Skara Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Skara Cathedral
Skara Cathedral, July 2004
58°23′11″N 13°26′21″E / 58.38639°N 13.43917°E / 58.38639; 13.43917
Location	Skara
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Cathedral
Founded	11th Century
Dedication	St Mary
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	13th Century
Specifications
Number of spires	2
Administration
Diocese	Skara

Skara Cathedral (called Skara domkyrka in Swedish) is a very old and important church in the town of Skara, Sweden. It's not just any church; it's a cathedral, which means it's the main church for the bishop of the Diocese of Skara. Today, it belongs to the Church of Sweden.

History of Skara Cathedral
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History of Skara Cathedral

The story of Skara Cathedral began a very long time ago, around the 10th century. That's over 1000 years ago! The church you see today looks mostly like it did in the 13th century, when it was built in the Gothic style.

Building the Cathedral

The earliest parts of the cathedral, like the choir (where the singers stand), were built in the early 1200s. The main part of the church, called the nave, and the transept (the arms of the cross shape) were added about 100 years later.

Over the centuries, the cathedral was damaged several times. It was rebuilt and fixed up many times, so its current look is a mix of old and new. For example, in the 1760s, the south side of the church was given a fancy baroque style.

Modern Look and Towers

The cathedral's current Gothic Revival design, which makes it look very old and grand, comes from a big restoration project. This work happened between 1886 and 1894. An architect named Helgo Zettervall helped make the church look the way it does now. Before this, the two towers on the church were flat on top. Zettervall added the tall, pointed Gothic spires that you see today.

Stained Glass Windows

Inside the cathedral, you can see 37 beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were made by an artist named Bo Beskow and a glazier named Gustav Ringström. They worked on them for many years, from 1945 to 1976. Most of the pictures in the windows tell stories from the Bible. However, two important Swedish saints, Bridget of Sweden and Helena of Skövde, are also shown. None of the original windows from the medieval church have survived.

Bells and Size

The cathedral has four large bells. They are located in the two towers on the west side of the building. The biggest bell is in the northern tower. It was first made in 1725 and then made even larger in 1785. The three smaller bells hang in the southern tower.

The church is quite large! It is about 65 meters (213 feet) long. The two towers reach a height of about 63 meters (207 feet). That's as tall as a 20-story building!

The Ancient Crypt

One of the most exciting discoveries at Skara Cathedral happened in 1949. Workers found a medieval crypt hidden beneath the church! A crypt is an underground room, often used for burials. This crypt had been buried under stones since the 13th century.

Inside the crypt, they found a grave with a skeleton. This crypt is part of the very oldest section of the cathedral, dating back to the 10th century. You can still see some parts of the original 10th-century church structure in the crypt today. It's like a secret underground history lesson!