Lund Cathedral
Encyclopedia
The Lund Cathedral is the Lutheran
cathedral
in Lund
, Scania
, Sweden
. It is the seat of the bishop of Lund of the Church of Sweden
.
Lund was an important town long before there was a cathedral. Lund was the site of the Skåne Assembly (Danish: landsting) at St Liber's Hill into the Middle Ages. It was also the site of a pre-Christian religious center.
A cathedral was built in Lund before 1085, but it is difficult to know if the present building was built in the same place. In the gift letter of Canute the Holy
, dated to May 21, 1085, there is a mention of a cathedral built during the 1080s. Canute gave several properties that enabled the building of the cathedral. However, sources indicate that Canute's cathedral is not the present Lund Cathedral. The Cathedral School was established in 1085, making it Denmark's oldest school.
King Eric I of Denmark
went to Rome on a pilgrimage and secured two important concessions from Pope Pascal II: sainthood for his murdered brother, Saint Canute IV and the creation of an archdiocese that included all of Scandinavia. Lund was named as the headquarters. Bishop Asser Thorkilsson
became the first archbishop for all of Scandinavia in 1104 and the cathedral was begun sometime after he took office. The building was constructed in the typical basilica style with half-rounded arches supporting a flat timber ceiling. The cathedral was constructed out of granite blocks. The high altar of the crypt was consecrated in 1123. The cathedral and the high altar were consecrated to St Lawrence on September 1, 1145 by Archbishop Eskil, Asser's successor. Of the present church only the apse has remained unchanged.
Lund became the religious heart of Denmark and over the years many monasteries, nunneries, priories sprang up around the cathedral.
Lund played a vital role in Denmark's history from the time it was made a bishopric. It was the place of many important meeting between kings and nobility. Valdemar II was crowned there in 1202.
In 1234 the church suffered an extensive fire. When the church was rebuilt a lecture wall, new vaults and a new facade to the west were added. Many valuable artistic additions were done to the church in mediaeval times. In 1294 Archbishop Jens Grand
was arrested in the Cathedral. In the 1370s, magnificent gothic
choir stalls where installed in the church, and in 1398 a gothic, cupboard-shaped wooden altarpiece
was placed in the main chapel. An astronomical clock was installed in the nave
around 1424 and renovated many times.
In the 1510s, during the reign of King John I
, German artist Adam van Düren led a major renovation of the church. In the crypt, van Düren created a well decorated with interesting reliefs and a monumental sarcophagus for the most recent archbishop of Lund, Birger Gunnersen.
Lund was an important cultural and religious city in the Middle Ages, as attested by its large number of churches and monasteries. The Reformation caused a dramatic decrease of the influence of the church in the city and country. In 1527 the Franciscan Monastery was forcibly shut down by a mob of townspeople who had received permission to close the monastery. Franciscans were especially hated because they lived by soliciting alms in addition to tithes and other fees ordinary people had to pay to the church. Torben Bille was the last Archbishop and struggled vainly against the Lutherans until he was imprisoned in 1536. He was released the following year after he submitted to the Church Ordinances. The cathedral was stripped of statues, medieval artwork, side altars, and reliquaries.
After the Treaty of Roskilde
, in 1658, the Bishopric of Lund was transferred to Sweden
.
An extensive restoration was done by Helgo Zettervall
in the late 19th century, when the towers got their present appearance. Mosaic decoration was added to the interior of the apse in the 1920s.
following the Romanesque
style of Lombardy
(Northern Italy
) and the Rhine region (Germany
). These influences are evident in the floorplan, the crypt
and the arched gallery that decorate the upper floor of the apse
.
s with motives from the Bible
, particularly the Old Testament
. Above the doorway, a concrete
pediment
has three holy men
as motives: Jesus Christ
, Canute IV of Denmark
, and Saint Lawrence
.
s and a transept
. The quire
(under the crossing) has splendid gothic choir stalls from the 1370s. The gothic winged-altarpiece
of the main chapel of the apse
dates from 1398.
The cathedral's south aisle has an information counter, a globe of light and various exhibitions.
of the cathedral, the Horologium mirabile Lundense, was made around 1424. After having been in storage since 1837, it was restored and put back in place in 1923.
When it plays, one can hear In dulci jubilo from the smallest organ in the church, while six wooden figures, representing the three magi
and their servants, pass by Mary and Jesus. The clock plays two times a day, at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. every day, except on Sundays when the earliest playing takes place at 1:00 p.m. in order not to interrupt the morning service.
