- Address: Trångsund 1, 111 29 Stockholm, Sweden
- Phone: +46 8 723 30 00
- Diocese: Diocese of Stockholm
- Denomination: The Church of Sweden
- Working hours: daily 9: 00-16: 00
One of the oldest churches in Stockholm is the Church of St. Nicholas (Sankt Nikolai kyrka or Storkyrkan). This is the Cathedral, which is a majestic structure, erected from red brick. It is made in the Baroque style with Gothic elements and attracts the attention of all the guests of the city.
Historical reference
The Church of St. Nicholas in Stockholm was first mentioned in 1279 in the testament of a Swedish knight named Johan Karlsson. He gave the Stockholms Stora Kyrka a silver stamp. During the reformation (since 1527) the shrine became Lutheran.
Originally, the building was used as a parish church, but over time it gained considerable influence. It was considered the main temple on the island, and later - and the entire historic area.
In 1942, the shrine received the status of the Cathedral of Stockholm. Here there were coronations, weddings, christenings and funerals of Swedish monarchs. The last such procession took place in 1873, when the throne passed to Oscar II.
Currently, the Church of St. Nicholas in Stockholm is located in the city center near the Nobel Museum and the Royal Palace . The eastern facade of the building faces the main square of the capital and at the same time closes the Slotsbakken street on the west side.
Description of the Cathedral
The belfry of the temple was built of bricks, and its walls are plastered and painted white and yellow. The appearance of the church of St. Nicholas was substantially changed in 1740. The restoration was carried out by the architect Juhan Ebergard Karlberg.
The interior of the Cathedral is very rich and decorated with world masterpieces. The most famous of them are:
- A medieval monument made of wood. It was created by Bernt Notke in 1489. The sculpture depicts St. George on horseback, fighting with the sword with the Dragon. The statue is dedicated to the Battle of Brunkeberg, which took place in 1471. The attraction is also a relic for the relics of saints.
- The main altar in the temple is called the Silver altar . it was cast from this metal. In its design there is also ebony. Here you can see a large statue of Jesus Christ, which is surrounded by sculptures of John the Baptist, Moses and other saints.
- A replica of the painting Vädersolstavlan or "The False Sun" (1535), made in 1632 from the original. This is the oldest image of Stockholm, created by the reformer Olaus Petri. The painting depicts a paraglio, symbolizing in the olden times an omen. By the way, in the eastern part of the temple you can see the statue of the artist cast in the nineteenth century.
- Painting "Stockholm miracle" , written by Urban. The work tells about the real astronomical event, which occurred in 1535. Around the Sun there are six rings, diverging in different directions. The priests interpreted this event as a sign that the world should change.
Features of visit
Services are held in the Cathedral of Stockholm, religious ceremonies and organ concerts are held. For visitors, the temple is open from 09:00 until 16:00 every day.
Every Wednesday in the temple there are free Russian-language tours that begin at 10:15. True, I still have to buy an entrance ticket. Its cost is 4,5 dollars - for adults, 3,5 $ - for pensioners, for children under 18 years - for free.
How to get there?
The cathedral can be reached by buses Nos. 76, 55, 43 and 2. The stop is called Slottsbacken. From the center of Stockholm you can easily walk along the streets of Norrbro, Slottsbacken and Strömgatan. The distance is about 1 km.