Medieval churches in Sweden

I love to visit churches when I am abroad. My favorites are in Sweden, where there are small churches in the countryside that still have their wall paintings from the Middle Ages. I went to Sweden five times from 1996 to 2007.

To find these churches, one uses a very good map on which many are marked. In Sweden about five or six years ago I bought the most expensive selection of maps I could find: a bound book titled “Sverige Vägatlas.” With about 275 pages, it measures about 8"x12".

When you find a church, look for a brochure that will direct you to other churches in the area (in one church I picked up a brochure that listed all the churches in that diocese, with their dates). Or just follow roadside signs that indicate kyrka (church), sometimes with a date.

One of my favorites is Vika in Dalarna, but I have found them all over Sweden. Some of the larger churches also have excellent toilets. And the graveyards are really very special. Happy church hunting!

LOIS SUNDEEN

Concord, NH