Katarina Church Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Katarina kyrka
January 2013 view of Katarina kyrka from outside
Religion
Affiliation	Church of Sweden
Rite	Lutheran
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish church
Year consecrated	1724
Location
Location	Stockholm, Sweden
Architecture
Architectural style	Baroque
Groundbreaking	1656
Completed	1695
Website
Official Website: http://www.svenskakyrkan.se/katarina/language/nb-SE/Default.aspx/

Katarina Church (Katarina kyrka) is a famous church in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is a very important building in the city. The first church was built a long time ago, between 1656 and 1695.

This church has been rebuilt two times because of big fires. The most recent rebuilding happened in the 1990s. The area around the church, called Katarina-Sofia, is named after this church and a nearby one called Sofia Church.

How Katarina Church Got Its Name
Fires and Rebuilding
Famous People Buried Here
Special Features of the Church
- Karl XII's Staircase
Images for kids
See also

How Katarina Church Got Its Name

Building the church started when Charles X Gustav of Sweden was king. The church is named after Princess Catherine. She was the king's mother. Princess Catherine was also the half-sister of Gustavus Adolphus, another famous Swedish king.

The first person who designed the church was an architect named Jean de la Vallée. The building took a long time to finish. This was because there was not enough money to build it quickly.

Fires and Rebuilding

In 1723, a huge fire destroyed the church. Half of the buildings in the area also burned down. But people started rebuilding the church almost right away. Göran Josua Adelcrantz, who was the city's architect, led this work. He designed a new, larger tower for the church. This tower has eight sides, which is called an octagonal shape.

On May 17, 1990, the church caught fire again. Almost everything inside was destroyed, only the outside walls were left. An architect named Ove Hidemark was in charge of rebuilding it this time. The church reopened in 1995. A new organ was built for the church by a company from the Netherlands.

The van den Heuvel pipe organ

Famous People Buried Here

Many famous Swedish people are buried in the cemetery around Katarina Church. One well-known person is Anna Lindh, who was a Foreign Minister. She passed away in 2003.

Other famous people buried here include Cornelis Vreeswijk, a popular Dutch-Swedish singer. Also, Sven Bergqvist, a former football player, and the rapper Einár are buried here. Sten Sture the Elder, a very important leader from Swedish history, is also buried in the cemetery.

Special Features of the Church

Karl XII's Staircase

Karl XII's Staircase is a special double staircase. It leads from the cemetery up to the church's southern entrance. It is famous for its fancy railing. The staircase was built between 1712 and 1715. It was officially opened in 1715, and this date is carved on the staircase landing.

The staircase is named after Charles XII of Sweden, who was king at that time. His royal symbol is also carved above the dedication date. A blacksmith named Benjamin Roth made the railing. His son, Carl Roth, fixed it up in 1776.

On the pillars next to the staircase, there is a long poem carved into the stone. This poem is about King Charles XII and the staircase itself. It talks about faith and going to church.

Karl XII's Stair at Katarina Church in Stockholm, Sweden.
Karl XII's seal / badge from the landing area of Karl XII's Stair at Katarina Church in Stockholm, Sweden.
Markings from Charles XII's Stair at Katarina Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Made by Benjamin Roth.