Not far from the main street of Sigtuna, Sweden lies St. Olov’s Kirkoruin, the ruins of a 13th Century Benedictine Monastery. A cemetery, including a mausoleum, lies adjacent to the ruins. Legend says that the mausoleum was built to inter an old woman who demanded that after she was interred there, the door should be locked and the key tossed through a hole in the structure so that visitors could not enter and she could rest in peace. The Mariakyrkan, or Maria Church, is also adjacent to the ruins, cemetery, and mausoleum. It is the oldest building in Sigtuna still in use, also dating from the 13th century. Inside the church is a beautiful painting entitled “Getsemane” by Bror Hjorth (1940).
St. Olov’s Kirkoruin
SOURCE: St. Olov’s Kirkoruin (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.
Exterior of the Mariakyrkan
SOURCE: Exterior of the Mariakyrkan (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.
Interior of the Mariakyrkan
SOURCE: Interior of the Mariakyrkan (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.
Getsemane by Bror Hjorth – 1940
SOURCE: Getsemane by Bror Hjorth – 1940Â (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.
The Mausoleum
SOURCE: The Mausoleum (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.
Copyright © 2010 by Stephen J. Danko
