Churches in the rural district of Kungälv

On the very site where Harestad Church stands today there used to stand, until 1853, a medieval church there. It was one of the smallest churches in Bohuslän, built in the Roman style. For more than 800 years there has been a church service celebrated in Harestad´s Church.

The present church was erected in 1854. It is constructed from stone with eleven windows and three doors, as well as rounded -arches. The church has a rectangular nave with a trilateral altar as well as a western steeple.

The church’s oldest parts date back to the Middle Ages. At the end of the 17 th century and in the beginning of the 18 th the church finally attained its present -day easterly extension with a trilateral chancel completion
The altar piece was donated to the church in 1672 and is a work of the sculptor Hans Swan. During a large renovation in 1950 the present-day vestry was added.

The church is situated on Gamla Torget (the Old Town Square) and was built in 1679-80 by the builder Christoffer Brack from Switzerland. Kungälv`s church is rated as one of the region’s most culturally and historically interesting churches.

The first thing one notices whilst entering the church is the paintings which cover the whole of church’s ceiling. These are the work of a Gothenburg artist Erik Grijs. The pulpit is the oldest piece of furniture and was manufactured in the early 17 th century and once stood in Gothenburg’s Domkyrkan (the Dome Church)                

The chandelier in front of the gallery derived from a church from Fästningsholmen.
The votive ship, a three-mast man of war ship dates from the 17 th century and was donated by the magistrate and trader Tommo Classon who also owned the restaurant which was the predecessor of today’s Fars Hatt hotel.

Kungälv`s Church is the main church in the parish of Kungälv. Here a church service is celebrated every Sunday. During the spring of 2006 the church will be open for visitors on Saturdays and during the summer months the church will function as a "traveller’s church" and will be open daily. 

By the end of the 18 th century discussions had begun about a new church in Lycke.  A boom in herring fishing had raised the town’s population from just 340 people to well over 1400. The old church was small and in urgent need of repair. Very little is known about this church but under the late 18 th century’s amalgamation (merger) of Lycke a land surveyor drew in a picture of the church. The old church interior area was only 50 square metres.

In 1808 a parish meeting requested the postponement of the building of a new church because the country found itself at war and the boom in herring fishing had ceased. The request was granted. It wasn’t until the Sunday of the 14 th of May 1826 that the first foundation stone was laid for the new church. The farmers of Lycke had long pleaded for a smaller church but the owner of the estate Kihlman of Tofta Manor and the dean Sivertsson forced the construction of a larger church. On the 16 th of September 1827 the church was inaugurated.

Despite that the church was virtually built on solid rock it soon became in need of urgent repair. After only a few years the church’s walls showed signs of cracks and it was evident that the walls had slid on their mountainous foundation. In 1846 measures were taken. By the foot of the church’s outer walls iron studs were drilled into the mountain. Furthermore a blacksmith from Gunneröd was given the task of manufacturing and fastening the iron bars which still go between the church’s main interior walls.

The church was built during the Middle Ages and was built together with a Franciscan monastery.  During the 16 th century the present-day tower was constructed whilst the monastery was demolished.

The church has been rebuilt and has been restored many times over. The latest being in the middle of the 1900`s when it was painted white. The location of the old monastery’s well is marked by stones on the street outside the church.

The church has a medieval origin and in the17 th century the church was equipped with a steeple. At the start of the 18 th century the church had been extended. The church has beautiful ceiling paintings in cloud formations with groups of figures against a blue sky. The baptismal font is from the 13 th century and the crucifix is from the 14 th century.

The oldest parts of Solberga Church date back to the late 12 th century. The site where the church is situated was probably once the location of a medieval court house. The first built church lacked a steeple though it possessed a detached bell - tower. The first steeple wasn’t built until the17 th century and the present one dates back from 1867.

Torsby Church is a Roman stone -church dating from the middle of the 19th century, though its steeple is a preserve from a medieval church. The steeple is one of the oldest in Sweden. When the previous church was demolished in 1851 the steeple was allowed to remain and was affixed to the new church.

The earliest information we have about Torsby Church dates back to the 14th century. The name Torsby is mentioned in a letter, from 1383, written by Anunder Gunnarsson, then Torsby`s priest. The church received its present - day features during a restoration in 1949. Certain addition and painting works were carried out in 1982 and 1984. The church organ was built in 1990. In connection with this a little room has been furnished under the gallery. This is for those wishing privacy whilst partaking in the church service through the help of loudspeakers and windows looking into the main church.

Ytterby Church has a high central location in Ytterby. The church was built in 1870 and replaced a medieval church " St Halvard".
Today the church functions as a parish church with church services every Sunday. The church’s activities during the week are conducted in the adjoining parish hall. During the summer months the church also functions as a "traveller’s church" and is open for viewing and its cafe` is open for visitors.