Skara Cathedral

Its history is traced from the 10th century{{efn|According to Alban Butler, "ST. SIGFRID, apostle of Sweden, consecrated St. Unno, an Englishman, first bishop of Scara, in the province of West-Gothland, in Sweden. Brynoth, son of Algoth Fulcong, was from him the twenty-second bishop of this church, which he governed thirty-eight years with admirable zeal and sanctity, and dying on the 6th of February in 1317, was honoured in Sweden amongst the saints"{{citation |last=Butler|first=Alban|title=The lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints |pages=150–151 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cXgTAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA150|accessdate=11 July 2021|volume=V: May|year=1821}} {{PD-notice}}}}, but its current appearance in the Gothic style originated in the 13th century. The choir dates back to the early 13th century, whilst the transept and nave took shape a century later. The cathedral was damaged and restored on several occasions, making its current appearance rather modern. In the 1760s, it was given a baroque southern facade. The current Gothic Revival design dates to restorations in 1886–1894 under architect Helgo Zettervall (1831–1907). The previously flat twin towers were given pointed Gothic spires.{{cite web|url= https://runeberg.org/nfcm/0407.html|title= Helgo Nikolaus Zettervall, svenska arkitekter|publisher= Nordisk familjebok |access-date=1 January 2020}}

The 37 mosaic stained glass windows were created by the artist Bo Beskow (1906-1989) in cooperation with glazier Gustav Ringström between 1945 and 1976. The motifs are mostly biblical, but the two Swedish saints Bridget of Sweden and Helena of Skövde are also depicted. No windows from the medieval church have been preserved.{{cite web|url= http://www.saundersfineart.co.uk/artist/133/bo-beskow?r=item/2022/composition-for-a-concave-wall|title = Bo Beskow 1906-1989|website= saundersfineart.co.|access-date=1 January 2020}}

There are four bells in the two towers on the west side. The northern tower contains the large bell, cast in 1725 and enlarged in 1785, while three smaller bells hang in the southern tower. The church is {{convert|65|m|ft}} long and the towers reach a height of {{convert|63|m|ft}}."Skara Domkyrka", as below

The church has a medieval crypt that was found in 1949 after having been buried under stones since the 13th century. A grave, containing a skeleton, was found in the crypt, which is within the oldest (10th century) part of the cathedral. Some remains of the original 10th century structure can still be seen in the crypt.{{cite web|url= https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/1025/skara-cathedral/|title = Skara Cathedral|website= spottinghistory.com |access-date=1 January 2020}}

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File:Altare 02.JPG|Altar

File:Skara domkyrka, den 20 aug 2006, bild 6.JPG|Nave

File:Skara domkyrka, den 20 aug 2006, bild 20.JPG|Entrance at the north transept

File:Skara domkyrka 4 profeter.jpg|Statues of four prophets

File:Skara_domkyrka,_den_20_aug_2006,_bild_21.JPG|Chancel window

File:Predikstol 03.JPG|Pulpit

File:Skara domkyrka, den 20 aug 2006, bild 14.JPG|Stone reliefs (12th century)

File:Waldemar of Sweden (1240s) bust 2009 Skara (2).jpg|Portrait bust of King Valdemar

{{notes}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons|Skara domkyrka|Skara Cathedral}}

• Wideen, Harald (1993) Skara Domkyrka, kort historik och vägledning (Stockholm: Kungl. Vetenskaps- och vitterhets-samhället) {{ISBN|91-85252-49-2}}
• Beskow, Bo (1985) Ny himmel, ny jord : en bok om Bo Beskows fönster i Skara domkyrka (Stockholm: Legenda) {{ISBN|91-582-0684-1}}

• [https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/skara/skara-cathedral Skara Domkyrka official website]

{{Church of Sweden}}

Category:Lutheran cathedrals in Sweden

Category:Gothic architecture in Sweden

Category:Roman Catholic cathedrals in pre-Reformation Sweden

Category:Churches in Västra Götaland County

Category:Churches in the Diocese of Skara

Category:Skara

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