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Gunnarsjö kyrka

Address
Nygatan 18
Municipality
Varbergs Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Göteborg

Gunnarsjö kyrka is a parish church standing on a hilltop in Gunnarsjö, in Varbergs kommun, visible from a distance across the surrounding countryside. It now belongs to Veddige-Kungsäters församling in the Diocese of Gothenburg.



The exact age of the church is unknown, though its oldest surviving fabric, in the western part of the nave, is believed to date from the early medieval period. The building is constructed of grey stone, comprising a rectangular nave with a three-sided chancel, a sacristy added to the north, a porch to the south and a west tower. Entry is through the base of the tower or through the porch.

The chancel was widened to match the width of the nave during rebuilding in 1797, and the tower, topped with a low cross-crowned cupola, was added in 1821. The walls are whitewashed both outside and in, pierced by round-arched window openings; this plain exterior contrasts with a notably rich eighteenth-century interior. A new sacristy was built onto the north side in 1964.

One of the church's most distinctive features is its decorative ceiling painting. In 1752 Ditlof Ross painted the vault, and matching decoration from the same period survives on the pew doors. When the chancel was extended eastward in 1797 the ceiling was painted over, and a further repainting without figurative scenes followed in 1823 by Peter Hallberg. During a restoration in 1930 Ross's original painting was uncovered again, and the extended chancel section was completed with images in a matching style by conservator Carl Otto Svensson, later conserved by Thorbjörn Engblad.

Among the furnishings, the altarpiece dates from 1823 and depicts Christ on the cross with Mary and John. The oak pulpit, of uncertain age, carries three painted panels showing Mark, Matthew and Christ. The nineteenth-century marbled font has a dark green base and a brown marbled bowl with gilded carving. The two bells were cast in 1812 and 1821, and the present organ was built in 1963 by A. Magnusson Orgelbyggeri AB.

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.

Veddige-Kungsäters församling

Gunnarsjö kyrka

Gunnarsjö kyrka is a parish church standing on a hilltop in Gunnarsjö, in Varbergs kommun, visible from a distance across the surrounding countryside. It now belongs to Veddige-Kungsäters församling in the Diocese of Gothenburg.

Nygatan 18

Explore this church: Gunnarsjö 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

Valbo-Ryr kyrka

Valbo-Ryr kyrka is the youngest of the churches in Munkedal parish, inaugurated in 1903. The church consists of a rectangular nave, an extended chancel, an attached sacristy on the south side of the nave, and…

Valbo-Ryrs Kyrka, 458 92, Färgelanda

View church details: Valbo-Ryr kyrka
Basic listing

Uddevalla kyrka

Uddevalla kyrka is located in the centre of the town, just east of Kungstorget. The church gained its current appearance after the town fire of 1806, which destroyed the previous church.

Stora Nygatan 2, 451 32, Uddevalla

View church details: Uddevalla kyrka
Basic listing

Buråskyrkan

Buråskyrkan is a district church in Johannebergs församling in the Krokslätt district of Gothenburg. A simpler, barrack-type church was originally built in the vicinity in 1949 with support from Göteborgs småkyrkostiftelse. It was replaced in…

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View church details: Buråskyrkan

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: 9 Jun 2022. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 281d8f6b-34e6-43b0-aebf-9b9455ae2417

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.