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Similar Eke Church, Hablingbo Church, Silte Church, Levide Church, Lojsta Church | ||
Havdhem Church (Swedish: Havdhems kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church in Havdhem on the Swedish island of Gotland. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.
History and architecture
While the oldest parts of Havdhem Church have been identified as being from the first half of the 12th century, graves dating from the period of the arrival of Christendom to Gotland (11th century) have been discovered in the cemetery. The choir is the oldest part of the church itself. It shows resemblances with the churches of Garde and Källunge. The choir portal is however later, from the 13th century. The nave dates from circa 1200 but was originally both lower and somewhat shorter. It was possibly enlarged in 1580, following a fire that devastated the church. The apse was added to the choir at approximately the same time as the nave was built. It displays similarities with a now ruined church in Visby, St. Drotten. The church tower dates from the middle of the 13th century and was originally slightly higher. It replaced an earlier, smaller tower.
Internally, the apse retains a few fragments of frescos displaying Byzantine influences. The altarpiece dates from 1667 and the pulpit from 1679, while the baptismal font is from 1685. The triumphal cross is a work from the 15th century.