Bredsättra church
Bredsättra church and cemetery are located on the eastern side of Öland at the height of Borgholm. Around the church there is a small community with a mixed settlement
The church environment
Bredsättra church and cemetery are located on the eastern side of Öland at the height of Borgholm. Around the church there is a small community with a mixed settlement, including several villas that were built in the 1950s. There used to be a shop here, but this is now closed. Opposite the church is the road to Sikavarp's harbor with the ruins of Sikavarp's chapel and the lighthouse.
The Church
Sikavarp's chapel and cross "Kapelludden"
Finds of rune stone fragments and other objects show that the parish was Christian during the 1000th century. Perhaps there was already a wooden church here, but no traces of one have been found.
The first stone church was built in the middle of the 1100th century. This building consisted of naves and a narrower apse. Of this oldest church, the foundation walls and the west gable of the nave remain today. At the end of the 1100th century and the beginning of the 1200th century, Öland and the coastal areas were threatened by pagan pirates from the Baltics. This led to several of the churches being rebuilt into defense churches. This was also done in Bredsättra.
First a tower was built in the west and soon also a tower in the east so that the church became a gabled church. The work should have been completed in the middle of the 1200th century. The next extension was made sometime in the period from the end of the 1200th century to the 1500th century. A sacristy was then built north of the chancel. During the 1700th century, several repairs were carried out to the church. At the same time, the population in the parish grew and this made it crowded in the old medieval church.
In 1841, the parish assembly decided to rebuild the church. The drawings were made by the conductor (old term for "second architect") at the Office of the Superintendent Th Edberg. The work was led by master builder Peter Isberg. The medieval west tower was kept, but the east tower was demolished and a new nave with full-width choirs and sacristy in the north was built. Both exterior and interior, the church is characterized by neoclassical style features. Interiorly, these are to some extent mixed with older styles because older fixtures were transferred from the old church.
Buildings
Outside the cemetery entrance to the west is a building that houses the janitor's office and toilets for church visitors. The building has whitewashed facades, a black tin roof and brown carpentry.
Other
Adjacent to the guardhouse and the composts are a number of grave guards and plinths that have been removed from the cemetery.
Source: Kalmar County Museum
Bredsättra church and cemetery are located on the eastern side of Öland at the height of Borgholm. Around the church there is a small community with a mixed settlement, including several villas that were built in the 1950s. There used to be a shop here, but this is now closed. Opposite the church is the road to Sikavarp's harbor with the ruins of Sikavarp's chapel and the lighthouse.
The Church
Sikavarp's chapel and cross "Kapelludden"
Finds of rune stone fragments and other objects show that the parish was Christian during the 1000th century. Perhaps there was already a wooden church here, but no traces of one have been found.
The first stone church was built in the middle of the 1100th century. This building consisted of naves and a narrower apse. Of this oldest church, the foundation walls and the west gable of the nave remain today. At the end of the 1100th century and the beginning of the 1200th century, Öland and the coastal areas were threatened by pagan pirates from the Baltics. This led to several of the churches being rebuilt into defense churches. This was also done in Bredsättra.
First a tower was built in the west and soon also a tower in the east so that the church became a gabled church. The work should have been completed in the middle of the 1200th century. The next extension was made sometime in the period from the end of the 1200th century to the 1500th century. A sacristy was then built north of the chancel. During the 1700th century, several repairs were carried out to the church. At the same time, the population in the parish grew and this made it crowded in the old medieval church.
In 1841, the parish assembly decided to rebuild the church. The drawings were made by the conductor (old term for "second architect") at the Office of the Superintendent Th Edberg. The work was led by master builder Peter Isberg. The medieval west tower was kept, but the east tower was demolished and a new nave with full-width choirs and sacristy in the north was built. Both exterior and interior, the church is characterized by neoclassical style features. Interiorly, these are to some extent mixed with older styles because older fixtures were transferred from the old church.
Buildings
Outside the cemetery entrance to the west is a building that houses the janitor's office and toilets for church visitors. The building has whitewashed facades, a black tin roof and brown carpentry.
Other
Adjacent to the guardhouse and the composts are a number of grave guards and plinths that have been removed from the cemetery.
Source: Kalmar County Museum