Country Sweden Diocese Diocese of Visby | Denomination Church of Sweden | |
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Similar Barlingbo Church, Hejdeby Church, Endre Church, Follingbo Church, Akebäck Church | ||
Ekeby Church (Swedish: Ekeby kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church in Ekeby on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby.
History and architecture
The oldest part of Ekeby Church is the tower, dating from the end of the 12th century and Romanesque in style. The nave and choir are circa one century younger and Gothic in style. At the end of the 13th century, the tower was also heightened to its present height.
Most notable in the exterior of the church are the two southern portals, which are richly decorated with stone carvings. These were originally painted, and fragments of colour survive. Inside, the church is profusely decorated with frescos. The nave has frescos from the 13th, 14th and 18th century, and the choir from the early 19th century in the form of blue trompe l'oeil draperies. Among the other frescos, the large frescos depicting the apostles are the oldest, from the end of the 13th century. Under them are frescos done by the Master of the Passion of Christ depicting, on the northern wall, the Passion of Christ and, on the southern, the childhood of Jesus. During a renovation in 2004, further frescos were discovered. Originally, all the windows had stained glass panes, but today only a few original remain. An unusual niche in the choir, probably designed as a storage for the bread and wine from the Eucharist, retains remarkably well-preserved paintings from the end of the 13th century. Among the furnishings, the accomplished Romanesque triumphal cross deserves mention. It is from the end of the 12th century. The sandstone baptismal font is also an unusual fine piece, from approximately the same time. Scholars believe that it may have been made by either Master Majestatis or Hegvald.