Bjäresjö Church

About

Bjäresjö Church (Swedish: Bjäresjö kyrka) is a medieval church in Bjäresjö, in the province of Skåne, Sweden. The church contains several medieval mural paintings as well as a richly decorated Romanesque baptismal font.

History and architecture: There was probably a wooden church in the same spot as the current church as early as the 11th century. It was replaced by the present stone church around 1150. The church was built using unusually expensive materials (such as delicately cut sandstone instead of fieldstone) and is unusually richly decorated. The apse in particular displays Romanesque sculptures unusual for a countryside church. It has been assumed that the building of the church was financed by a local lord, indicating that this area of the province was important also politically during the early Middle Ages. A broad, western tower was built during the 12th century but demolished and replaced with the currently visible Neo-Romanesque tower in 1892. Inside the church the vaults were constructed in the 14th century. A church porch was built in front of the southern entrance in the 15th century, but demolished in 1763 and replaced by the current transept. A northern transept...