Klara Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Klara kyrka |
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Klara Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of Sweden |
| Rite | Lutheran |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish church |
| Location | |
| Location | Stockholm, Sweden |
The Church of Saint Clare, also known as Klara Church (Swedish: Klara kyrka), is an important church building in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is a well-known landmark in the city. Since 1989, a group called the Swedish Evangelical Mission has been in charge of the church's activities.
Klara Church is located on Klara Västra Kyrkogata. This street is in the Klara area of lower Norrmalm. The entire Klara area gets its name from this church. The name "Klara" has also come to mean the old part of the city that used to be in lower Norrmalm.
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History of Klara Church
The story of Klara Church begins a long time ago. In the 1280s, a convent and church dedicated to Saint Clare was built on this very spot. A convent is a place where nuns live and worship.
Building the Current Church
In 1527, Gustav Vasa was the King of Sweden. He ordered the old convent and church to be torn down. Later, in 1577, work began on the church you see today. The construction was finished in 1590.
King Johan III oversaw the building of the new church. Two skilled builders from the Netherlands, Henrik van Huwen and Willem Boy, were the main architects. They helped design and construct this impressive building.
The Graveyard and Tower
The church has a large graveyard that started in the 1600s. Today, modern buildings almost surround this historic burial ground.
The tall church tower was added much later. It was built during restoration work in the 1880s. This tower stands very tall, reaching about 116 metres (381 ft) into the sky.
The Carillon Bells
Inside the church tower, there is a special musical instrument. It is called a carillon. This carillon has 35 bells! The bells were made by the Bergholtz Bellfoundry in 1965. They play beautiful melodies for the city.
See also
