Linköping Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Linköping Cathedral |
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Linköpings domkyrka
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Linköping Cathedral from the east
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| 58°24′40″N 15°37′02″E / 58.41111°N 15.61722°E | |
| Location | Linköping |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral & Parish church |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Consecrated | 1100s |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Spire height | 107 metres (351 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Linköping |
Linköping Cathedral (called Linköpings domkyrka in Swedish) is a very old and important church in Linköping, Sweden. It is a Lutheran church and the main church for the Diocese of Linköping. This amazing building is one of the biggest Gothic cathedrals in all of Europe!
The cathedral stands right across from Linköping Castle. People have used this spot for a church since the 11th century, which is over 900 years ago!
Contents
History of the Cathedral
How it Started
The church you see today is about 800 years old. The first church on this site was made of wood in the 11th century. Around 1120, a stone church was built. It was a basilica, about half the size of the current building.
By 1230, the church needed to be much bigger. So, they started building a larger one. They added a new choir and transept to the east. These parts from the 13th century are still part of the church today. The main altarpiece inside is also from this time.
Growing Bigger and Taller
The church grew even more after King Valdemar was crowned in 1251. The main part of the building was constructed then. This is when the church reached its current length of 110 meters (about 360 feet). The tall tower reaches 107 meters (about 351 feet) into the sky!
In the early 1400s (between 1408 and 1420), beautiful Gothic chapels were added. These chapels have large windows and cool star-shaped ceilings. They were named after Saint Andrew, Saint Nicolaus Hermanni, and Saint Thomas Becket. During this time, skilled workers from England and Germany helped decorate the church. This made Linköping Cathedral a very important place for Gothic art in the late 1400s.
Fires and Rebuilding
The church roof was damaged by fire two times, first in 1546 and again in 1567. The tower also had to be rebuilt a couple of times. It was rebuilt between 1747 and 1758, and then again from 1877 to 1886 by an architect named Helgo Zettervall.
In 1967, the roof was restored to look like it did in the 17th century. It is covered with copper sheets. Over time, the copper has turned a special green color. This green roof is now a famous part of the cathedral's look.
Inside the Cathedral
Early Art and Decorations
Around 1320, artists started decorating the inside of the church. They carved beautiful designs into the arches of the main hall. These carvings look a lot like art from England during the High Gothic period. The carved decorations on the ceiling, called roof bosses, were made around the same time. They even feature the "Green Man", a figure from old British stories. Old English coins found at the site suggest that English artists worked here.
More decorations were added in 1330. The entrance on the south side was decorated with carvings showing scenes from the birth of Jesus and his suffering. These carvings were made in a German style.
Art and Windows Today
The cathedral has a very important altarpiece from the 16th century. It was painted by a Dutch artist named Maarten van Heemskerck. This large painting, called Crucifixion, was finished in 1542. It was originally made for a church in the Netherlands. Later, it was sold and found its way to Linköping Cathedral.
In 2006, a British artist named Brian Clarke was asked to create six new stained glass windows. These windows are in the north and south entrances of the church's transept. They were installed in September 2010. These beautiful windows were paid for by a special fund set up to make Linköping Cathedral even more beautiful.
Important Burials
Many important people are buried inside Linköping Cathedral. Some of them include:
- John, Duke of Östergötland
- Bishop Kettil Karlsson Vasa, who was a ruler of Sweden for a short time.
- Princess Maria Elizabeth of Sweden
- Bishop Nicolaus Hermanni
- Count Ture Nilsson Bielke and his wife Margareta Svantesdotter Sture, whose tomb was made by Willem van den Blocke.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Linköping para niños
