Umeå City Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Umeå City Church |
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| Umeå stads kyrka | |
Umeå City Church in September 2010
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| 63°49′25″N 20°16′04″E / 63.82361°N 20.26778°E | |
| Location | Umeå |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Website | svenskakyrkan.se |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 2 December 1894 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Fredrik Olaus Lindström |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Luleå |
Umeå City Church (Swedish: Umeå stads kyrka) is a beautiful church building in central Umeå, Sweden. It stands between Vänortsparken and the north bank of the Ume River. The church first opened its doors on December 2, 1894. This day was also the First Advent Sunday that year.
A Look at the Church's Past
The Umeå City Church has a long and interesting history. It is actually the third church built on this very spot. The first church was destroyed in 1770 by the Russian Army. Later, in 1888, a big fire swept through Umeå. This fire destroyed most of the town, including the second church building.
The church you see today was designed by the city architect Fredrik Olaus Lindström. It was built using strong brick and a stone foundation. Construction took place between 1892 and 1894. Over the years, the church has been updated a few times. These changes have made it look a bit different from its original design.
First Major Renovation
In 1929, the church leaders decided it was time for a big renovation. The roof was leaking, which had damaged the paintings on the ceiling. Other parts of the church also needed repair. Before this, only small fixes had been done.
A special architect named Knut Nordenskjöld was asked to check the church. He suggested many changes in 1930. There were many discussions about his ideas, especially about adding a walkway among the seats. Finally, in December 1935, the church leaders agreed to his plans.
Work on the church began in January 1936. The area where the organ is located was made bigger. The choir section was also expanded. Air vents were moved, and new inner doors were added at the main entrance. Part of the floor was replaced with smooth limestone slabs. The inside walls were repainted a soft white color. The church was ready again in 1937. The bishop of the Diocese of Luleå, Olof Bergqvist, led the special service to reopen it.
Discoveries During Bridge Building
In 1971, a decision was made to build a new bridge, Kyrkbron, across the Ume River. This bridge would extend Östra Kyrkogatan and be the third bridge in the city. When construction started, workers found an old grave field right next to the church.
Because of a law about old artifacts, construction stopped in the summer of 1972. This allowed archaeologists to investigate the area. No one knew exactly how big the old cemetery was, and there were no maps or records of it.
During the dig, archaeologists found forty coffin graves. These graves held about sixty skeletons. In one grave, they found a name plate that could still be read. It showed that it was a family grave for a governor named Pehr Adam Stromberg. No gravestones were found, likely destroyed in the 1888 fire. All records of the family grave were also lost in that fire. After the remains were studied, they were placed in plastic bags and returned to the church.
