Gammelstad Church (Nederluleå Kyrka) has been welcoming parishioners and pilgrims for over 500 years. It is the centerpiece of the Gammelstad Church Town (Gammelstads Kyrkstad), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest preserved church towns once common in northern Scandinavia. Experience the tranquility of the Gammelstad Church, admire its frescoes and then wander the atmospheric streets of the village.
Inaugurated in 1492, the church is among the largest medieval church buildings in Sweden’s Norrland region. It features a main building constructed of fieldstone and a standalone, whitewashed bell tower. Two well-preserved lychgates (roofed gateways) provide access to the churchyard. Look for arrow slits in the walls, which suggest that the church was also used as a fortification.
Inside, frescoes by pupils of the acclaimed medieval Swedish painter Albertus Pictor adorn the chancel. Decorating the 16th-century altar is a series of wood-carved figures that depict scenes from the Passion of the Christ. Among other notable aspects are medieval benches, a carved pulpit by Nils Jacobsson Fluur and a 4,200-pipe organ.
More than 400 red wooden cottages line the streets that fan out from the church. The cottages served as overnight dwellings for the worshippers that would travel for hundreds of miles to attend Mass and religious festivals. Today, some of the houses are private homes while others have been turned into cafés, craft workshops, gift shops and restaurants. Browse exhibits about the history of the town at the Gammelstad Visitor Centre, which is just a minute’s walk away from the church.
You’ll find the church and town a 15-minute drive northwest of Luleå, a coastal city in Swedish Lapland. A regular bus service travels between Gammelstad and Luleå. Drivers can park for free on the streets in Gammelstad.
The opening hours of Gammelstad Church vary throughout the year so check the official website of Gammelstad Church Town before visiting. Guided tours are available for a fee from the visitor center, which also offers an audioguide in English.
