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Vättlösa kyrka

Address
Vättlösa kyrka 1, 533 91, GÖTENE
Municipality
Götene Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Skara

Vättlösa kyrka is a small Romanesque church in Götene, Västra Götaland, built during the late twelfth century (or possibly the early thirteenth) in a plain style said to reflect English influence, common to several parish churches in Västergötland.



The church was built around an earlier timber church, using a simple design with a straight-ended chancel that was easy to construct and can be found elsewhere in the region. In the fifteenth century the nave ceiling was given its present cross-vaults, and a burial chapel was added south of the chancel in 1656, later converted into a sacristy. In 1756 the nave was lengthened westward and the chancel raised, with the windows probably enlarged at the same time.

A freestanding wooden bell tower east of the church dates from 1798. Of the two bells, the larger dates from 1726, while the smaller is an earlier medieval type without inscriptions, similar to but slightly broader than a bell at nearby Saleby church.

Most of the interior furnishings date from the twentieth century. An octagonal wooden font, probably from the late nineteenth century, replaced an earlier twelfth-century sandstone font, which was sold to the Swedish History Museum around that time. The current altarpiece, an oil painting of the Ascension of Christ, is thought to date from around 1700 or the eighteenth century; it was removed and replaced in 1910 by a simpler painting of the Road to Emmaus by Gustaf Brattström of Skara, before being reinstated during restoration work in 1982. Brattström's Emmaus painting now hangs in the gallery. The altarpiece's finely carved acanthus-leaf frame is believed to have been made for an earlier altarpiece.

The original pulpit was discarded in 1910 and replaced with one of more traditional angular form, designed by Charles Lindholm, its four painted panels depicting Christ and the Evangelists by C. W. Pettersson. Older wall paintings found in the vaults were unfortunately plastered over in 1910 without being recorded; the decorative stencil patterns seen today, in a style inspired by Uppland Gothic art, were created by Pettersson. In the chancel vault a painted pelican feeding its young with its own blood survives as a traditional symbol of Christ's sacrifice.

Two funerary hatchments hang in the gallery, commemorating Erik Stake, baron of Vik, and the cornet Hans Stake of Olstorp, both said to have died in 1672. Each hatchment bears sixteen small quartering shields carved from the same piece of wood as the main shield, representing the ancestry of the deceased in the fourth generation; because they were carved in one piece, none of the small shields have been lost or displaced over the centuries.

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.

Facilities & accessibility

  • Parking
  • Toilet
  • Hearing loop
  • Ramp

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

A listed ramp does not confirm step-free access throughout the building.

Götene pastorat

Vättlösa kyrka

Vättlösa kyrka is a small Romanesque church in Götene, Västra Götaland, built during the late twelfth century (or possibly the early thirteenth) in a plain style said to reflect English influence, common to several parish churches in Västergötland.

Vättlösa kyrka 1, 533 91, GÖTENE

Explore this church: Vättlösa 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

Edsvära kyrka

Edsvära kyrka is a parish church standing on a ridge in the farmland around the village of Edsvära, in Vara Municipality, Västra Götaland County. It belongs to Varabygdens församling within the Diocese of Skara, and…

Sveagatan 7

View church details: Edsvära kyrka
Basic listing

Ornunga gamla kyrka

Set on a ridge in the district known as Svältorna, Ornunga gamla kyrka is a small medieval church regarded as one of the best-preserved historic church sites from the old farming society of the province.…

Kungsgatan 43, Vårgårda

View church details: Ornunga gamla kyrka
Basic listing

Sjogerstads kyrka

Sjogerstads kyrka stands in the small church village of Sjogerstad, south of Skultorp in Skövde municipality. This nineteenth-century building replaced two earlier medieval churches and preserves some notable furnishings from that earlier period.

Kyrkan ligger i kyrkbyn Sjogerstad, söder om Skultorp i Skövde kommun.

View church details: Sjogerstads kyrka
Basic listing

Långareds kyrka

Långareds kyrka is a parish church in the village of Långared in northern Alingsås kommun, Västra Götaland, part of Bjärke församling in the Diocese of Skara. Its plain, old-fashioned design conceals a much older heritage…

Långaredsvägen 101

View church details: Långareds 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: 24 Mar 2026. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 22e65a35-4751-47a5-bc15-1ac8591bfde4

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.