Spånga Church

Spånga kyrka is a church in the Spånga-Tensta borough in Stockholm, Sweden. The oldest part of the church origins from the time period 1175 – 1200. Large reconstructions and enhancements took place during the 1300s and 1400s.

Baron Gustaf Bonde (1620–1667), owner of the nearby "Hässelby castle", made considerable donations to the church. After his death a grave choir, drawn by the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder, was attached as a continution of the church, in which he and his descendants are buried. The church also contains other historical monuments, such as several fresco paintings from the Middle Ages.cite web|url=http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/spanga/historien/malhistoriktexter/maluppsatt.htm |title=Spånga kyrka – ur kalkmålingarnas historia|publisher=www.svenskakyrkan.se |language=Swedish|accessdate=2008-10-01] The church was latest renovated 1953–1955.

Paintings

The first church paintings are probably from the 14th century, when the long nave was built. These were mostly abstract decorations, geometrical patterns and ornaments. Paintings from the early 15th century are interpreted as biblical motives from the Old Testament, the prophets Elijah and Elisha, but with landscape, houses, clothing and tools common at the time of painting. The name of the painter(s) from this period are not known. In the late 15th century the triumph arch was set up, as well as a new choir, and paintings from this period are of a different style, with motives from both the Old and New Testament, as well as later Saints.

At a church restoration in 1789 all paintings were overpainted with white. The interior walls remained white until a new restoration around 1900. This restoraion was quite rough, and the walls were repainted. In the 1950s the walls went through a new restoration, which aimed to bring forward some of the original middle age paintings that had been covered 160 years earlier.

Rune stone

A granite rune stone outside the church, dated from the Viking era, bears the inscription "hialmuiþ auk þurbiarn kunbiarn auk halftan þais raistu stin þina eftir bruþur sin ulf auk faþur sen biarn auk bruþur sen blakari" (Hialmviðr and Þorbiorn, Gunnbiorn and Halfdan raised this stone after (in memory of) their brother Ulf and their father Biorn and their brother Blakare).cite web|url=http://www.arild-hauge.com/se-runeinnskrifter-uppland.htm |title=Runeinnskrifter fra Uppland |publsher=Arild Hauge |author=Arild Hauge|language=|accessdate=2008-10-01]

Notable events

In 1901, Spånga kyrka was one of two churches designated control points for the first public orienteering competition ever held in Sweden. [cite web
url=http://www.orientering.se/t2.asp?p=3398
title=Milstolpar i utvecklingen
publisher=Svenska Orienteringsförbundet
language=Swedish
accessdate=2008-09-29]

See also

* Katarina kyrka
* Maria Magdalena Church
* Sofia Church
* Hedvig Eleonora Church
* Bromma Church
* Solna Church

References