Växjö Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Växjö Cathedral |
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| Växjö domkyrka | |
The west facade of Växjö Cathedral
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| 56°52′39″N 14°48′43″E / 56.87750°N 14.81194°E | |
| Location | Växjö |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Website | Official site: https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/vaxjo/vaxjo-domkyrka- |
| History | |
| Founded | 11th century (probable wooden predecessor) 1160s (first stone church) |
| Founder(s) | Sigfrid of Sweden (legendary) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed in the buildings database of the Swedish National Heritage Board. |
| Architect(s) | Carl Georg Brunius Carl Möller Kurt von Schmalensee |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Växjö |
Växjö Cathedral (Swedish: Växjö domkyrka) is a famous church in Växjö, Sweden. It's the main church for the Bishop of Växjö, who is a leader in the Church of Sweden. People say it was started by a saint named Sigfrid from England.
The first stone church here was built around the 1160s. Some parts of that old church are still in the building you see today. The cathedral has changed a lot over hundreds of years. Its look today is mostly thanks to a big repair project in the 1950s. This work was led by architect Kurt von Schmalensee.
Växjö Cathedral is a hall church, which means its main area and side parts are all the same height. It has a tall tower at the west end and a square choir (the area where the church singers sit). The church was built in a spot that might have been a marketplace long ago. Most of the art and furniture inside the cathedral today are from the 1900s or 2000s. Many of these pieces are made of glass.
Contents
History of Växjö Cathedral
Early Beginnings
The story of Saint Sigfrid tells how he, a missionary from England, chose Växjö to build a cathedral. It's said he was also buried there. This story might not be fully true, but it's likely a wooden church stood here in the 1000s. This was when Christianity first came to Scandinavia.
Old coins from the 1000s have been found inside the church. Also, a Christian runestone from the same time is next to the choir wall. These finds suggest there was an early wooden church on this spot.
Building the Stone Church
The Diocese of Växjö was created in the late 1160s. Building the first stone church probably started around then. This stone church was likely built around the older wooden one. This way, the wooden church could still be used while the new stone building went up.
Workers found and studied the foundations of this first stone church during a big repair in 1957–58. It had a main area (called a nave) and a narrower choir with a rounded end (an apse). A tower was added a bit later. This early church looked similar to Lund Cathedral. It also held the remains of Saint Sigfrid. During the Middle Ages, the church was dedicated to Saint Sigfrid and John the Baptist.
Changes Over Time
The church tower was damaged by fire in the late 1200s. This might have happened during a fight between King Valdemar and his brother Magnus. King Valdemar later gave money to rebuild it. The choir and apse were also rebuilt into a square shape around this time. A sacristy (a room for church items) was added in the early 1300s. It was robbed in 1318, so we know it existed then.
During the 1300s, more chapels and side parts (called transepts) were added. Växjö town was growing, and the church grew with it. By the end of the century, the cathedral looked a bit uneven because of all these additions.
Big changes happened in the 1400s. The different parts of the church were joined to make one large, open space, like a hall church. The tower was made taller and might have had two spires. A church porch was added, and new chapels were built. Inside, new arched ceilings (called vaults) were put in. These changes likely happened between 1460 and 1500.
After the Reformation
After the Reformation in Sweden, Växjö Cathedral became a Lutheran church. It lost much of its money. Danish soldiers also attacked and burned the church in 1570 during a war. King John III of Sweden gave the people of Växjö a tax break to help them fix the church. Repairs took six years, and the tower wasn't fully fixed until 1585. The church spires were changed, and a clock was put on the west side. By the end of the 1500s, the cathedral looked much like it does today.
In 1612, Danish troops again used the church as their base. They destroyed the pews and burned the church's old records. In 1629, a storm damaged the spires again.
In 1740, lightning struck one of the spires, causing another big fire. The roof and the top of the tower were destroyed. The last old medieval furniture was also lost. Repairs started in 1741 and lasted into the 1770s. The old medieval roof was replaced with a hipped roof. The two spires were replaced with a single tower in a Classical style.
Changes in the 1800s
After several fires in Växjö, people worried about the cathedral's safety. The roof was especially at risk. Bishop Esaias Tegnér and the governor decided to hire architect Carl Georg Brunius. He suggested big changes to the church's outside. He wanted to give it a German-style look with stepped gables. Even though some disagreed, Brunius's plans were mostly carried out. The cathedral was rebuilt between 1849 and 1854.
More big changes happened in 1898–99. Architect Carl Möller redesigned the inside. A new sacristy was built, and new stained glass windows were put in. The walls and ceilings were painted with murals. New Gothic Revival pews and an altarpiece were made. This new design made the church look like it was from the Middle Ages.
