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Överkalix kyrka

Address
Södrakyrkogatan 9
Municipality
Överkalix Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Luleå

Överkalix kyrka stands at the heart of Överkalix, in the far north of Sweden. This stone church, the fifth to serve the parish on this site, was consecrated in 1943 after its predecessors were repeatedly lost to fire.



The site's church-building history has been marked by disaster. A first church was built in 1636, but burned down the following year. A second chapel, erected as a replacement, was destroyed by fire in 1690, and the church that succeeded it was again lost to flames in 1939. The present building, designed by the architect Einar Lundberg, was consecrated in 1943 as the fifth church on the site.

Built of stone, the church consists of a nave running roughly north-east to south-west, with a porch and a substantial tower at the north-eastern end and a narrower chancel to the south-west. Inside, the space is divided into three aisles beneath a timber barrel vault covering the nave and chancel. The chancel is raised five steps above the rest of the church, and its end wall carries a large mural of the Ascension of Christ, painted by Torsten Nordberg of Stockholm.

Among the furnishings, the pulpit dates from the same period as the church and bears painted decoration by Fridtiof Erichsson, showing a central figure of a sower flanked by depictions of Martin Luther, Olaus Petri, Lars Levi Læstadius and Carl Olof Rosenius — a choice of figures that reflects the strong influence of Laestadian revivalism in this part of northern Sweden.

The font is carved from local stone and bears a biblical inscription associated with Christ blessing the children. The church's bells, weighing around 700 kg and 400 kg, were recast using metal from earlier bells destroyed when the previous church burned. The organ, built by Grönlunds Orgelbyggeri, dates from the same period as the current building.

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.

Överkalix församling

Överkalix kyrka

Överkalix kyrka stands at the heart of Överkalix, in the far north of Sweden. This stone church, the fifth to serve the parish on this site, was consecrated in 1943 after its predecessors were repeatedly lost to fire.

Södrakyrkogatan 9

Explore this church: Överkalix 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: 10 Jun 2022. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 548e75e4-9c9d-4e05-8314-30ea042bdb8c

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.