Öja Church

Öja Church
Öja kyrka
Öja Church, external view
Öja Church Location on Gotland
57°02′08″N 18°17′59″E / 57.0355°N 18.2998°E / 57.0355; 18.2998Coordinates: 57°02′08″N 18°17′59″E / 57.0355°N 18.2998°E / 57.0355; 18.2998
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

Öja Church (Swedish: Öja kyrka) is a medieval Lutheran church in Öja on the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Diocese of Visby (Sweden).

Öja Church is built in a place of ancient cultural traditions. The name, from the Swedish word ö, meaning island, indicates that the place was inhabited before the area became a part of mainland Gotland (through the process of post-glacial rebound), i.e. during the Iron Age, sometime between circa 500 BCE and 500 CE. As late as 1987, there were still fields in the area cultivated according to a system of land use which probably developed already then, or possibly even during the Bronze Age.

The first church on the site was built during the 12th century. Of this first Romanesque church, only a few sculpted fragments have survived, incorporated into the presently visible, largely Gothic church. During the 13th century, construction of the present building began. The choir with its internal apse was built first, during the first half of the century. The nave was added after, at the end of the century, while the tower was added during the 14th century. The construction of the church indicates that the original plans did not include a separate tower, but rather a tower above the western end of the nave. Scholars have concluded that the tower was built by a stonemason's workshop which is sometimes referred to as Master Egypticus, which was also active at e.g. Grötlingbo and Hablingo churches, located elsewhere on Gotland.

The church has remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages, with the exception of the vestry which was added in the 19th century.