Modern Renovation (1958–1960)
Brunius had said his changes would last 100 years, and he was right. By 1940, the church needed repairs again. Architect Kurt von Schmalensee took over the project in 1953. He suggested a very thorough rebuilding. This plan was accepted in 1958.
Between 1958 and 1960, the cathedral was largely rebuilt. The goal was to bring back some of its older, medieval look. New floors were laid, walls were strengthened, and a new entrance was built on the south side. The windows were changed, and the tower was altered with two new spires. The outside was painted red, as old traces of red paint had been found. Most people thought this rebuilding was a success.
Smaller repairs were also done in the late 1900s.
Location and Surroundings
Växjö Cathedral is on the edge of the oldest part of Växjö town. When it was built, the south side of the church was very close to Växjö Lake. This spot might have been a marketplace before Christianity came. The church's low location might have been chosen to be near a popular gathering place.
Today, the lake shore is much further away because of water control projects. The cathedral now stands in a park that was created in 1879. For hundreds of years, other church buildings surrounded the cathedral. Now, only the old home of the cathedral school remains, built in the 1600s.
In the park, where a cemetery once was, there's a bronze statue of Bishop Esaias Tegnér. It was made in 1926 by sculptor Arvid Källström. It's north of the cathedral, between the church and the old school. In front of the cathedral, there's a statue of Saint Sigfrid. It was put there in 1999 and designed by sculptor Peter Linde.
Architecture of the Cathedral
The oldest parts of the building today are the bottom of the tower and the main pillars inside. These parts use building materials from the 1100s. The upper walls of the tower are mostly from the end of the Middle Ages. However, the tower's look has changed a lot over time. North of the tower is an addition from the 1750s, while the south part of the tower is medieval. The walls of the choir are also medieval.
The outside of the cathedral is mostly painted red. The stone around the windows and other stone parts are painted white. The building has a main area (nave) with two side parts (aisles). It has a wide tower at the west and a square choir. The large windows on the south and north walls are from Brunius's rebuilding. The west side of the church has decorative arches from the 1950s renovation.
The tower has two tall spires and nine openings for bells. The main entrance is at the bottom of the tower on the west side. Its current look is from the mid-1800s. The copper doors and the decorated window above the door are from the 1950s. A second entrance, built in the 1950s, is on the south wall. A single copper roof covers the entire main part of the church.
Inside the Cathedral
Växjö Cathedral is a hall church, meaning its main area and side aisles are all the same height. It has three sections across and four sections long. The inside is painted white and is evenly lit by windows. All but one of these windows are from the 1950s renovation. The ceiling is held up by 13 arched vaults, with 7 of them being medieval. Most of the medieval vaults are in the western part of the church. You can still see traces of medieval murals in the southwest corner.
Inside the main entrance, there's a glass windbreak with doors decorated by artist Irene Jarz in 1996. This area also has a memorial stone from the 1700s that tells a short history of the cathedral. Above the doorway to the main church area, there's a stucco relief of Christ by artist Kajsa Mattas.
In the main church area, a stone marker with an "S" and three crosses is on the floor. This is likely where Saint Sigfrid was buried. The main altarpiece of the cathedral was put in place in 2002. It's made of glass and designed by glass artist Bertil Vallien. An older altar painting from 1733 hangs in the north aisle. The baptismal font is also made of glass by artist Göran Wärff.
Another glass artwork is a candle holder near the entrance. It was made in the late 1900s by Erik Höglund. The pulpit (where sermons are given) and an older baptismal font were made by Jan Brazda in the 1950s. The old chapel is separated by glass doors, also decorated by Irene Jarz. It has an altar and cross by Jan Brazda. There are also two stained glass windows by Bo Beskow in this chapel.
The church has many different chandeliers. In the western part of the side aisles, there are Gothic Revival chandeliers. These were probably given by opera singer Christina Nilsson. There are also two wooden sculptures from the 1900s of Saint Peter and Saint Paul by sculptor Eva Spångberg.
The cathedral has a carillon (a set of bells played like an instrument) with 27 bells. It was installed in 1962. The church also has five regular church bells.
Växjö Cathedral has three church organs. The largest one has a front part from the 1770s, but its inner workings were last updated in 2002. Two smaller organs are in the north aisle (from 1984) and the south aisle (from 2001).
Use and Status
Växjö Cathedral is the main church for the Bishop of Växjö in the Church of Sweden. It also serves as a local church for the Växjö parish. The cathedral holds regular church services and is also used for concerts. It is a listed building, meaning it's protected by the Swedish National Heritage Board.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Växjö para niños
