added to the tower around the year 1300. Of an earlier, Romanesque church on the same site no traces remain today.[1]

Externally, the church has two portals decorated with stone sculptures on the southern façade. Internally, the nave is divided in two by two central columns. Among the furnishings, the Romanesque baptismal font is the oldest. It was made by the sculptor known as Hegvald and its sculptured reliefs display religious motifs. The church also has a late medieval triumphal cross. Other furnishings are mostly from the 17th and early 18th centuries. In one of the lychgates leading to the church, a decorated tombstone from 1322 is displayed.[1]

References
  1. Lagerlöf, Erland, ed. (1973). Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 218–219. ISBN 9129410355.

Further reading
  • Lagerlöf, Erland; Stolt, Bengt (1990). Närs kyrka. Sveriges kyrkor, konsthistoriskt inventarium (in Swedish). 212. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell. ISSN 0284-1894.
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