Gustaf Vasa Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gustaf Vasa Church |
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Gustaf Vasa kyrka
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Gustaf Vasa Church, main entrance facing Odenplan.
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| 59°20′33″N 18°02′51″E / 59.34250°N 18.04750°E | |
| Location | Vasastaden, Stockholm |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Lutheran, Church of Sweden |
| Website | gustafvasa.nu |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Agi Lindegren |
| Style | Baroque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1901 |
| Completed | 10 June 1906 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Gustaf Vasa Parish |
| Diocese | Diocese of Stockholm |
The Gustaf Vasa Church (which in Swedish is Gustaf Vasa kyrka) is a beautiful church in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located in the Vasastaden area. The church opened its doors in 1906.
It was named after King Gustav Vasa, who lived in the 1500s. The church was designed by an architect named Agi Lindegren. He used a style called Baroque Revival, which means it looks like the grand buildings from the Baroque period.
The church has a huge dome that rises 60 meters (about 197 feet) high. You can see it from the nearby Odenplan plaza. The building's shape is like a Greek cross, which means all four arms of the cross are the same length. It can seat 1,200 people, making it one of the biggest churches in Stockholm.
Inside the Church
When you step inside, one of the first things you notice is the amazing altarpiece. An altarpiece is a piece of art behind the altar in a church. This one is 15 meters (about 49 feet) tall!
The Grand Altarpiece
The altarpiece was made by Burchard Precht and his team between 1728 and 1731. It is the largest sculpture in Sweden made in the Baroque style. It was first made for Uppsala Cathedral. After being stored for many years at the Skansen museum, it found its home in Gustaf Vasa Church in 1906.
Dome and Frescoes
The inside of the church's dome was painted by an artist named Viktor Andren. His painting shows a scene called the Transfiguration of Jesus. This is a moment from the Bible where Jesus appears in a glorious light.
Viktor Andren also painted other beautiful pictures, called frescoes, inside the church. These paintings show important figures and stories from the Bible. They include the Four Evangelists (who wrote the Gospels), the Baptism, the Last Supper, the Gospel, and the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments).
The Organ and Crypt
The church has a very special organ. It was built exactly how the famous composer Otto Olsson wanted it. He was also the church's organist from 1907 to 1956. This organ is huge, with 76 different sounds (called voices) and many keys and pedals.
Beneath the church, there is a crypt. A crypt is an underground room, often used for burials. The crypt here was originally a burial chapel. In 1924, it was made bigger with what is believed to be Sweden's first columbarium. A columbarium is a place where urns with ashes of people who have been cremated are kept.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Gustavo Vasa para niños
- List of churches in Stockholm