On top of the clock there are two knights that mark the hours. The upper board of the clock is the astronomical clock. It shows, among other things, the different phases of the Moon and where the Sun sets.
The lower board of the clock is a calendar. With the help of it one can, among other things, calculate when different mobile religious holidays will fall and on which weekday a certain date will fall. In the middle of the calendar stands Saint Lawrence
, the Patron Saint
of the Cathedral, and by his side the Symbols of the Four Evangelists
. The present board of the clock goes from 1923 to 2123, after that a new one must be obtained so that the clock can be used.
and is one of the largest in Sweden. The gallery organ has 102 stops distributed between four manuals and a pedalboard. There are 7,074 pipes in total. In 1992 it was renovated by the same company.
The smallest organ is in the astronomical clock. It plays In dulci jubilo daily. The three other organs are in the Crypt
, the Baptism Chapel and the Choir.
. The most famous pillar is the one with the statue of a man embracing it. Local legend tells that the figure is Finn the Giant
, builder of the cathedral. Another column has a similar sculpture of a woman, the wife of Finn according to legend. It is not known who the man on the column actually represents, but it could be the Biblical character Samson
.
The crypt's main altar is the oldest altar in the church and was consecrated on June 30, 1123 by archbishop Asser
. The crypt contain many sarcophagi, chests and grave slabs. Among its most important works of art are the relief-decorated well and the tomb of archbishop Birger Gunnersen, created by Adam van Düren in the 1510s.
According to legend, the crypt may be the final resting place of the great hero Fionn mac Cumhaill
, about whom legends abound in Irish
and Scottish mythology
.
Anders Sunesen
is also buried in the cathedral.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Lund
Lund
-Main sights:During the 12th and 13th centuries, when the town was the seat of the archbishop, many churches and monasteries were built. At its peak, Lund had 27 churches, but most of them were demolished as result of the Reformation in 1536. Several medieval buildings remain, including Lund...
, Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It is the seat of the bishop of Lund of the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
.
History
A cathedral was built in Lund before 1085, but it is difficult to know if the present building was built in the same place. In the gift letter of Canute the Holy
Canute IV of Denmark
Canute IV, later known as Canute the Holy or Canute the Saint , was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church, and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was...
, dated to May 21, 1085, there is a mention of a cathedral built during the 1080s. Canute gave several properties that enabled the building of the cathedral. However, sources indicate that Canute's cathedral is not the present Lund Cathedral. The Cathedral School was established in 1085, making it Denmark's oldest school.
King Eric I of Denmark
Eric I of Denmark
Eric I Evergood , also known as Eric the Good, , was King of Denmark following his brother Olaf I Hunger in 1095. He was a son of king Sweyn II Estridsson, by his wife Gunhild Sveinsdotter, and married Boedil Thurgotsdatter.-Biography:...
went to Rome on a pilgrimage and secured two important concessions from Pope Pascal II: sainthood for his murdered brother, Saint Canute IV and the creation of an archdiocese that included all of Scandinavia. Lund was named as the headquarters. Bishop Asser Thorkilsson
Asser Thorkilsson
Asser Thorkilsen , a son of Thorkil Thrugotsen and his wife Inge, was the Bishop of Lund from 1089, and then the first Archbishop of Lund from 1104 until his death.He died on 5th May 1137 in Lund....
became the first archbishop for all of Scandinavia in 1104 and the cathedral was begun sometime after he took office. The building was constructed in the typical basilica style with half-rounded arches supporting a flat timber ceiling. The cathedral was constructed out of granite blocks. The high altar of the crypt was consecrated in 1123. The cathedral and the high altar were consecrated to St Lawrence on September 1, 1145 by Archbishop Eskil, Asser's successor. Of the present church only the apse has remained unchanged.
Lund became the religious heart of Denmark and over the years many monasteries, nunneries, priories sprang up around the cathedral.
Lund played a vital role in Denmark's history from the time it was made a bishopric. It was the place of many important meeting between kings and nobility. Valdemar II was crowned there in 1202.
In 1234 the church suffered an extensive fire. When the church was rebuilt a lecture wall, new vaults and a new facade to the west were added. Many valuable artistic additions were done to the church in mediaeval times. In 1294 Archbishop Jens Grand
Jens Grand
Dr. Jens Grand, the Firebug was a Danish archbishop of Lund , titular Archbishop of Riga and Terra Mariana , and Prince-Archbishop of Bremen , known as the central figure of the second ecclesiastical struggle in Denmark in the late 13th century...
was arrested in the Cathedral. In the 1370s, magnificent gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
choir stalls where installed in the church, and in 1398 a gothic, cupboard-shaped wooden altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
was placed in the main chapel. An astronomical clock was installed in the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
around 1424 and renovated many times.
In the 1510s, during the reign of King John I
John I of Denmark
John, also known as Hans; né Johannes was King of Denmark , Norway and as John II of Sweden in the Kalmar Union, and also Duke of Schleswig and Holstein...
, German artist Adam van Düren led a major renovation of the church. In the crypt, van Düren created a well decorated with interesting reliefs and a monumental sarcophagus for the most recent archbishop of Lund, Birger Gunnersen.
Lund was an important cultural and religious city in the Middle Ages, as attested by its large number of churches and monasteries. The Reformation caused a dramatic decrease of the influence of the church in the city and country. In 1527 the Franciscan Monastery was forcibly shut down by a mob of townspeople who had received permission to close the monastery. Franciscans were especially hated because they lived by soliciting alms in addition to tithes and other fees ordinary people had to pay to the church. Torben Bille was the last Archbishop and struggled vainly against the Lutherans until he was imprisoned in 1536. He was released the following year after he submitted to the Church Ordinances. The cathedral was stripped of statues, medieval artwork, side altars, and reliquaries.
After the Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
, in 1658, the Bishopric of Lund was transferred to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
An extensive restoration was done by Helgo Zettervall
Helgo Zettervall
Helgo Nikolaus Zettervall, older spelling Zetterwall, was a Swedish architect and professor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts...
in the late 19th century, when the towers got their present appearance. Mosaic decoration was added to the interior of the apse in the 1920s.
Art and architecture
The church was built of sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
following the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
(Northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) and the Rhine region (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
). These influences are evident in the floorplan, the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
and the arched gallery that decorate the upper floor of the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
.
The towers
The cathedral's towers stand 55 meters high and are, with their pyramidical roofs, a landmark on the skyline of Lund and clearly visible from the surrounding wide plain. The towers are not open to the general public. The oldest church bell was made in 1513.The entrance
Two bronze doors built by Carl Johan Dyfverman serve as the main entrance. They hold 24 reliefRelief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
s with motives from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, particularly the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
. Above the doorway, a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
has three holy men
Holy man
Holy man can refer to:*a person, usually an ascetic, who is exceptionally pious or religious .*"Holy Man", an instrumental by Dennis Wilson, recorded during the Pacific Ocean Blue sessions that was abandoned before a vocal track was recorded...
as motives: Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Canute IV of Denmark
Canute IV of Denmark
Canute IV, later known as Canute the Holy or Canute the Saint , was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church, and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was...
, and Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence
Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.- Holy Chalice :...
.
Interior
As a typical Romanesque building, Lund Cathedral is distinctively dark, with only small windows to allow sunshine to pass through. The Latin-cross church has three aisleAisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s and a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
. The quire
Quire (architecture)
Architecturally, the choir is the area of a church or cathedral, usually in the western part of the chancel between the nave and the sanctuary . The choir is occasionally located in the eastern part of the nave...
(under the crossing) has splendid gothic choir stalls from the 1370s. The gothic winged-altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
of the main chapel of the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
dates from 1398.
The cathedral's south aisle has an information counter, a globe of light and various exhibitions.
Astronomical clock
The astronomical clockAstronomical clock
An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.-Definition:...
of the cathedral, the Horologium mirabile Lundense, was made around 1424. After having been in storage since 1837, it was restored and put back in place in 1923.
When it plays, one can hear In dulci jubilo from the smallest organ in the church, while six wooden figures, representing the three magi
Magi
Magi is a term, used since at least the 4th century BC, to denote a follower of Zoroaster, or rather, a follower of what the Hellenistic world associated Zoroaster with, which...
and their servants, pass by Mary and Jesus. The clock plays two times a day, at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. every day, except on Sundays when the earliest playing takes place at 1:00 p.m. in order not to interrupt the morning service.
On top of the clock there are two knights that mark the hours. The upper board of the clock is the astronomical clock. It shows, among other things, the different phases of the Moon and where the Sun sets.
The lower board of the clock is a calendar. With the help of it one can, among other things, calculate when different mobile religious holidays will fall and on which weekday a certain date will fall. In the middle of the calendar stands Saint Lawrence
Saint Lawrence
Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.- Holy Chalice :...
, the Patron Saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the Cathedral, and by his side the Symbols of the Four Evangelists
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
. The present board of the clock goes from 1923 to 2123, after that a new one must be obtained so that the clock can be used.
Organs
In the Lund Cathedral there are five organs. The biggest one is the gallery organ which was built between 1932 and 1934 by the Danish company Marcussen & SønMarcussen & Søn
Marcussen & Søn, known as Marcussen and previously as Marcussen & Reuter, is a Danish firm of organ builders.They were one of the first firms to go back to classical organ-building techniques, and have been producing mechanical-action organs since 1930...
and is one of the largest in Sweden. The gallery organ has 102 stops distributed between four manuals and a pedalboard. There are 7,074 pipes in total. In 1992 it was renovated by the same company.
The smallest organ is in the astronomical clock. It plays In dulci jubilo daily. The three other organs are in the Crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, the Baptism Chapel and the Choir.
The crypt
The crypt has remained largely untouched since its consecration in 1123. The crypt is identified by its numerous and densely built pillars. The pillars are very different in style and were built by the architect DonatusDonatus
-People:* Aelius Donatus, a Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric* Donatus , a Khan of the Eastern Black Sea Huns & beyond c. 412 AD; preceded by Uldin and succeeded by Charaton-Churchmen:...
. The most famous pillar is the one with the statue of a man embracing it. Local legend tells that the figure is Finn the Giant
Fin (troll)
Fin is a troll in a legend from Kalundborg, Zealand, Denmark. The legend also exists in Sweden, but it instead has a giant from Lund, with the name Jätten Finn .-The legend:...
, builder of the cathedral. Another column has a similar sculpture of a woman, the wife of Finn according to legend. It is not known who the man on the column actually represents, but it could be the Biblical character Samson
Samson
Samson, Shimshon ; Shamshoun or Sampson is the third to last of the Judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Tanakh ....
.
The crypt's main altar is the oldest altar in the church and was consecrated on June 30, 1123 by archbishop Asser
Asser
Asser was a Welsh monk from St David's, Dyfed, who became Bishop of Sherborne in the 890s. About 885 he was asked by Alfred the Great to leave St David's and join the circle of learned men whom Alfred was recruiting for his court...
. The crypt contain many sarcophagi, chests and grave slabs. Among its most important works of art are the relief-decorated well and the tomb of archbishop Birger Gunnersen, created by Adam van Düren in the 1510s.
According to legend, the crypt may be the final resting place of the great hero Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill
Fionn mac Cumhaill , known in English as Finn McCool, was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland and the Isle of Man...
, about whom legends abound in Irish
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
and Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology may refer to any of the mythologies of Scotland.Myths have emerged for various purposes throughout the history of Scotland, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being completely rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives.-...
.
Anders Sunesen
Anders Sunesen
Anders Sunesen was a Danish archbishop of Lund, Scania, from March 21, 1201, at the death of Absalon, to his own death in 1228. He is the author of the Latin translation of the Scanian Law and was throughout his life engaged in integrating a Christian worldview into the old legislature...
is also buried in the cathedral.
Functions
Apart from its religious functions, the cathedral is also the place for the solemn ceremony of the conferment of doctor's degrees. It is also used for various sacral concerts.Architects
This is an incomplete list of the architects of the cathedral.- Carl Georg BruniusCarl Georg BruniusCarl Georg Brunius was a classical scholar, art historian, archaeologist and architect working in the university town of Lund in southern Sweden....
(1837–1859) - Helgo ZettervallHelgo ZettervallHelgo Nikolaus Zettervall, older spelling Zetterwall, was a Swedish architect and professor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts...
(1860–1902) - Theodor Wåhlin (1902–1942)
- Eiler Græbe (1944–1967) see link: :sv:Eiler Græbe
- Carl-Axel AckingCarl-Axel AckingCarl-Axel Acking was a Swedish architect, author and furniture designer, winner of the Lunning Prize in 1952.-Notables works:*1950 Siris kapell in Torsby*1955 Hässelby Familjehotell in Stockholm...
(1970–1977)
External links
- http://www.virtualsweden.se/projects/cathedral_of_lund/ Virtual tour of Lund Cathedral by Virtualsweden
- http://www.lundsdomkyrka.org/engelska/engelska.shtml Official website of the parish of Lund Cathedral.
- http://www.myastrolabe.org/engelska/engelska.shtml Mobile astrolabe and horologium from any spot on earth.