St. Petri (St. Peter's Church), Malmö

Article By: Dan Hill

2 years ago

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Culture-Church Culture-Historical Building

One could be forgiven for thinking that Sankt Petri's church in Malmö was actually a cathedral - due to its size. It's gothic exterior built from Baltic brick dates back to the 1300s - a time when Malmö was part of Denmark. It is thought that the church was built on the site of a Romanesque predecessor referred to as "Ecclesie Malmögh inferiori". The church was built in phases - and completed around 1380 - following 60 years of construction. St. Petri is located in Malmö's old town (Gamla Staden) - so it is a convenient place to visit. It's the city's oldest church - and is thought to be modelled on the church in Lübeck, Germany - also located on the Baltic coast. At the time of its construction, Malmö was prospering as a trading port - with herring fish being a major contributor to its wealth. It is thought that the fishing boats visiting other Hanseatic cities was the reason for the influence. A significant highlight within the church are the Renaissance paintings in the old chapel - dating back to the 15th century. The baroque altar dominates the view as you enter the church - in stark contrast to the gleaming white walls. Since being built, the main tower has twice collapsed - and again been rebuilt. The current tower dates back to 1442. Photo Credits: 1. Jorchr / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) 2. Image by M W from Pixabay