Painter Master Amund 1494
History
Södra Råda Old Church - a unique treasure in Swedish history
Södra Råda Old Church was unique because, unlike many other churches in Sweden, its medieval paintings were never painted over. In addition, the trefoil-shaped roof vault was left untouched. Over the years, however, the porch, windows and doors had been added and removed, which was reflected in the cropping of the paintings in these areas. After the Reformation, the church's interior was adapted to the new religion, but the vaulted ceiling and paintings remained.
A forgotten church is saved
In the Middle Ages, there were many wooden churches in Sweden, but in the 19th century many were demolished or rebuilt to suit new needs and aesthetic ideals. Södra Råda Old Church was in danger of meeting the same fate, but the folklorist Nils Månsson Mandelgren understood its unique value. He traveled around Sweden to document folk culture and medieval church art and discovered the church in Värmland. When he heard that it was about to be demolished, he even tried to buy it to save the paintings. He made the art of the church internationally known through his book Monuments scandinaves du moyen-âge, which was shown at the Paris World Fair in 1855.
Artur Hazelius, the founder of Skansen and the Nordic Museum, also understood the value of the church and wanted to move it to Skansen. Instead, the parish sold the church to the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters History and the Antiquities which renovated the building and preserved it in its original location.
Sweden's first museum church
Södra Råda Old Church became Sweden's first museum church and has since been an important part of our common cultural heritage. Although the new church was inaugurated in 1859 and was a parish church, the old church continued to be used for baptisms and weddings by the inhabitants of the village.
Today, a beautifully reconstructed log church stands on the site, built using traditional medieval methods. The unique trefoil vault in the ceiling gives the church room a unique, atmospheric character.
Want to create memories for life in this historic setting? The church is available for hire for weddings and other events - please contact us for more information.
Welcome to visit Södra Råda timmerkyrka - a unique window to Sweden's Middle Ages!
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See and hear more about Södra Råda Old Church in this movie.