Linde Church

Linde Church
Linde kyrka
Linde Church, the Romanesque tower
Linde Church Location on Gotland
57°16′47″N 18°22′47″E / 57.27966°N 18.37973°E / 57.27966; 18.37973Coordinates: 57°16′47″N 18°22′47″E / 57.27966°N 18.37973°E / 57.27966; 18.37973
Country	Sweden
Denomination	Church of Sweden
Administration
Diocese	Visby

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

Linde Church is a homogeneous Romanesque church. Construction of the presently visible church started in the late 12th century and was finished in the early 13th. A single, large Gothic window was inserted in the eastern wall in the 14th century. In 1951-52, the church was renovated, and again in 1973-75.

The external nave and choir portals are both decorated with Romanesque sculptures. Inside, the church is decorated with frescos. On the northern wall is a set of paintings depicting the Passion of Christ, dating from the 15th century. On the western wall is another set, also from the 15th century, depicting women being harassed by devils. Among the church furnishings, the altarpiece from 1521 is especially noteworthy. It depicts God the Father with Christ, with Saint Giles and Saint Olaf on each side of them. Additionally, the doors of the altarpiece contain sculptures of the apostles, Saint Canute, Saint Eric and Saint Bridget. The church furthermore contains a copy of a triumphal cross today kept in the Swedish History Museum. The original dates from the end of the 12th century. The church furthermore rather unusually contains two baptismal fonts. Both are probably from the 12th century, and one may be a work by the stonemason Hegvald.