St Peter's Church, Malmö

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Sankt Petri Kyrka (St. Peter's Church) is a church in Malmö in the diocese of Lund. It was built as a basilica with three aisles and transepts. The present church is actually devoted to two saints, St. Peter and St. Paul, Ecclesia beatorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum.

More information though in Swedish under http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankt_Petri_kyrka,_Malm6#Kyrkans_senare_historia.

After nosing aroung in Stortorget , we walked to the back of Rådhuset and found a 14th century Gothic church, St Petri Kyrka ( despite sounding a mouthful , it only means St Peter's church ). Though it looks dark and foreboding on the outside, it's all white and airy inside, a fine testimony to simple Swedish architecture. Perhaps the most ornate thing over there was the splendid 15-meter-tall, 17th century altar...

The church is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free.

Other than the lofty ceilings and ornate 15m altar, see if you can spot St Peter (whom the church is named after) in stained glass. He can be identified by the image of his martyredom on an upside down cross*. Click open the picture and you see the cruxifiction beneath the image of St Peter.

The church is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free.

*St Peter ( Jesus' disciple and first Pope of the Catholic Church) asked to be hung upside down on the cross since he felt unworthy to die like Christ.

Before I left the oldest Gothic church in Sweden, I said my prayers, lit a votive candle and prayed that I could find Frosunda, the place where I was suppose to attend a wedding ( whereever that was ). It was interesting to note that the metal candle holder in St Petri was in the shape of a globe.

The church is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free.

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I called in during a brief visit to the city - travelling from Copenhagen to Ystad and then back; stopping off in Malmo each way. During the visit I called into the church, when there was in fact a christening taking place - it was held in a side chapel and the family and friends all looked so happy to be there.

The church was founded at the start of the 14th Century, the exact date is unknown, but there is a mention of the church as far back as 1346. It highlights that it was already consecrated at this time. Although called St Peters - it is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul!

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St Peters is the oldest building in Malmö -- was built in the early to mid 1300s. The black limestone and sandstone pulpit was given to the church in 1599, and it is decorated with the story of Christ. The huge altar at the front of the church was completed in 1611. In the early years, the church floor was entirely covered in gravestones. Most have been removed, but take note of some of the remaining ones from the 1500s.

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Malmö's oldest building still in use and a great medieval church building. Unfortunately, it is surrounded by modern buildings today and the area hasn't been properly excavated before roadworks have started throughout times but the church itself is splendid. If you are in the slightest interested in art, you have to see its famous altar piece (see third pic) and the almost equally famous astronomical clock.

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Saint Peter's is a characteristic 14th century Baltic Gothic-style church, and is the oldest building in Malmö. The pulpit, baptismal font and retable are all Renaissance works; the altarpiece from 1611 is magnificent. But the best part of the church for me was the Tradesmen's chapel (Kramarkapellet), with it's glorious wall-paintings from the 1400's. On one side is a Dance of Death, interspersed with saints, demons and greenery. On the other (my second photo) is a scene of wine-pressing. I spent ages in this chapel!