Västra Vingåkers kyrka is a medieval parish church in Vingåker, Södermanland, part of the Diocese of Strängnäs. Regarded as one of Sweden's largest rural churches, it stands 48.9 metres tall and has stood at the heart of its community since around 1300.
The church was built in the early fourteenth century, originally without a tower. A porch and tower were added in the fifteenth century, and two burial chapels followed in the seventeenth century, along with the altarpiece that still dates from that period. A major restoration completed in 1783 added new transepts, a new sacristy and a low broken roof, while the tower's distinctive cupola was added in 1885. The exterior has remained largely unchanged since.
On 9 October 1885 the church suffered a serious fire after the tower was struck by lightning. According to local newspaper accounts, residents formed a bucket chain to a nearby watercourse and managed to confine the blaze to the tower and a small part of the building, though the organ was damaged by water in the process. The ensuing rebuilding was extensive: a new spire was raised in 1887 to a design attributed to Emil Viktor Langlet, with the architect Isak William Kajerdt also said to have been involved, and the interior was repainted. The rebuilt tower, new furnishings and a new organ were formally reconsecrated in November 1887.
The church's bells also had to be replaced after the fire melted all three that hung in the tower; new bells weighing several tonnes between them were cast in Stockholm and installed over the following year.
The church has had a series of organs. An eighteenth-century instrument by Jonas Gren and Petter Stråhle was installed in 1749, followed by an 1822 organ by local builder Johan Samuel Strand, which was ruined by the 1885 fire. A new organ by E A Setterquist & Son of Örebro was installed in 1887, reusing the older 1822 case. The present mechanical organ, built in 1965 by Olof Hammarberg of Gothenburg, still stands within that historic façade, and a small mechanical chancel organ was added in 1973.
The church was closed for a substantial renovation between January 2011 and April 2012, reopening at Easter that year.
Opening hours have not been confirmed for the current date. This does not mean the church is closed.
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Västra Vingåkers och Österåkers pastorat
Västra Vingåkers och Österåkers pastorat
Västra Vingåkers kyrka is a medieval parish church in Vingåker, Södermanland, part of the Diocese of Strängnäs. Regarded as one of Sweden's largest rural churches, it stands 48.9 metres tall and has stood at the heart of its community since around 1300.
Storgatan 70, 64330, VINGÅKER
Explore this church: Västra Vingåkers kyrkaChurch information: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0. Each church page includes its credits and visiting notes.
Location and available visiting information. A fuller English guide is still to be added.
Axbergs Kyrkby, 705 91, Örebro/Axberg
View church details: Axbergs kyrkaLocation and available visiting information. A fuller English guide is still to be added.
Senapsvägen 24, 702 18, Örebro
View church details: SörbykyrkanSkagershults kyrka is a parish church in Skagershults församling, standing on a prominent site in Hasselfors in Laxå kommun, Örebro län. The present building dates from the late nineteenth century and replaced an earlier church…
Kyrkogatan 6, 69530, LAXÅ
View church details: Skagershults kyrkaKlosters kyrka, in the heart of Eskilstuna beside the river Eskilstunaån, was consecrated on 9 May 1929. Popularly known simply as Kloster, it is the largest and second-oldest church of St John's parish (S:t Johannes…
Strandgatan 20, 633 43, Eskilstuna
View church details: Klosters kyrkaSources, credits and English adaptations are identified on each church page. Provider data: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0.
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: 403aedae-b426-45fa-80b8-ff25e96fecde
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.