Norrlanda church, Gotland

Norrlanda (Sv.K. IV:1) parish church about 30 km SE of Visby is richly decorated with stone carvings, wall paintings and iron works. The nave has four vaults but lacks a central column. The main arch supporting the vaults is carried by corbels which are decorated with carved figures. In the south portal of the nave are in the rows of capitals and in the pediment carved figures forming scenes from the Bible. The south portal of the chancel has engaged columns and pointed archivolt.

The lower part of the tower is the oldest part of the building, but the tower has been built higher, apparently in connection with the erection of the present nave. Traces in the west wall of the chancel tell that it is older than the nave. The west wall once has been complete but that part of the gable which is nearest to the ridge has been torn down when building the nave to get a passage.

No medieval wood has been found in the chancel and the nave. Bore-cores have been taken from floor joists at the upper aperture of the belfry. Sample 'Norrlanda 6', from the 2:nd joist from west has waney edge and is dated 1324.