Hemse Church, Medieval church complex in Hemse, Sweden
Hemse Church is a medieval stone building in Hemse on Gotland featuring Romanesque architecture. The structure includes a nave, choir, and tower, with interior walls covered in medieval painted scenes and Latin inscriptions depicting religious subjects.
The current stone structure was built over remnants of an 11th-century wooden church discovered beneath the floor during renovation work in 1896. This discovery reveals how the building evolved from an earlier wooden construction to the solid stone structure seen today.
The painted walls inside depict religious scenes including centaurs, the Last Judgment, and the Passion of Christ. These images tell stories of saints and offer visitors insight into how people of that era understood their faith.
The building functions as an active parish church with regular services as part of the Diocese of Visby and has a cemetery on its grounds. Plan your visit outside service times if you want to explore the interior without interruption.
The western wall of the choir bears a complete runic alphabet sequence known as futhark inscribed into the stone. This rare marking demonstrates how ancient Nordic writing was preserved and used in the sacred space.
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