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Kosters kyrka

Address
Södra Kyrkogatan 10, 45230, STRÖMSTAD
Municipality
Strömstads Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Göteborg

Kosters kyrka stands on the island of Sydkoster, off Strömstad on Sweden's west coast. Built in the late 1930s, this white timber church replaced an earlier chapel and remains a distinctive landmark for visitors to this remote archipelago community.



The church was constructed in 1938–1939 to designs by the royal palace architect Knut Nordenskjöld, and was consecrated in October 1939. The building cost was met through two diocesan collections. It stands in a meadow surrounded by rocky outcrops, with a white-painted timber exterior on a granite base, and a slate roof covering both the nave and the tower's spire.

A notable architectural feature is the tall church tower with its spire topped by a cross and crown, a symbol said to represent earthly sorrow and Christian triumph. This particular spire design is found on only four churches in Sweden, marking the four compass points of the country: besides Koster in the far west, similar towers stand at Karesuando in the north, Haparanda in the east, and Smygehuk in the south.

Inside, the church has a recessed, barrel-vaulted ceiling extending over both the nave and the narrower chancel, and fixed pews arranged around a central aisle. Most of the fittings date from the time of the church's construction. Above the altar, a round window holds a stained-glass depiction of the Holy City, designed by Yngve Lundström and N. P. Ringström, while the altarpiece, by Gunnar Torhamn, shows Christ preaching to the crowds from a boat on the Sea of Galilee.

Other furnishings of note include a pulpit with a square body and sounding board, made by Conrad Carlman, and a font with a rounded basin on a shaped square stem. The organ was built by the Lindegren organ workshop. A mortuary chapel, partly built into a slope on the opposite side of the road, dates from the 1950s.

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.

Strömstads pastorat

Kosters kyrka

Kosters kyrka stands on the island of Sydkoster, off Strömstad on Sweden's west coast. Built in the late 1930s, this white timber church replaced an earlier chapel and remains a distinctive landmark for visitors to this remote archipelago community.

Södra Kyrkogatan 10, 45230, STRÖMSTAD

Explore this church: Kosters kyrka

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

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Kastalakyrkan

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The architects behind the chapel are Björn Edström and Christer Malmström. They drew inspiration for this universal ritual centre from, among other places, Skogskyrkogården in southern Stockholm.

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View church details: Livereds kapell

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: 8 Jul 2026. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 3403eef9-f63d-42b0-b229-6cda8777bb2c

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.