St. John's Church, Stockholm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. John's Church |
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Sankt Johannes kyrka
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St. John's Church
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| 59°20′22″N 18°03′53″E / 59.33944°N 18.06472°E | |
| Location | Norrmalm, Stockholm |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Previous denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Website | svenskakyrkan.se/johannes |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Evangelist |
| Consecrated | 25 May 1890, Feast of Pentecost |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Carl Möller |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1890 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. John's Parish |
| Diocese | Diocese of Stockholm |
St. John's Church (Swedish: Sankt Johannes kyrka) is a beautiful church in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located in the Norrmalm area. The church was designed by Carl Möller in a style called Gothic Revival. It was finished in 1890. In December 2024, the Church of Sweden sold this building to the Catholic Church in Stockholm.
Contents
History of St. John's Church
Early Beginnings and Design
The story of St. John's Church began with a small wooden chapel. This chapel was built on the same spot way back in 1651. Many years later, in 1883, a competition was held to design a new, permanent stone church. The architect Carl Möller won this competition.
The new church was completed in 1890. It was officially opened and blessed on a special day called Pentecost. The Archbishop of Uppsala, Anton Niklas Sundberg, led the ceremony. King Oscar II was also there for this important event. The church was built in a Gothic Revival style, which looks like old medieval churches. It has a tall tower that reaches about 70 meters (230 feet) into the sky.
Renovations and Challenges
In 2021, the church had to close for major repairs. Workers found a very heavy, eight-ton counterweight in the tower. This counterweight had rusted, causing problems. The area around the church, including the cemetery, had to be closed off during the renovation work.
The repairs were very expensive. It was first thought to cost about 43 million Swedish kronor. But the cost grew to 226 million Swedish kronor. There was even talk that the church might have to be torn down if enough money wasn't found. It turned out the church was built using some new techniques for its time. This made it hard to fully check the building's condition. For example, steel was used inside the spire, and the counterweight was like those in early skyscrapers. Luckily, the money for the restoration was found. However, the church still had a large debt of 56 million Swedish kronor for future upkeep.
A New Chapter for the Church
For some time, the Roman Catholic Church had been renting St. John's Church. They used it to serve Polish Catholics living in Sweden. Most members of the Church of Sweden started going to a nearby church, St. Stephen's Church, while St. John's was being fixed.
In 2024, the Church of Sweden decided to sell St. John's Church. This happened because fewer people were attending services there. The church was sold to the Polish Catholic Mission. This sale was important because it meant the building would stay a Christian church. In Sweden, some old churches have been turned into other things, like community centers or even breweries. Even with the sale, the bell tower and the church's cemetery still belong to the Church of Sweden.
See also
- List of churches in Stockholm
