Sweden's First Stone Church?

The powerful ruins of St. Olaf's church from the early Middle Ages hold many secrets, some of which we are still only sensing.

The construction of St. Olaf's church probably began during the first half of the 12th century. The remains of the church have been subjects of several minor scientific excavations during the 21st century, as researchers have been intrigued by the church’s peculiar architecture. During the excavations, it has been found that the church we see the remains of today is built on an older building – possibly the oldest stone church in Sweden.

St. Olaf's floor plan is peculiar, the choir is both larger and longer than the nave. The intention was surely to build a nave as grand as the choir, but for some reason this did not happen, the construction ceased, perhaps due to a lack of funds. It is likely that a nave of wood stood throughout the entire Middle Ages.

In front of the church's southern wall, the base of a small house with a dried-up well is visible today. The small house was built before the church and may have been built over a holy well, an Olaf’s well.

Källa: https://destinationsigtuna.se/