Endre Church, Medieval church in Endre, Sweden
Endre Church is a limestone church in Endre on Gotland, built from the 12th to the early 14th century. Its 12th-century tower, heightened in the 14th century, survives from an earlier Romanesque church; the choir and sacristy date from the 13th century and the nave from around 1300. The south façade holds reused Romanesque sculptures of a dragon and a lion, and the sculpted portals are both Romanesque and Gothic in style.
The tower is the oldest part, built in the 12th century and raised to its present height in the mid-14th century. The choir and sacristy were rebuilt in the 13th century, and the nave was added around 1300. In the late 14th century the round arches on the nave's west side were replaced by two pointed arches, which became four in the 1915–1916 restoration.
The murals covering the nave walls are attributed to the Master of the Passion of Christ, active in the mid-15th century, and depict scenes from the Passion. They were uncovered during the 1915 renovation. The choir's three 13th-century stained-glass windows show the Baptism of Christ, the Entry into Jerusalem, the Ascension and Christ as Judge.
The church stands in a cemetery enclosed by a low limestone wall with a surviving medieval lychgate, so access is through that gate. The site lies in Endre on Gotland, within the Diocese of Visby. Check service times before visiting, as the building is an active parish church.
The building preserves rare medieval stained glass window panes in their original positions, making it a notable example of such preservation. Few churches in Sweden retain historical glass windows in this manner.
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