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Norra Kyrketorps Gamla kyrka

Address
Kyrkan ligger på militärt övningsområde vid Tovatorp.
Municipality
Skövde Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Skara

Norra Kyrketorps Gamla kyrka is one of Sweden's older churches, built early in the medieval period in what is now Västra Götaland. Standing isolated within a military training area near Skövde, it offers a rare glimpse of an unmodernised medieval interior.



The church retains its original nave-and-apse plan from the early Middle Ages, with a semicircular apse in the chancel — a feature shared by only around 21 churches in Sweden. The altar, font and triumphal crucifix are said to date from the time of the building's construction.

Over the centuries the church gained and lost various additions: a porch on the south side existed by the 1670s, and a west porch and gable tower were added in the 19th century. In 1925 the congregation moved to a newly built church in Skultorp, after which the old church ceased to serve as the parish's main place of worship.

A careful restoration in 1932, overseen by the county architect Allan Bergman, removed the 19th-century west porch and gable tower and reopened the original south portal. A freestanding bell frame was built to the south of the church at this time.

Because the building was never modernised, it has an unusually strong sense of age: the two-hundred-year-old fittings remain largely unchanged, and there is no electric lighting. The barock pulpit dates from 1727, and the church's pews are thought to be of a similar age — sitting in them is described as a memorable if not especially comfortable experience. The decoration on the gallery front, showing Christ and the evangelists, was added in 1839.

The church no longer hosts regular church ceremonies and seats around 60 people. Its remote position on military land means access has historically been limited, generally to services held in summer.

Opening hours

Opening hours have not been confirmed for the current date. This does not mean the church is closed.

Additional opening information is awaiting translation. Check the official visitor-information link before travelling.

Check access with the parish before travelling. Services and seasonal changes can affect visits.

Skövde pastorat

Norra Kyrketorps Gamla kyrka

Norra Kyrketorps Gamla kyrka is one of Sweden's older churches, built early in the medieval period in what is now Västra Götaland. Standing isolated within a military training area near Skövde, it offers a rare glimpse of an unmodernised medieval interior.

Kyrkan ligger på militärt övningsområde vid Tovatorp.

Explore this church: Norra Kyrketorps Gamla kyrka

Church information: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0. Each church page includes its credits and visiting notes.

Other churches in the same diocese

Basic listing

Fägre kyrka

Fägre kyrka is a medieval church in Fägre, part of Skara stift in Västra Götaland, and one of two cross-shaped churches in its parish. It remains in regular use for worship and preserves substantial elements…

Fägre kyrka, 54523, TÖREBODA

View church details: Fägre kyrka
Basic listing

Fridhems kyrka

Fridhems kyrka is a 19th-century parish church in Längnum socken, in the south-east of Grästorp kommun, Västra Götaland. Built to serve three neighbouring parishes at once, it stands within the Fridhem church community of the…

c/o Grästorps Pastorat Tengenevägen 1

View church details: Fridhems kyrka

Sources & credits

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: 19 Jun 2025. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 2251c9f7-8135-4be0-9a3a-c62feddb0022

Guide sources

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.

Suggest a correction

Church data retrieved 24 Sep 2026. Visiting details have not been independently verified.

Sources, licences & reuse

Independent guide

Churches in Sweden is an independent guide. It is not an official Svenska kyrkan website and does not imply sponsorship or endorsement.

Church information

Source: Svenska kyrkan — Platser, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. English adaptations by Churches in Sweden are identified on each profile. Our adaptations solely from Platser are offered under CC BY 4.0. Guides combining Wikipedia with other compatible sources are identified individually and offered under CC BY-SA 4.0; this covers that guide text, not the whole website. Separately credited third-party material retains its stated terms. Independently written descriptions are identified on their profiles. Imported material has not been independently verified. Original names and visiting details are retained; presentation is reformatted. Each profile identifies its source record and any additional supplied credits.

You may reuse the licensed church material under CC BY 4.0, including commercially, with the required attribution, licence link and indication of changes. No additional site restriction overrides those rights. The licence does not automatically cover separately credited images or map data.

Provider disclaimer

Svenska kyrkan supplies Platser data without guaranteeing that it is correct, current, complete across its organisation, or always available. The material is provided as-is and as-available, subject to the licence’s disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability.

Svenska kyrkan kan ej garantera att den data som finns i Platser:
– är korrekt.
– är aktuell.
– är komplett för hela Svenska kyrkans organisation.
– alltid är tillgänglig.

Preserved provider agreement · Full licence

Automatic diocese associations use the organisation codes from Svenska kyrkan UnitAPI. An association does not establish ownership or denomination. External editorial sources are credited separately.

Map and photographs

Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL and © OpenMapTiles. Tiles and style are served by World Class Maps. Map rendering uses MapLibre GL JS. The map’s own attribution remains visible.

Photographs are credited individually with their own licence or permission. The API data licence does not automatically cover photographs. No images are imported automatically.