Lärbro Church

Lärbro Church
Lärbro kyrka
Lärbro Church, external view
Lärbro Church Location on Gotland
57°47′14″N 18°47′37″E / 57.7872°N 18.7936°E / 57.7872; 18.7936Coordinates: 57°47′14″N 18°47′37″E / 57.7872°N 18.7936°E / 57.7872; 18.7936
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

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

Lärbro Church is built at a formerly strategically important position, and the oldest part of the church ensemble is a defensive tower close to the church. The tower was erected at the end of the 12th century in five storeys, and is still intact. It is today used for temporary exhibitions.

A Romanesque stone church was built at the site at approximately the same time as the tower, but of this first church only a few details, including a portal, have been preserved and incorporated into the presently visible, mainly Gothic church. Reconstruction works, transforming the Romanesque edifice to the one we see today, started during the end of the 13th century. The nave and choir were erected at almost the same time, the choir being only slightly older than the nave. The unusual, octagonal tower was built in the 1340s. The church was from the start richly decorated with both frescos and stone sculptures.

The tower was originally twice its present size, but damaged in a storm in 1522 and never rebuilt to its former height. The church has been largely unaltered since.

The most unusual feature of the church in Lärbro is the octagonal tower, unique among the country-side churches of Gotland. Inspiration may have come from a now ruined church in Visby, as well as from Visby Cathedral. The tower is richly decorated with gargoyles and reliefs, and has an unusually grand western portal, decorated with sculptures of saints (including St. Olaf) and sculptures depicting the story of the childhood of Christ. Scholars have speculated as to why the church received such an unusual tower. It may have been used as a chapel dedicated to St. Olaf, and inspiration for the unusual form may then have come from Nidaros Cathedral in Norway.