Södra Råda kyrka

Södra Råda kyrka was an early 14th century timbered church in the parish of Södra Råda in southern Värmland in Sweden. The paintings covering the walls and the trefoil-shaped wooden ceiling of the church were considered one of the best and best-preserved examples of Scandinavian wall-painting from the Middle Ages. The oldest, anonymous, paintings dated to 1323. Later paintings in the chancel dated from 1493 and were signed by a painter named Amund.

The church was burnt down on the 11 November, 2001. A mentally-ill man convicted for the murder of a five-year old girl in 2003 also confessed to and was convicted for the burning of the church. A project led by the Swedish National Board of Antiquities has since excavated the site, and a reconstruction of the church, using medieval methods of construction, has been begun.

Links

*http://hildebrand.raa.se/uv/projekt/bergslagen/sodrarada/index.htm
*http://hildebrand.raa.se/uv/projekt/bergslagen/sodrarada/dagbok2003/english.htm
*http://hildebrand.raa.se/uv/projekt/bergslagen/sodrarada/press.htm (includes press images)
*http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=205488 and
*http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=198810 (newspaper coverage in Dagens Nyheter of the trial against the murderer/arsonist)