Maria Magdalena Kyrka (Maria Magdalena Church), Stockholm

Maria Magdalena Kyrka (Maria Magdalena Church), Stockholm

The Maria Magdalena Church (Maria Magdalena Kyrka) on Södermalm, Stockholm is steeped in history. It dates back to the 1350s when King Magnus Eriksson, with the permission of Pope Clement VI, built a funeral chapel on the site, dedicated to Mary Magdalene. A copperplate depicts that building as small, with a single nave adorned with a large tower and a pointy spire. What happened to it afterwards is poorly documented.

When Gustav Vasa liberated Stockholm in the early 1520s, his troops, led by Peder Fredag and encamped in the chapel, suffered severe losses at the hands of Christian II of Denmark attacking from the city. This prompted King Vasa to have all the churches, monasteries, and chapels on the ridges surrounding Stockholm, including that of Mary Magdalene, destroyed after the introduction of Protestantism in 1527. However, his son, King John III, started construction of a new church on this site in 1588. His death in 1592 halted the construction, and the church remained unfinished until 1634.

Inaugurated in 1676, the new church boasted Baroque appearance, courtesy of architects Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and the Younger. One of its top highlights is the painting of the high altar, the Adoration of the Shepherds at the Nativity, created by Louis Masreliez circa 1800. Another attraction is the Baroque pulpit, designed by Carl Johan Cronstedt and inaugurated in 1763, encrusted with an elegant medallion with the image of Mary Magdalene. The church also houses three organs: the oldest one, dating from 1774, designed by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz; another 50-stop organ added in 1927; and a third, smaller organ added to the choir in 1986.

The fabulous baptismal font, made of rich copper with capital inscriptions, is one of the church's oldest effects. It dates back to 1638 and has successfully survived several fires and modifications. The church's spire, reportedly the most beautiful spire in Stockholm, wasn't so fortunate and perished in fire in 1759 together with some 300 buildings nearby. Superintendent Carl Johan Cronstedt was commissioned to rebuild the church and successfully did so in 1763, taking the utmost care to preserve its original design. The latter has been largely intact ever since; an interior restoration was made in 1927 and the exterior yellow color was ameliorated in 1986.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

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Maria Magdalena Kyrka (Maria Magdalena Church) on Map

Sight Name: Maria Magdalena Kyrka (Maria Magdalena Church)
Sight Location: Stockholm, Sweden (See walking tours in Stockholm)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Stockholm, Sweden

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