Fullestads kyrka is a rare medieval stone church in the diocese of Skara, standing north of the Säveån river near Vårgårda. Built of grey stone, probably between the 12th and 14th centuries, it survived fire, near-demolition and decades of disuse before being restored for worship in the early twentieth century.
The church consists of a rectangular nave with a straight-ended chancel, its steep gables and rough, unrendered grey stone walls typical of Swedish Gothic building. A timber porch stands before the south-west entrance, and the walls are around 1.5 metres thick. Fire severely damaged the church in 1692, reportedly set by a soldier during wartime; repairs, funded partly by parishioners' labour and gifts, took several years, with the church back in use by 1700.
In 1752 the painter Ditlof Ross of Borås and his assistants decorated the altarpiece and walls, and painted eighteen scenes of Christ with the apostles and evangelists on the gallery front. These paintings survive and are considered the church's finest older feature.
By the early nineteenth century the church had fallen into disrepair, and when the neighbouring parishes built a new joint church at Lena in 1837, Fullestad's church was to be demolished and its materials sold. It was saved when Captain Bauer bought it, reportedly for use as a grain store; the building stood largely empty for decades, with the space under the gallery used as a parish storehouse. Bauer later returned the church to the parish on condition it be properly cared for.
A thorough restoration between 1909 and 1913, led by the architect Torben Grut in a deliberately old-fashioned style, gave the interior its present unified character, blending Renaissance and Baroque elements. Grut chose to retain the old painted gallery rather than replace it, and the restored church was reconsecrated in 1913 after standing unused for some 67 years. A further renovation took place in 1958–59, and a mechanical organ by Grönlunds Orgelbyggeri was installed in 1962.
Outside the chancel lie the remains of the Crusebjörn family and of Baron Carl Hierta of Lagmansholm with his two wives. Beside the towerless church stands a small wooden bell frame, built around 1699, and next to it a stone gateway forming the entrance to the churchyard. The current bell, cast in Jönköping in 1841 and donated by Captain Bauer, carries a devotional inscription encouraging worshippers to hasten to God's house.
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Vårgårda pastorat
Vårgårda pastorat
Fullestads kyrka is a rare medieval stone church in the diocese of Skara, standing north of the Säveån river near Vårgårda. Built of grey stone, probably between the 12th and 14th centuries, it survived fire, near-demolition and decades of disuse before being restored for worship in the early twentieth century.
Kungsgatan 43, Vårgårda
Explore this church: Fullestads kyrkaChurch information: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0. Each church page includes its credits and visiting notes.
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View church details: Alboga kyrkaLocation and available visiting information. A fuller English guide is still to be added.
Gröna vägen 38, Skövde
View church details: S:t Johannes kyrkaSources, credits and English adaptations are identified on each church page. Provider data: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0.
Provider catalogue data: Svenska kyrkan, Platser, CC BY 4.0. Separately credited descriptions retain their stated source and licence terms. Catalogue and visiting data reformatted from the provider. The English guide combines and abridges separately credited sources below.
Provider record updated: 21 Sep 2023. This is not an independent verification date.
Source record: 8516cef6-d5c9-4fba-8bfc-f446939742fd
This English guide combines, abridges and translates the sources below with AI assistance, with editorial contributions by Churches in Sweden. It has not been independently verified. The adapted guide text is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photographs and map data have their own terms.