- Address: Klarabergsgatan 37, 111 38 Stockholm, Sweden
- Denomination: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden
- Diocese: Diocese of Stockholm
- Year of foundation: 1590
- Height: 116 m
- Working hours: Sun, Fri: 10: 00-17: 00, Sat: 17: 00-19: 30
Sweden has a unique and very original architecture. In the center of Stockholm, tourists will see one of the most majestic and beautiful religious buildings of the country - the church of St. Klara Church. This is the Evangelic-Lutheran temple, which is in effect.
general information
The shrine is located in the area of Normalm and is considered a historical and architectural monument , worthy of attention of tourists. The construction is the highest in Stockholm and reaches 116 m. In the country it is second only to the Cathedral, located in the city of Uppsala .
The construction of the church of St. Clara began in 1572 on the orders of King Juhan the Third in the place of the destroyed monastery. Her design was carried out by the famous architect Hendrik van Huven. True, the famous spiers of the shrine were erected only in 1880. The church is built in two styles: Neo-Gothic and Baroque. It was consecrated in 1590 in honor of Clara of Assisi, who founded the historical Order of Clarissa.
The facade of the shrine
The temple was built of red bricks, also used gilded and black strips to diversify the facade. The spiers are crowned with crosses, which were forged by local craftsmen, and in the center was a golden cockerel. The walls of the structure are decorated with arches with a clock and complemented with family coats of arms Lilly and Wrede.
In the church in 1965, 35 bells were cast, cast from bronze and having a total mass of 8.5 tons. The largest of them weighs 1,700 kg, and the smallest - 20 kg. They delight the ears with a wonderful ringing and attract attention of not only parishioners, but also tourists.
Its modern appearance was received at the last reconstruction in 1884. The roof of the building was covered with 1.5 thousand plates, cast from copper, in 1930.
Description of the interior
The interior of the church of St. Clare can be considered a model for a solemn religious event. It is dominated by white and gold colors. Before the main icon of the temple, which depicts an episode from the Bible (when Jesus Christ is removed from the crucifixion), two stone angels bowed their knees.
The interior of the temple is one-nave and strikes visitors with its wealth. Here is:
- marble floor;
- carved chair;
- stained glass windows;
- original sculptures.
The altar of the shrine came to us in its original form. It was created in the XVI century. The walls and arches were painted with biblical stories by Ole Jortsberg, and the ceiling is decorated with a large number of arches framed with paintings and ornaments on religious themes.
The majestic chandeliers of the church are decorated with a gilded decor, and by the light of the stained-glass windows they form an amazing magnificence. One of the main attractions of the shrine is the organ, which is still beautifully played.
What else is the temple famous for?
Near the church of St. Clara is an ancient cemetery, where the famous residents of the Swedish capital were buried since the 17th century. Here are buried artists, politicians, prose writers who made a great contribution to the development of the country. At the churchyard rest Karl Michael Balman (musician), Anna Maria Lengren (writer), Nils Ferlin (songwriter). Their monuments are architectural masterpieces.
In the church of St. Clara is the center of the charitable activities of the city. Here, homeless people and refugees are constantly given food and clothing. Even in the temple there is psychological help to drug addicts and alcoholics, and priests attribute food for prisoners to capital prisons.
How to get there?
From the center of Stockholm to the church you can walk along the streets of Malmtorgsgatan, Vattugatan and Drottninggatan. The distance is 500 m, the high spiers of the temple are the main reference point for search.