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Västeråkers kyrka

Address
VÄSTERÅKER 40, 755 91, Uppsala
Municipality
Uppsala Kommun
Denomination
Church of Sweden
Associated diocese
Diocese of Uppsala

Västeråkers kyrka is a medieval parish church near Uppsala, notable for a rare inscription recording its own construction date of 1331. Built of granite and brick, it retains much of its original medieval character, including wall paintings, stone carvings and two nearby rune stones.



The church stands in Uppsala län and belongs to Uppsala stift. Archbishop's visitations recorded in 1302 and 1316 suggest an earlier church once stood on the site, before the present building replaced it. Two rune stones (U 846 and U 847), once used as threshold stones at the porch and church door, now stand outside the churchyard wall, while a wooden bell tower dating from 1766 stands on a hill north of the church.

The building consists of a rectangular nave, a narrower chancel with a straight east end, a porch to the south, and a sacristy on the chancel's north side. Its buttressed corners, whitewashed walls and steep shingled roofs give it a characteristic medieval Uppland appearance. A stone tablet inside records that the church was built in 1331 for Fru Ramborg of Vik, whose walled burial niche survives in the north chancel wall. According to the sources, no other medieval church in Scandinavia is known to record its own construction date, patron and consecration in this way, making the inscription particularly notable.

Inside, the rib vaults of the nave and chancel are original and unusually free of internal supporting pillars. A medieval tracery window, now bricked up, survives in the chancel. The porch may date from the same period as the church or from later in the Middle Ages; its current vault was built in the 15th century, replacing an earlier trefoil-shaped wooden barrel vault.

Medieval wall paintings were added in phases around 1330 and around 1500, then whitewashed over in 1634. They were uncovered again in 1870 and repainted in bright colours; where the original scheme could not be read, the conservator introduced new motifs, including mourning angels added above Fru Ramborg's grave slab.

Among the furnishings are a font base dating from the late 13th or early 14th century, and a pulpit and font both made in Renaissance style in 1659 and 1661 respectively. The current altarpiece dates from the 1870s and combines a late medieval crucifix acquired from Knivsta old church with two altar cabinet doors that once belonged to a 1480s altar shrine in Tensta church. A major restoration in 1914–1916, led by Sigurd Curman, removed the organ gallery and returned the interior to a more original character; the church interior has changed little since.

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
  • Hearing loop

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

Västeråkers församling

Västeråkers kyrka

Västeråkers kyrka is a medieval parish church near Uppsala, notable for a rare inscription recording its own construction date of 1331. Built of granite and brick, it retains much of its original medieval character, including wall paintings, stone carvings and two nearby rune stones.

VÄSTERÅKER 40, 755 91, Uppsala

Explore this church: Västeråkers 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

Oslättfors kyrka

Oslättfors kyrka is a small timber chapel in the village of Oslättfors, around twenty kilometres northwest of Gävle, within Hille parish. Built for the local ironworks community, it stands close to the water's edge beside…

Oslättforsvägen 244, 805 98, Gävle

View church details: Oslättfors 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: 14 Aug 2024. This is not an independent verification date.

Source record: 51446452-895f-4495-a3f7-7a1a6c8ef30f

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.