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Eke kyrka

Municipality
Gotland
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Visby

Eke kyrka is a small medieval church on southern Gotland, part of Havdhems församling. Built largely of sandstone in the 1200s, it stands on the site of an earlier stave church and preserves notable Romanesque and later medieval features.



The chancel and nave were built in the Romanesque style during the first half of the thirteenth century, with the tower added around 1300. A restoration in 1916 uncovered timber flooring beneath the church, which turned out to belong to an earlier stave church; dendrochronological analysis has suggested a date after around 1085, making it evidence of an earlier structure on the site. At the same time, medieval wall paintings were revealed and conserved. The church underwent a further thorough restoration, both inside and out, between 1969 and 1971.

Among the church's most notable furnishings is a remarkably well-preserved font, carved towards the end of the twelfth century by the stonemason Sighraf. Its relief carvings depict a sequence of scenes from the Christmas story, including the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Magi's dream and journey on horseback.

Other interior features include a well-preserved image of the Madonna dating from around 1500, and a pulpit with sounding board installed in 1731 and painted in 1754. The pews retain floral decoration from the first half of the eighteenth century, typical of Gotland's rural churches of that period.

The church has had several organs over the years, including instruments built in 1856 and 1962, the latter a mechanical organ; an intermediate instrument was reportedly moved here in 1916 from a church in Gothenburg, though details of this transfer are not independently confirmed.

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.

Contact & official information

Havdhems församling

Havdhems församling

Eke kyrka

Eke kyrka is a small medieval church on southern Gotland, part of Havdhems församling. Built largely of sandstone in the 1200s, it stands on the site of an earlier stave church and preserves notable Romanesque and later medieval features.

Explore this church: Eke 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

Hamra kyrka

Hamra kyrka is a medieval church at Storsudret on Gotland, in Hoburg's parish. Its distinctive leaning tower and layered building history make it one of the more architecturally curious churches on the island's southern tip.

View church details: Hamra kyrka
Basic listing

Stenkumla kyrka

Stenkumla kyrka is a medieval parish church on Gotland, standing within Stenkumla församling under the Diocese of Visby. Its long building history, surviving medieval carvings and wall paintings make it a rewarding stop for visitors…

Stenkumla församling Vibble gård Drejaregatan 1

View church details: Stenkumla kyrka
Basic listing

Atlingbo kyrka

Atlingbo kyrka is a medieval parish church on Gotland, part of Vall, Hogrän och Atlingbo församling within Visby diocese. According to old Gutalagen tradition it once served as an asylum church, offering forty days' sanctuary…

Eskelhem Prästgården 181

View church details: Atlingbo kyrka
Basic listing

Närs kyrka

Närs kyrka is a medieval church on Gotland, in När-Lau parish within the Diocese of Visby. Set slightly away from the village centre near the Närkån stream and several main roads, it is a fine…

c/o Pastorsexpeditionen Prästgården Burs, 62349, Stånga

View church details: Närs 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: 26 Jan 2024. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: cc93df52-c8db-4b24-96bb-9287f8fc9986

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.