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Surteby kyrka

Address
Surteby kykrka 1
Municipality
Marks Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Göteborg

Surteby kyrka is a parish church in the village of Surteby, in Marks kommun, Västra Götaland. Part of Västra Marks parish within the Diocese of Gothenburg, the building's origins reach back to the medieval period, though its present appearance is largely the result of later rebuilding.



The church is thought to have been built in the 1200s in Romanesque style, with a narrower chancel than the nave. Its current form dates mainly from a major rebuilding in 1781–1784, when the medieval chancel was demolished and the building extended eastward and widened to the north. Only the south wall survives from the earlier structure. The tower, with its small open lantern, was added in 1824–1826 by builders from the Sandhult tradition, giving the church its neoclassical exterior of white-rendered stone.

The interior has been reworked more than once. A restoration in 1897–1898 under Adrian Crispin Peterson introduced a new sacristy, altar rail, and doors, along with a glass partition between the porch and the nave; older choir pews and an altarpiece were removed at this time. A further renovation in 1926 stripped away the oil paint applied around the turn of the century in favour of limewash, revealed and conserved painted decoration on the pulpit, and saw the installation of electric light and central heating.

A notable feature is the painted ceiling, added in 1794 and decorated by Jacob Magnus Hultgren, who also created an altarpiece now displayed in the tower room. The walls were later decorated by Martin Wallström during the 1898 restoration, who also adapted Hultgren's ceiling paintings to the taste of his time. Conservation work on the ceiling paintings and two number boards took place again in 1959.

Among the furnishings, the pulpit dates from the 1630s and was reworked around 1700, probably by Marcus Jäger the Younger; its original images of the evangelists, once painted over, were uncovered again in 1926. Other notable objects include a censer from the 1200s and a crucifix from the 1400s that has lost its arms and cross.

The church has historically been associated with three medieval stone font bowls, reflecting the site's long history. One remains in the chancel, carved from soapstone in the late 1200s and linked stylistically to the font at Starrkärr. Another, probably originating from the now-ruined Kattunga church, has been returned to the Kattunga chapel built in 1962; it is attributed to the workshop of the stonemason known as Andreas. A third, plainer font bowl in reddish sandstone stands in the porch and is attributed to the so-called Siena school, dated to around 1200.

The present organ retains its 1865 case and a few pipes in the pedal division, but is otherwise a new instrument built by Tostareds Kyrkorgelfabrik in 1972.

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

  • Toilet
  • Hearing loop

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

Västra Marks församling

Surteby kyrka

Surteby kyrka is a parish church in the village of Surteby, in Marks kommun, Västra Götaland. Part of Västra Marks parish within the Diocese of Gothenburg, the building's origins reach back to the medieval period, though its present appearance is largely the result of later rebuilding.

Surteby kykrka 1

Explore this church: Surteby kyrka

Church information: Svenska kyrkan, Platser · CC BY 4.0. Each church page includes its credits and visiting notes.

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Basic listing

Sjötofta kyrka

Sjötofta kyrka is a neoclassical wooden church in the village of Sjötofta, Tranemo municipality, standing beside Stomsjön lake. Built in the 1850s, it replaced an earlier church on the same site and retains several older…

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View church details: Sjötofta kyrka
Basic listing

Breareds kyrka

Breareds kyrka is a small parish church near Simlångsdalen in Halland, thought to date from as early as the 13th century. Dedicated to Saint Laurentius, it stands on the medieval walls that have survived war,…

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View church details: Breareds 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: 9 Jun 2022. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 83cb6e05-6609-4817-9370-85bc4b7e2c3d

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.