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Gusums kyrka

Address
Skolvägen 16
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Linköping

Gusums kyrka stands beside the Gusum stream in Östergötland, at the heart of a park once part of the Gusum brassworks estate before it passed to Ringarum parish in 1945. The church's origins are closely tied to the industrial community that grew up around the brassworks.



When the Gusum brassworks was established in 1652, the southern part of Ringarum parish became increasingly populous, yet villagers still faced a long journey to the parish church at Ringarum. A small timber chapel was built near the works towards the end of the seventeenth century, but demand grew for a proper church of their own. In 1727 the works' owners offered to fund a new building, and construction began in 1730 or 1731. The church was consecrated in 1731 by Bishop Eric Benzelius.

The result was a simple rectangular building with a steep roof and a timber vault, later flattened, inside. A sacristy was added to the north and a porch to the south, the latter eventually absorbed into the main body of the church. A freestanding bell tower, admired for its pleasing proportions and typical of the region's provincial building style, followed some years later, finally completed in 1752.

The church's furnishings reflect its industrial roots. The brass font, richly ornamented, was made at the Gusum works in the latter part of the seventeenth century, as were most of the light fittings, including a crown dating from 1695. The pulpit, in Renaissance style, is said to have come from the chapel of Stegeborg Castle and is considered an unusual surviving example of the earliest Renaissance pulpit design.

The altarpiece, depicting the women at Christ's tomb, was painted by Olle Hjortzberg and donated in 1940 by works manager Lage Westerberg and his wife.

The church has had several organs over the years. A gallery and the first organ were installed in 1768, though sources differ on its exact origin and specification; later instruments followed in 1834 and 1914. The current organ, a mechanical instrument with fourteen stops across two manuals and pedal, was built in 1966 or 1967 and stands in the old porch, known locally as the 'little 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.

Ringarums församling

Gusums kyrka

Gusums kyrka stands beside the Gusum stream in Östergötland, at the heart of a park once part of the Gusum brassworks estate before it passed to Ringarum parish in 1945. The church's origins are closely tied to the industrial community that grew up around the brassworks.

Skolvägen 16

Explore this church: Gusums 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: 24 Mar 2023. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 1af3c3bc-65ed-4e73-92aa-1962318bc097

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.

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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.

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Svenska kyrkan kan ej garantera att den data som finns i Platser:
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Map and photographs

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