The Church of Saint Clare or Klara Church (Swedish: Klara kyrka) is a church in central Stockholm. Since 1989, the Swedish Evangelical Mission is responsible for its activities.

Klara kyrka
Klara Church
Religion
AffiliationChurch of Sweden
RiteLutheran
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusParish church
Location
LocationStockholm, Sweden
Geographic coordinates59°19′52″N 18°03′42″E / 59.33111°N 18.06167°E / 59.33111; 18.06167

The Church of Saint Clare is located on Klara Västra Kyrkogata in the Klara area in lower Norrmalm. The Klara area (also known in Swedish as Klarakvarteren) takes its name from the church. This name has become synonymous with the old city that once occupied lower Norrmalm.[citation needed]

History

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Interior of the church
 
Church's sanctuary

The Convent and Church of St. Clare was founded on the site in 1280s. In 1527, Gustav Vasa, King of Sweden, had the church and convent torn down. Construction of the current church started in 1577 and finished in 1590[1] under Johan III. 2 master-builders and architects Henrik van Huwen [2] and Willem Boy [3] from the Netherlands were tasked with its construction. [4] The graveyard which is almost surrounded now by modern buildings was started in the 17th century.

The church tower was built as part of restoration work in the 1880s and is 116 metres (381 ft) tall.[5]

The church contains a 35-bell carillon, which was cast by the Bergholtz Bellfoundry [sv] in 1965.[6]

Composer Carl Ludvig Lithander was organist of the church 1801–1814.[7][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "St Clara Church Dutch Builders".
  2. ^ "RKD Research".
  3. ^ "RKD Research".
  4. ^ "St Clara Church Dutch Builders".
  5. ^ Hall, Thomas (2008). Stockholm: The Making of a Metropolis. Routledge. p. 207
  6. ^ "Svenske konsertklokkespill" [Swedish carillons]. Nordisk selskap for campanologi og klokkespill [Nordic Society for Campanology and Carillons] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  7. ^ Ternhag, Gunnar (2014). "Carl Ludvig Lithander (1773-1843)". Swedish Musical Heritage. Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  8. ^ Forslin, Alfhild (1980). "Carl Ludvig Lithander". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 23. p. 739 – via Swedish National Archives.
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59°19′52″N 18°03′42″E / 59.33111°N 18.06167°E / 59.33111; 18.06167