Architecture Visby Cathedral

view of cathedral east

the first church three-aisled basilica large, single western tower adorned galleries. transept extended beyond main building towards north , south. unusually, lacked choir projecting towards east, , t-shaped, barring, possibly, central apse or lesser apses projecting transept. stylistically, first church similar romanesque churches westphalia , rhine valley. few details seem unique. among these arrangement of tower gallery. in turn came inspire many more churches on gotland, providing rather distinct architectural style.

of first edifice, gables of transept, single portal, tower until uppermost corbel table , pillars remain. noted above, eastern part of church rebuilt during 13th century. transept doubled in size, new choir added east of , in angle between choir , transept, 2 towers constructed. during construction period, new southern portal, still romanesque in style, sculpted. after interval of few years, new reconstruction scheme began. nave enlarged become wide transept, in effect transforming church basilica hall church. again, models can traced western germany. superfluous space between ceiling , roof turned large attic. in easternmost vault of church, constituting ceiling of choir, round hole exists. scholars believe hole used during enactments of story of passion of christ, pull wooden statue of christ in order illustrate concrete ascent heaven.

view of cathedral south

after interval, time hundred years, large, pronouncedly gothic chapel added south façade. smaller, equally gothic chapel, added church. 1 of these chapels, dedicated catherine of alexandria paid sons of mayor, herman swertling, had been executed treason in 1342. papal permission erection of chapel dated 1349. scholars disagree of chapels 1 paid sons of herman swertling. larger of chapels first building in high gothic style built on gotland.

few alterations have been made since end of middle ages. have been due fact cathedral has been damaged fire on different occasions. tower roofs or steeples date 1746 (the west tower) , 1761 (the eastern towers) respectively. 1 of 2 medieval chapels reconstructed externally in 1761, changing gothic gables baroque gables. these removed in 1899–1901, when building restored in gothic revival fashion axel haig (swedish: axel herman hägg). hägg or haig born on gotland (in katthamra manor) lived in england @ time of renovation. consequence, of alterations, notably new sacristy, in typical english gothic revival style.

the cathedral renovated in 1980s.

furnishings

the (present) main altarpiece

among furnishings, few original. baptismal font undecorated font 13th century, executed in reddish limestone. single wooden sculpture of christ, dating late 13th century, survives in cathedral. in addition, cathedral has many preserved tombstones (no less 414), of medieval. among them tombstone of son of albert, duke of mecklenburg-schwerin , @ 1 time king of sweden. altarpiece neo-gothic , dates haig s renovation. original altarpiece preserved in källunge church, sold @ beginning of 16th century. altarpiece replaced altarpiece made in 1682 in burgsvik on gotland, still preserved in cathedral. additional former altarpiece, dating 1808, likewise preserved in cathedral itself. current altarpiece fourth known altarpiece of cathedral, of preserved. pulpit, dating 1684 , possibly made in lübeck, has preserved predecessor, made in 1548 , today in grötlingbo church.

the pews date 1945, , carillon in south-eastern tower 1960. number of memorial plaques , epitaphs adorn walls of cathedral, notably 1 in remembrance of sinking of danish-lübeck fleet outside visby in 1566 , 1 in remembrance of sinking of swedish passenger ship ss hansa in 1944 soviet submarine.