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Örsjö kyrka

Address
Orrabäcksvägen 2, 382 90, Örsjö
Municipality
Nybro Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Växjö

Örsjö kyrka is a distinctive six-sided church in Örsjö, Kalmar län, built in the late nineteenth century and rebuilt after a devastating fire. Its unusual hexagonal form and striking modern interior make it one of the more unexpected church buildings in Småland.



The present church was constructed between 1889 and 1892 and consecrated in 1893. It was the last of twelve centralised churches designed by the architect Emil Langlet, who had developed a strong interest in Romanesque domed buildings during his studies in Italy. Langlet believed this centralised form, bringing altar, pulpit and font together as a single focal point, was particularly well suited to Protestant worship, since it allowed the congregation to see and hear the preacher clearly.

Architecturally, the church is built on a hexagonal plan rising in two stages, crowned by a large lantern tower with a spire at its centre, surrounded by smaller pinnacle-like turrets. This silhouette remains the building's most recognisable feature.

On Easter 1974, a fire destroyed the church almost entirely, leaving only the outer walls standing. The exterior was subsequently rebuilt to match its original appearance, but the interior was completely reimagined. The architect Jerk Alton oversaw the reconstruction, while the artist Sven-Bertil Svensson created an extensive and much-discussed scheme of decorative artwork throughout the church. The rebuilt church was reconsecrated in September 1976.

Among the furnishings from this rebuilding is an altar triptych by Svensson, along with a free-standing altar, a low pulpit decorated with sacred figures, and a triumphal crucifix. The font has a bowl of red limestone resting on gilded spherical feet, and the pews are arranged in a semicircle facing the altar, reflecting the centralised liturgical layout that Langlet originally intended.

The church's original organ, built in 1893 by E A Setterquist & Son of Örebro, was lost in the 1974 fire. A new mechanical organ was built in 1977 by A Mårtenssons Orgelfabrik of Lund and stands to the left of the choir.

Opening hours

Provider-listed schedule, applicable on 12 Oct 2026. All times are local to Sweden.

From 15 Jul 2024; no end date supplied
Monday08:00–18:00
Tuesday08:00–18:00
Wednesday08:00–18:00
Thursday08:00–18:00
Friday08:00–18:00
Saturday08:00–18:00
Sunday08:00–18:00

Check access with the parish before travelling. Services and seasonal changes can affect visits.

Facilities & accessibility

  • Toilet
  • Hearing loop

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

Nybro pastorat

Örsjö kyrka

Örsjö kyrka is a distinctive six-sided church in Örsjö, Kalmar län, built in the late nineteenth century and rebuilt after a devastating fire. Its unusual hexagonal form and striking modern interior make it one of the more unexpected church buildings in Småland.

Orrabäcksvägen 2, 382 90, Örsjö

Explore this church: Örsjö 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

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59, 388 50, Påryd

View church details: Karlslunda kyrka
Basic listing

Hinneryds kyrka

Hinneryds kyrka is a parish church in the village of Hinneryd, Kronoberg County, serving Hinneryds församling within the Diocese of Växjö. The present building dates from the 1880s, though it stands on a site with…

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View church details: Hinneryds kyrka
Basic listing

Hagby kyrka

Hagby kyrka, in the village of Hagby in Kalmar county, is regarded as one of Sweden's best-preserved round churches. Built at the close of the 1100s or around 1200, it has served as the parish…

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View church details: Hagby 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: 28 Aug 2026. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: c7b7c130-a631-416d-8674-90abf1192c0d

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.