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Suntaks gamla kyrka

Address
Suntak Sofiero 2, 522 92, Tidaholm
Municipality
Tidaholms kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Skara

Suntaks gamla kyrka, standing a short distance from the modern parish church near Tidaholm, is one of Sweden's best-preserved Romanesque churches. Built of sandstone and limestone in the twelfth century, it consists of a plain nave, chancel and rounded apse, with no tower.



The church's construction shows a mix of influences: its broad, short plan suggests contacts to the south, while the notably narrow triumphal arch separating nave from chancel, and the steep roof pitch, are thought to reflect English influence. The finely cut sandstone and limestone walls rest on a chamfered double plinth. A sandstone south portal, decorated in Romanesque style, survives on the nave's south wall; a corresponding north portal was later blocked and replaced by a window. A sacristy was added to the chancel's north side, probably in the seventeenth century.

Inside, the roof was originally open to the rafters, a form later concealed, probably in the 1600s, by a flat wooden ceiling. That ceiling carries two painted scenes attributed to Anders Wetterlind, dated 1769, showing the Fall of Man and the Last Judgement. Medieval wall paintings, uncovered by conservator Olle Hellström in 1947, date from the close of the fifteenth century and depict scenes from the life of Christ; other accounts attribute paintings of similar subject and date to a painter named Amund, so the attribution is not settled. Two galleries survive, the western one dating from the seventeenth century and decorated with painted figures of prophets and evangelists on its front panel.

Opening hours

Opening hours have not been confirmed for the current date. This does not mean the church is closed.

Additional opening information is awaiting translation. Check the official visitor-information link before travelling.

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

Tidaholms pastorat

Suntaks gamla kyrka

Suntaks gamla kyrka, standing a short distance from the modern parish church near Tidaholm, is one of Sweden's best-preserved Romanesque churches. Built of sandstone and limestone in the twelfth century, it consists of a plain nave, chancel and rounded apse, with no tower.

Suntak Sofiero 2, 522 92, Tidaholm

Explore this church: Suntaks gamla 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

Utby kyrka

Utby kyrka is a parish church in the village of Utby, in Mariestad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, within Skara diocese. Built in the 1870s, it replaced an earlier medieval church on the same site and…

Ullervadsvägen 2, Marci hus

View church details: Utby kyrka
Basic listing

Saleby kyrka

Saleby kyrka stands prominently over the surrounding landscape, built in 1894 on the site of an earlier medieval church. Constructed as a cruciform church in Neo-Romanesque style using sandstone, it incorporates stone from its predecessor…

Saleby kyrka, 53193, LIDKÖPING

View church details: Saleby kyrka
Basic listing

Häggums kyrka

Häggums kyrka stands in the village of Häggum, on the southern slope of Billingen near Skövde, in what is now Skultorps församling within the Diocese of Skara. The present church dates from 1864, replacing a…

Häggums kyrka ligger i byn Häggum nära Stenstorp

View church details: Häggums 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: 11 Aug 2026. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 7ed72ce8-93cd-45a6-8f22-92568a1fc845

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.