Askeby Church

Askeby Church was built as a parish church but was also established as a church for the nuns of the Cistercian monastery. The monastery was founded in the latter part of the 12th century and existed until 1530.

The building consists of two main parts: the Western part – functioned as a parish church for a large part of the monastic period and the long choir – was built exclusively for the monastery’s needs.

As an altar decoration, there is a pietà group* from the 15th century. Before 1823, the altar was adorned with a series of sculptures, which in 1732 were donated to Askeby by Baron Johan Banér of Ekenäs. The sculptures are now placed in the niches of the choir.

In the triumphal arch hangs one of Östergötland’s most beautiful Gothic triumphal crucifixes from the latter half of the 15th century. The baptismal font of limestone is probably from the latter half of the 13th century. The pulpit was made in 1763 by the sculptor Nils Österbom in Norrköping.

Among the church’s most notable communion silver is the chalice, whose foot and shaft as well as the accompanying wafer dish are from the early 15th century. The chalice was donated by the knight Tord Röriksson Bonde in honor of Saint Bridget. In 1951, the church was restored.
Among other things, the choir window was fitted with a stained glass window based on a proposal by the artist Einar Forseth.