Eriksbergs nya kyrka

By the late 1800s, Eriksberg's old parish church had fallen into disrepair and had become too small for a growing congregation. Plans for a replacement had circulated for some time, and funding took a curious turn: a wealthy local leather merchant, Johannes Östergren, left his entire fortune for a new church when he died in 1872, but his will was later overturned. His inheritance passed instead to his sisters, who chose to donate 40,000 kronor towards the building project anyway, allowing a building committee to proceed.

The new church, designed by the architect Helgo Zettervall, was built between 1883 and 1885 from quarried granite mixed with gneiss, in a neo-Gothic style. It was intended to be large enough — seating around 700 — to also serve the congregations of the medieval churches at Broddarp and Mjäldrunga, though those parishioners reportedly refused to adopt the new building. The old Eriksberg church was not demolished; it was kept in use for a time as a grain store into the twentieth century.

The church is built as a 20-metre-high nave with a narrower five-sided chancel and a sheet-metal-clad tower that was originally 50 metres tall before being shortened. The slate-covered roof carries decorative wrought-ironwork. Inside, the walls are smoothly plastered and marbled, with an open timber roof structure and a limestone-flagged central aisle leading to the chancel arch. Notably, the interior has remained largely unchanged since the church was consecrated, making it a rare survival of unaltered nineteenth-century decoration, including painted marbling effects and clouded skies in the vault of the apse.

The altarpiece, painted in 1901 by Sven Linderoth, depicts Christ with the four evangelists. The font is considerably older, dating from the twelfth century, and was brought over from the old church. Other furnishings include brass candlesticks and chandeliers above the central aisle, along with a crystal chandelier; a harmonium currently serves as the main instrument.

Because the church proved expensive and difficult to heat in winter, it fell out of regular use during the twentieth century, particularly once the old Eriksberg church was itself restored. Following roof repairs, the new church has reportedly come back into use during the summer months, though current arrangements are not covered here.