Varnhem Abbey

The monastery church Varnhem, located in the Swedish province of Västergötland in place Varnhem between cities Skara and Skövde, is the grave church of the medieval royal dynasty Eriks ( Knut Eriksson and Erik Knutsson, Erik Eriksson ), and the ancestor of Folkunger dynasty Birger Jarl and the Chancellor Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie.

The monastery was founded in 1150 by Cistercian monks Varnhem daughter of Alvastra monastery, which in turn was a daughter of the primary Clairvaux Abbey. The monks were expelled a few years later by Queen Kristina of Varnhem. After the written in 1409 " Narratiuncula de funda tio monasterij Vitaescholae in Cimbria " to have been founded in Denmark by Varnhem from monastery Vitskøl. After their return, they were supported by the royal family of Erik.

The church, originally built in Romanesque style, was heavily damaged in a fire in 1234. It was in early Gothic style inspired by the churches of Clairvaux ( France) ( Clairvaux II, dealing with choir) and Marienfeld ( Germany ) was reconstructed. The choir was extended by a semicircular ambulatory with radiating chapels. After the Reformation, the monastery was abandoned and forfeited to the Crown; the monastery and the church fell into disrepair.

In the middle of the 17th century visited the Swedish Chancellor Magnus de la Gardie, the county Läckö was not far from Varnhem, the church. He recognized the value of the church as a former royal grave church and let them renovate because it his own tomb ( and his family ) should accommodate. At that time she was re- designed, and the west facade, with its spiers and roof riders on the cross center were created. In 1673 the work was so far completed that the church could be consecrated again.

Between 1918 and 1923 the church was renovated again. At the same time the foundations of the monastery buildings were excavated. These excavations were resumed in the 1970s and are now available to the public. Other findings can be seen in the monastery museum next to the church.