Lye Church

The Church of Lye is a consecrated in the 12th century country church, the church community ( swedish församling ) Guard in the diocese of Visby heard. It is located near the road 144 from Hemse after Ljugarn, 40 km south-east of Visby, 12 km northeast of Hemse on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church houses a grave plate (Swedish gravhäll ) with runic inscription.

Church building

The church consists of a large, straight final chorus, a slightly lower nave and a western tower with side galleries. The nave is the oldest part and dates from the late 12th century. The tower is at 1240 and the choir dates back to 1325. Today's choir replaced an older choir, whose appearance and floor plan but are unknown. Coinciding with the new choir and the sacristy was built with vaulted ceiling and raised the tower. Since the choir is higher than the nave, called this form of silhouette saddle Church.

In the west portal of the tower you will find a box of relics reliefs of the Master Sighraf from the 12th century. It shows on the visible side gables an enthroned Madonna and visible on the long side on four fields: two fighting mythical creatures, two fighting dragons, a warrior and a horse without a rider. Fields 2 to 4 probably represent the battle between Siegfried the dragon slayer and the dragon Fafnir dar.

The baptismal font made ​​of gray limestone dates from the mid-13th century. The altar dates back to 1496 and there is a triumphal crucifix from the 15th century. The pulpit was made ​​in 1705.

Glass and wall paintings

The church has many murals from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. Among them is also paintings from the 15th century, attributed to the Passion Master called. The choir is one of the largest preserved medieval sequence of stained glass in Northern Europe. Images and windows are an example of the numerous medieval glass and murals on Gotland.

Pictures

Altar of 1496

Baptismal font from the 12th century

Passion frieze of 1350

Stone relics box from the workshop Sighraf