Hall Church, Gotland

This article is about the church on Gotland. For the type of church with nave and side aisles of approximately equal height, see hall church.

Not to be confused with Halla Church, Gotland.

Hall Church
Halls kyrka
Hall Church, external view Hall Church, external view
Hall Church
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

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

History and architecture

File:Halls-kyrka-Gotland-2010 02-interior.jpg

Interior view towards the choir

Hall Church dates in its entirety from the 13th century. Oldest are the nave and choir, built in the second quarter of the century. The tower is somewhat later. Stylistically it is transitional between Romanesque and Gothic architecture. With one central column and four bays, forming two aisles, the nave of the church is the simplest structure fitting the definition of a hall church.

Internally, the church is decorated with frescos that were uncovered during a renovation in 1956. The frescos on the northern wall of the choir are from the 14th century and depict the tree of life, Mary with Christ, Christ on the cross and Christ in a mandorla. The frescos on the southern wall date from 1603 and depict two men in Renaissance clothes kneeling by Christ on the cross. In the nave, additional frescos from the 14th century exist, depicting the Coronation of the Virgin and the weighing of souls.

The triumphal cross is a copy of the original, today found in the Museum of Gotland in Visby. The original, from the 12th century, is supposedly one of the oldest wooden sculptures with still original paint in Europe. Most other furnishings are from post-Reformation times. So for example are the pews from the 17th and 18th centuries, and the pulpit from 1619. The church has a votive ship from 1871.

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons