Varnhem
Encyclopedia
Varnhem is a locality
situated in Skara Municipality
, Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
with 718 inhabitants in 2005.
Varnhem is the location of the oldest known stone church in Sweden outside of Scania
, erected in the 1040s at the latest. It is also the location of a Christian
cemetery
which was in use during the end of the ninth century.
The Cistercian Order established Varnhem Abbey
around 1150, not far from the old church. A new abbey church was erected to replace the older church; the abbey church is still in use.
Varnhem and in particular its abbey has received additional attention in recent years due to it being the main location of The Knight Templar trilogy
written by Jan Guillou
, and subsequently filmed. Arn Magnusson, the hero character of the series is portrayed as living there.
Birger jarl
and his family lie buried in Varnhem.
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
situated in Skara Municipality
Skara Municipality
Skara Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Skara.The area of the municipality consists of 16 original local government entities. The municipal reform of 1952 grouped them into four new entities...
, Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, 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....
with 718 inhabitants in 2005.
Varnhem is the location of the oldest known stone church in Sweden outside of 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...
, erected in the 1040s at the latest. It is also the location of a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
which was in use during the end of the ninth century.
The Cistercian Order established Varnhem Abbey
Varnhem Abbey
Varnhem Abbey in Varnhem, Västergötland, Sweden was founded around 1150 by monks of the Cistercian Order from Alvastra Abbey in Östergötland.The Cistercian Order used the same floor plan for all its abbeys, which makes it possible to easily locate the different rooms and halls regardless of the...
around 1150, not far from the old church. A new abbey church was erected to replace the older church; the abbey church is still in use.
Varnhem and in particular its abbey has received additional attention in recent years due to it being the main location of The Knight Templar trilogy
The Knight Templar (Crusades trilogy)
The Knight Templar is a series of books about the fictional character of Arn Magnusson. The series is written by Swedish author and journalist Jan Guillou....
written by Jan Guillou
Jan Guillou
Jan Oskar Sverre Lucien Henri Guillou is a Swedish author and journalist. Among his books are a series of spy fiction novels about a spy named Carl Hamilton, and a trilogy of historical fiction novels about a Knight Templar, Arn Magnusson...
, and subsequently filmed. Arn Magnusson, the hero character of the series is portrayed as living there.
Birger jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
and his family lie buried in Varnhem.