Sproge Church

Sproge Church
Sproge kyrka
Sproge Church, external view
Sproge Church
57°15′13″N 18°12′39″E / 57.25361°N 18.21083°E / 57.25361; 18.21083
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

Sproge Church (Swedish: Sproge kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.

History and architecture

The presently visible stone church at Sproge dates from the 13th century. The nave and choir are the oldest parts of the church, built during the first half of the century. The tower was added at the end of the same century. On the south facade of the church there is a plaque claiming the construction date of the church to be 1058, but this date appears to be pure fantasy. The church however had a wooden predecessor, a stave church built on the same site. Some 40 planks from this church are preserved in the Gotland Museum in Visby. The wooden church was probably built during the 11th century.^[1]

The church was thoroughly reconstructed in 1839-40, when new windows were inserted in the wall, the interior medieval vaulting replaced by a modern ceiling and a new southern entrance constructed. Of the medieval inventories, only the 14th-century triumphal cross remains. The altarpiece and baptismal font both date from the 17th century. In the choir floor there also remain three medieval tombstones, and in the ground floor of the tower sits a pre-Christian picture stone with runic inscriptions. The picture stone tells the story of two men named Gairvatr and Audvatr who made a dolmen for their mother, and displays a picture showing the dead woman riding a sleigh towards the realm of the dead. Opposite this, a more modern memorial plaque has been put up, commemorating a British pilot who died when crashing with his plane in the Baltic Sea close to the church during World War II.^[1]

The church was renovated in 1965.^[1]

References

1 2 3 Lagerlöf, Erland, ed. (1973). Gotlands kyrkor (in Swedish). Uddevalla: Rabén & Sjögren. pp. 238–240. ISBN 9129410355.

External links

Media related to Sproge Church at Wikimedia Commons

Churches on Gotland, Sweden

Akebäck Ala Alskog Alva Anga Ardre Atlingbo Barlingbo Björke Boge Bro Bunge Burs Buttle Bäl Dalhem Eke Ekeby Eksta Endre Eskelhem Etelhem Fardhem Fide Fleringe Fole Follingbo Fröjel Fårö Gammelgarn Ganthem Garde Gerum Gothem Grötlingbo Guldrupe Hablingbo Hall Halla Hamra Hangvar Havdhem Hejde Hejdeby Hejnum Hellvi Hemse Hogrän Hörsne Klinte Kräklingbo Källunge Lau Levide Linde Lojsta Lokrume Lummelunda Lye Lärbro Martebo Mästerby Norrlanda När Näs Othem Roma Rone Rute Sanda Silte Sjonhem Slite Sproge Stenkumla Stenkyrka Stånga Sundre Tingstäde Tofta Träkumla Vall Vallstena Vamlingbo Viklau Visby Cathedral Visborg Vänge Väskinde Västergarn Västerhejde Väte Öja Östergarn

Commons

Coordinates: 57°15′13″N 18°12′39″E / 57.25361°N 18.21083°E / 57.25361; 18.21083

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