Fardhem Church
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| Fardhem Church | |
|---|---|
Fardhem kyrka | |
Fardhem Church, view of the exterior | |
| 57°15′50″N 18°20′29″E / 57.2639°N 18.3415°E | |
| Country | Sweden |
| Denomination | Church of Sweden |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Visby |
Fardhem Church (Swedish: Fardhems kyrka) is a medieval church in Fardhem on the Swedish island of Gotland. The present-day church may have been preceded by a stave church; the current church is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, built in stages from the 12th to 13th century. It belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby.
According to the Gutasaga, one of the earliest churches on Gotland was built in Fardhem. If so, this was a stave church of which nothing remains today. Early graves found in the area however indicate that there might well have been a wooden church at the site of the presently visible one early on.[1][2]
The church seen today is also of considerable age. It is a Romanesque building, erected in stages from the end of the 12th century to the second quarter of the 13th century. Only the vestry is later, added in 1871-72 and designed by Axel Haig (known in Sweden by his original name Axel Herman Hägg.[1]