In 1938 the church was severely damaged by fire, which destroyed most
of the interior, including the rood from the 13th century. Originally it
was a Romanesque church from the 12th century; about 1250 the chancel was
rebuilt and augmented to the east and a tower was erected in the west. Of
special interest are the two portals, which belonged to the old church.
Their sculptured capitals present fascinating iconographic riddles, hitherto
defeating all learned interpretations. After the fire medieval murals were
detected and restored: in the tower vault ornaments from the time of construction,
in the nave a suite of scenes from the Passion of Christ, a very common
representation in the Gotlandic churches from the 15th century, ascribed
to a painter, or rather a school of painting, called the "Passion master".
Unhurt by the fire is the simple limestone baptismal font from the middle
of the 13th century.
Photo Hans Hemlin
Text Dr. Bengt G Söderberg
©1997 Created by Sören_Gannholm