Hemse stave church

The Hemse stave church contained solid oak stave planks with ornamental details that were later repurposed as flooring in the current stone church.

The original wooden structure dates from the early Christian period of Sweden in the 11th century, preceding the stone church built in the 13th century.

The remains of this medieval structure represent an important example of early Swedish church architecture during the period of Christian conversion in Scandinavia.

Fragments of the original church structure are now stored at the Statens historiska museum in Stockholm, while additional pieces are exhibited at the Gotland Museum.

During the 1896 renovation of the stone church, workers discovered that the wooden floor contained parts from the original stave church construction.

Location: Gotland Municipality

Architectural style: Palisade church

GPS coordinates: 57.23278,18.37306

Latest update: March 2, 2025 22:37