The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-16
The Westminster Abbey OF Sweden.

The Westminster Abbey or sweden. y
iStockholm Correspondence Of the San Fran
cisco Chronicle.l
The most interesting building of all is Rid
Notwithstanding church Of the Eques-
TRAN Isle, or Isle of knights. This is no
more, in fact, a church, but royal mauso-
leum. 1t is often called the Westminster
Abbey of Sweden, unhappily, think, for q
Westminster Abbey must have withal its gen
tie Ministries Of song and poesy-its artists OF
peace and the peaceful arts, while the Church
Of the Equestrian Isle but echoes with the
martial notes of war and records the deeds of
warriors.
For nearly one hundred years it has been
stripped of all the parapher aalia of church cere
monies, except the altar piece and the organ
in q gallery extending only across one end Of
the church, it has q chime Of bells heard only
on the occasion OF the death Of some member
of the royal family, or of knight of the
Royal Order of the Seraphim. We enter and
stand in the nave of the church, nearly two
hundred feet long and third as wide; it is
destitute of seats and unbroken by columns,
while its whole floor is q pavement Of fat
stones, covered with the names Of distinguished
men, to whom this registry Of their names is
the only monument to their memory.
Along each side Of the nave Of the church
are row of side chapels, each of which ia
the sepulture-place of q company Of illustri-
ous.warriors, and which contains rich sarco-
phagus. Picture to yourself these chsplets,
the walls and sides almost concealed by the
trophies of victory, flags and clusters Of stand
ards that have been captured or defended on
Wondering dust they here droop; on the
floor irregular heaps of drums, kettle-drums
bows and other relics of war.
The chs p d nearest to the altar on the right
is called tue Gustavian Chapel; its architec.
ture is Gothic, o nd it is lighted by seven long,
narrow windows; it is the burial place Of
several royal personages, but is dedicated
principally to Gustavus the Great, the cham
pion of Lutheran Professionalism. and who
died on the battlefield of Lufzen; his remains
are enclosed in sarcophagus of green
marble, piece Of Italian sculpture on
marble slab is the following inscription in
Latin: +" He braved dangers, loved piety,
overcame his enemies, enlarged his dominions,
exalted his nation, liberated the oppressed
and triumphed in DEATH"
Opposite this chapel at the left of the altar
is the Chapel of the Oharleses, in which,
however, several other persons have found
sepulture. As we stand in the street or
square outside Of the church and look at this
chapel, which was added to the main build
ing in the latter part Of the seventeenth and
the beginning Of the eighteenth century, we
read the following inscription in Latin in the
upper part of its outer wall.
I" Erected to the eternal memory of the
three Charleses Charles X, Charles XII, and
Charles XII of Sweden. The first conquered
four provinces; the second VIGOROUSLY de-
Tended them; the third preferred rather to
die ai3Ruler than not to retain what others
had wo&
As may well be imagined, none of the Sc
pulchral chapels are SO crowned with en-
blems, trophies and relics Of war as this; the
sarcophagus which ornaments it contains the
body Of Charles XII; lis Of white marble on
q pedestal Of green marble, and partially
covering its top is an ornament in brass gilt
representing lions skin, bearing the name
Carlous MI, and on this skin are crown,
scepter and sword of the same material