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Lofta kyrka

Address
Lofta kyrka, 594 93, Gamleby
Municipality
Västerviks Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Linköping

Lofta kyrka, sometimes described as cathedral-like in appearance, is a parish church in Lofta, Västervik Municipality, in Kalmar län. It belongs to Lofta parish within the Diocese of Linköping and stands on a site with a much older church history.



An earlier medieval church once stood on this site, consisting of a nave with a narrower, straight-ended chancel to the east and a tower to the west, with transept arms added at a later date. The present church was built between 1835 and 1837 to designs by the architect Per Axel Nyström, and was consecrated in 1837. Its walls are built of grey stone, with a large nave incorporating an apsidal chancel at the east end, and a tower set into the west end of the nave.

The tower was heightened in 1889 with the addition of a new octagonal lantern placed above the existing one, and in 1896 the lower lantern was fitted with a clock. The overall impression of scale and verticality may explain why the building has been likened to a cathedral, though it remains a parish church in form and function.

Among the church's furnishings are two fonts of notably different ages: a limestone font carved in Gotland in the 15th century, and a brass font from the 17th century. A triumphal crucifix dates from the 15th century, while a set of communion vessels and a paten are said to go back as far as the 14th century, making them among the older surviving objects associated with the church.

The pulpit, painted white and gold, dates from the same period as the current building, though an older pulpit was donated to the church in 1634 and may still be present in some form. The organ was built in 1856 by the Danish firm Marcussen & Søn, altered in 1937, and later renovated in 1992 by the same firm; it remains a mechanical instrument typical of its era.

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.

Facilities & accessibility

  • Parking
  • Toilet
  • Hearing loop
  • Ramp
  • Accessible toilet

Listed by the provider; availability has not been independently checked. An unlisted facility is not necessarily unavailable.

A listed ramp does not confirm step-free access throughout the building.

Norra Tjusts pastorat

Lofta kyrka

Lofta kyrka, sometimes described as cathedral-like in appearance, is a parish church in Lofta, Västervik Municipality, in Kalmar län. It belongs to Lofta parish within the Diocese of Linköping and stands on a site with a much older church history.

Lofta kyrka, 594 93, Gamleby

Explore this church: Lofta 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

Gärdserums kyrka

Gärdserums kyrka, in Bodsgård in the parish of Åtvid, Östergötland, stands on the site of a medieval church. According to local tradition the first chapel here was founded by a noblewoman, Agneta Philipsdotter, and the…

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Motala kyrka

Motala kyrka, the parish's main church in the centre of Motala, stands beside Stora torget on a site with a long history of worship. The present building dates from the late 18th century, though it…

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Rönö kyrka

Rönö kyrka is a small parish church in Rönö socken, Norrköpings kommun, in Östergötland, part of Jonsbergs församling within the Diocese of Linköping. Built in the 1640s, it stands near Rönö kungsgård and holds a…

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View church details: Rönö kyrka
Basic listing

Bredestads kyrka

Bredestads kyrka is a parish church in Aneby kommun, Jönköping county, whose oldest stone parts date to the 1100s. Excavations have revealed timber post remains, suggesting an earlier wooden church once stood on the same…

Bredestads kyrka

View church details: Bredestads 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: 17 Oct 2023. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 768f4320-e13c-4128-aca7-8f95c2778332

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.