Kristine kyrkan

The foundation of Kristine Church was laid on St. Christina’s Day, July 24, 1649, as a tribute to Queen Kristina and with the hope of gaining her favour for the city’s leaders. Surrounded by green spaces and gravel paths, the church serves as a peaceful haven amidst Jönköping’s urban landscape. Kristine Church is believed to have been designed by Hans Fleming, a Dutch castle architect.

Destruction and Reconstruction

The church was inaugurated in 1679, but its tower wasn’t completed until 1686. Originally, the tower was significantly taller than the current one. Both the tower and the rest of the church were destroyed in the great city fire of 1790. Before the fire, the church featured a steep double-pitched roof and a grand Baroque-style tower.

After the fire, the church was restored and took on its current more restrained Neoclassical style. Additional renovations have been carried out over the years.

Interior

Notable furnishings include the 1738 altarpiece painted by French artist Pierre Jacques Cazes. On the northern wall hangs a 1722 oil painting by church painter Edvard Orm depicting the Crucifixion. On the southern wall is another painting, depicting angels playing music at Christ's tomb, painted in 1881 by Jönköping-born artist Georg Pauli.

During a 1972-1973 renovation, the baptismal chapel was transformed into a Marian chapel, with decorations by Bankeryd artist Margareta Engström.

The church is open daily for moments of quiet reflection and hosts musical evenings and other activities throughout the year.

Graffiti

On the exterior wall near the church’s southern entrance, you can see carved graffiti, including the initials "VR." These were carved by author Viktor Rydberg, who attended school in Kristinagården, the yellow building next to Kristine Church.

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