Visby Cathedral (Swedish: Visby domkyrka), formally Visby Saint Mary's Cathedral (Visby Sankta Maria domkyrka), is a cathedral within the Church of Sweden, seat of the Bishop of Visby. It lies in the centre of Visby, the main town on the Swedish island Gotland. It was built as the church of the German traders in the city during the 13th century. The first church was probably a wooden church, which was later replaced by a stone building. Originally built as a basilica, it was successively expanded and rebuilt during the Middle Ages. At the end of this period it had been transformed to a hall church, which it still is. In 1361, Gotland and the church became part of Denmark. Following the Reformation, it was the only medieval church in the city left in use, and in 1572 raised to the status of cathedral. Since 1645 Gotland and the cathedral have been part of Sweden. A major renovation was carried out in 1899–1903 under the guidance of architect Axel Haig. The cathedral consists of a nave with two aisles, a square chancel, a square western tower and two smaller, octagonal towers to the east. Stylistically, it is related to medieval German models, particularly from Westphalia and the Rhineland, but indirect influences from France are also discernible in the Gothic architecture of the cathedral. In turn, its architecture influenced both local church building on Gotland and certain elements in the cathedrals of Linköping and Uppsala on mainland Sweden. It contains furnishings from several centuries; its main altarpiece is a Gothic Revival piece from 1905.
History
Foundation, construction and development during the Middle Ages Visby Cathedral was not originally built as a cathedral, but as a church for the German traders who visited Visby during the 13th century. The city was an important port of the powerful, German-dominated Hanseatic League, and the church was one of the most important churches of the city. At the end of the Middle Ages Saint Mary's Church was the richest church in Visby by far, and it was the second-largest church of the city. Being a church for itinerant traders, it originally lacked a territorial congregation and was not subjected to any bishop or lord. Instead, it would be used by the traders whenever they were in Visby, and they brought along their own clergy. At other times the church was simply unused and stood empty. Eventually several of the traders settled permanently in Visby, and formed a territorial congregation subjected, like all of Gotland, to the Bishop of Linköping. Henceforth Saint Mary's Church was used both by the German congregation of Visby, and by the visiting German traders who continued to bring their own priests. The first church building was probably wooden, but no traces remain of this building. Construction of the current, stone building started during the second half of the 12th century. Funding was supplied through a levy which all visiting German traders had to pay. It was consecrated by Bishop Bengt of Linköping on 27 July 1225. This first stone church was a basilica in Romanesque style. It had a nave, two aisles, a western tower and a transept. It had a square chancel and an apse-like east end. It is possible that also the transept arms had apses. Quite soon thereafter, the chancel was rebuilt into the square chancel seen today. At the same time the transept was enlarged and the two eastern, smaller towers built in the angle between the transept and the chancel. A new portal, the so-called bridal portal (Swedish: brudportalen) was constructed in the western transept where it still remains. After a short hiatus the nave was reconstructed in the middle of the 13th century. Saint Mary's Church was at the same time widened, integrating the transepts into the nave and transforming the church from a basilica to a hall church, again after models from western Germany. About fifty years later, a large chapel was constructed to the south. The chapel is today simply called "the great chapel" (stora kapellet) but was in the Middle Ages dedicated to Saint Mary. New, larger tracery windows in Gothic style were also installed piecemeal during the 14th century. The church roof was also raised, adding a clerestory whose windows however only provided light for a new, large attic; the exterior was thus changed to appear as that of a basilica, without altering the interior at all. These changes meant a departure from the typical hall church architecture and indicates inspiration from classical Gothic cathedral architecture. The main purpose appears to have been to make the church appear more dominating from outside. The tower was heightened in 1423.
Later changes
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