Solna Church

Solna kyrka is a so-called round church in the borough Solna in Stockholm, Sweden. The church is located on the headland between "Brunnsviken" and "Ulvsundasjön", in the southern end of the cementry Norra begravningsplatsen. The oldest parts of the church are from the later 12th century, a romanesque fortress church built in stone.

Today the church consists of a roundhouse, weaponhouse, choir, nave, sacristy, and two grave choirs.cite web|url=http://www.stockholmsstift.se/download/18.61632b5e117dec92f47800052736/Solna.pdf |title=Solna kyrka |publisher=www.stockholmsstift.se|language=Swedish|accessdate=2008-10-09]

Church buildings

The oldest part of the church, the roundhouse, originaties from the late 12th century, and was especially built for defense purposes.cite web|url=http://runeberg.org/nfcf/0200.html |title=Solna |publisher= |work=Nordisk familjebok |date=1915 |language=Swedish|accessdate=2008-10-09] Attached to this round center is a weaponhouse (south), a rectangular choir to the east, and a rectangular nave to the west. North of the choir is the sacristy, and to the east an octagonal grave choir. There is a second grave choir on the south side of the nave. The roundhouse (central tower) is covered by a tall cupola, which dominates the appearance of the church. The choir was appended in the 13th century. The oldest part of the nave is from the 14th century, and was prolonged during the 15th century, and the weaponhouse and sacristy were built.

Decorations

The church achieved large parts of its interior under the patronage of Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie. In 1674 the western portal was added, a sculptured portal originally constructed for Karlbergs slott in 1637, and moved to Solna church in 1674. In 1708 queen Ulrika Eleonora let construct a grave choir dedicated count Tomas Polus. The roof was destroyed in a fire in 1723, and the current cupola was built after this incident. The "Lange" grave choir was constructed in the 1780s. In 1883 the church was given a roof of copper plates.

A major restoration took place in 1928 under supervision of architect Erik Fant, when the church's middle age paintings were recovered. The middle age murals from ca. 1440 are attributed to Albertus Pictor.

The choir is dominated by the altar centre-piece, sculptured in wood in 1666 by Hans Jerling. The centre-piece frames two oil paintings with biblical motifs, and is crowned by a wood-sculptured madonna from late 16th century, while the altar is made of brick and covered by a limestone plate.

Literary reference

Solna Church is mentioned in Carl Michael Bellman's song "Haga" (Fredmans Sånger No. 64).cite web |url=http://uit.no/getfile.php?PageId=977&FileId=202 |title=Haga |author=Carl Michael Bellman |publisher= |work= |date=1791 |language=Swedish|accessdate=2008-10-09]

Other round churches

Other Swedish round churches are "Bromma Church", "Munsö Church", "Voxtorps Church", "Hagby Church", "Valleberga Church", "Skörstorps Church" and "Vårdsbergs Church".

See also

* Ulriksdal Palace
* Hedvig Eleonora Church
* Katarina Church
* Maria Magdalena Church
* Sofia Church
* Spånga Church

References