page_title: Architecture of Sweden
section_title: Middle Ages
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Sweden / Middle Ages
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Schloss Vadstena, eine schwedische Renaissance-Burg aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Es ist eine viereckige Festungsanlage mit Wallgraben. English: Vadstena Castle, a Swedish Renaissance castle from the 16th century. It is a square fortress with a moat.
context_page_description: As is the norm in the history of architecture, the architectural history of a nation naturally lends itself to the history of its monuments, and to the development of that nation's institutions of power: palaces, castles, and churches. This also applies in the case of the history of architecture in Sweden. The break comes with the modern era, with the change in the role of architects in society, towards a concern with questions concerning the entire population, such as housing and the infrastructure of a social democracy.
context_section_description: In Sweden, the Middle Ages lasted for approximately 500 years, from the baptism of Olof of Sweden in 1000 AD until Gustav I of Sweden seized power in 1523. At first almost all buildings, urban and rural, were constructed of timber. In the 12th century, stone became the predominant building material for the construction of Romanesque monasteries and churches. Notable examples are Lund Cathedral, Sigtuna monastery, Husaby Church and Alvastra monastery. The smaller Romanesque churches in the countryside were often fortified. The medieval churches on Gotland constitute a group of unusually well-preserved medieval churches, also compared with the rest of Europe.
  The advent of the Brick Gothic style brought brick to Sweden as a new building material. The cathedrals of Västerås, Strängnäs and Uppsala were all constructed of brick, whereas the cathedrals of Skara and Linköping were made of limestone.
  While about 1,500 of Sweden's 4,000 churches date to the Middle Ages, very few secular buildings survive from this period. There are, however, a few burgher's houses in Stockholm and Visby, some castles, fortresses, and fortifications. The 13th century city walls around Visby are some of the best-preserved medieval city walls in Europe. The street layout of Stockholm's Old City is still medieval. In other Swedish cities secular buildings from the Middle Ages are very rare and often heavily rebuilt during the following centuries. One example of that is Skytteanum in Uppsala.
caption: Vadstena Castle, a fine example of Renaissance architecture
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