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Läby kyrka

Address
Läby 2, 755 92, Uppsala
Municipality
Uppsala Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Uppsala

Läby kyrka is a small medieval church in the village of Läby, west of Uppsala, in Uppsala stift. Built of grey stone probably around the year 1200, it stands beside road 72 between Uppsala and Sala, within a churchyard that has kept much the same extent since medieval times.



The church began as a simple hall church and was later extended eastward with a straight-ended chancel of the same width as the nave, transforming it into what is known as a sal-church. This eastward extension may have taken place as late as around 1600, during a major rebuilding that also added the present sacristy on the north side and a porch to the south. The tower, with its distinctive timber lantern and copper-clad spire topped by a cross, was built in 1801–1803; at that time the old porch was demolished and its stones reused as building material, while the south entrance was blocked up. The church bells, previously hung in a separate wooden bell frame, were moved into the new tower.

The exterior walls are roughcast with smooth-rendered corners, painted in ochre and white using lime-based paint, and the roofs are covered with tarred wooden shingles. In keeping with medieval tradition, the north wall of the church has no windows.

By the mid-19th century the building had fallen into disrepair, and in 1860 it was taken out of regular use when nearby Vänge church was enlarged to serve the Läby congregation instead. Left empty for decades, Läby kyrka was eventually restored under the architect Birger Jonzon and reconsecrated in 1928 by Archbishop Nathan Söderblom. A description from 1912 recorded the church shortly before this restoration as crumbling and abandoned, home to bats rather than worshippers — a vivid glimpse of its neglected state at the time.

Several notable furnishings survive. The combined altar-pulpit was carved by Magnus Granlund in 1753 and stands on the medieval altar; its central relief depicts the Transfiguration of Christ. Sold to the Nordic Museum in 1909, the pulpit was returned in time for the 1928 reconsecration. Two medieval wooden sculptures associated with the church — a crucifix figure showing Christ crowned as king, and a depiction of St Anne with the Virgin and Child, both dating from the 1300s or earlier — are now held at the Swedish History Museum rather than in the church itself. A communion vessel from the early 1300s, later enlarged in 1749, and a cracked bell cast in 1574 for Hjälsta church, are also among the church's inventory.

The present organ was built in 1956 by Olof Hammarberg of Gothenburg, replacing an earlier small positive organ recorded in 1869; its case, designed the same year, stands on a raised chancel step at the south side of the church.

Opening hours

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

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

Facilities & accessibility

  • Toilet
  • Hearing loop

Listed by the provider; availability has not been independently checked. An unlisted facility is not necessarily unavailable.

Norra Hagunda församling

Läby kyrka

Läby kyrka is a small medieval church in the village of Läby, west of Uppsala, in Uppsala stift. Built of grey stone probably around the year 1200, it stands beside road 72 between Uppsala and Sala, within a churchyard that has kept much the same extent since medieval times.

Läby 2, 755 92, Uppsala

Explore this church: Läby kyrka

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

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

Source record: bed01d83-1882-4ac9-9931-b15a6b823eec

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.

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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.