St Laurentii Chapel

St Laurentii Chapel was a medieval chapel on Visingsö, probably built in the 12th century.

The chapel is known from written sources, in which it is referred to as Laurencii in Wisingsö, and is believed to have been dedicated to St Laurentius – one of the most widely recognised saints in the Nordic region during the early Middle Ages.

The chapel was part of the ecclesiastical organisation that emerged as part of the Christianisation of Sweden. In 1143, King Sverker the Elder founded Alvastra Abbey, which came to be of great importance to the administration of the Church. The abbey’s influence also came to extend to Visingsö.

The St Laurentiii Chapel provides a picture of how Christianity became established locally and how religion, royal power and monastic activity interacted during the Middle Ages. The site is therefore an important source for understanding the Christianisation and social organisation of early medieval Sweden.

Administrator: County Administrative Board