Lund Cathedral in Scania

Lund Cathedral in Scania

A Romanesque masterpiece that is one of the oldest stone buildings still in use in Sweden.

Lund Cathedral, one of the oldest stone buildings still in use in Sweden, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Sweden in Lund, Scania. Constructed beginning in 1104, the cathedral was built as the Catholic cathedral of the archiepiscopal see of all the Nordic countries, dedicated to Saint Lawrence. Its architecture shows clear influences from contemporary north Italian architecture, conveyed via the Rhine Valley. The cathedral is home to several unusual statues, including two in the crypt traditionally called "The giant Finn and his wife" about which a local legend has developed.

The cathedral also contains a main altarpiece from 1398, and has six church organs, one of which is the largest in Sweden. Today, Lund Cathedral is still a functioning church, owned by the Lutheran Church of Sweden. It also serves as a concert venue. Lund and the cathedral belonged to Denmark at the time of its construction, and became part of Sweden in 1658. Much of the present exterior of the cathedral, including its distinctive twin towers, reflects Helgo Zettervall's extensive 19th-century restoration, which involved demolishing and rebuilding the entire western part.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

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Written by Nik Frost

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