Did you notice how the sunlight catches the sandstone? This very stone whispers tales of centuries gone by right here at Burlövs gamla kyrka. It is one of Scania’s oldest churches. Its history stretches back to the 12th century.
Burlövs gamla kyrka stands as a testament to time. Its oldest parts are built from sandstone. Imagine the hands that carefully placed each stone. They were building a place of worship that would last for generations.
Originally Burlövs gamla kyrka was constructed in the Romanesque style. It featured a longhouse a narrower chancel and an apse facing east. All were covered by a flat wooden ceiling. In the late 1200s a tower of gray stone was added. The tower was heightened around 1400 using brick.
Later a porch was added to the longship’s southern side. Men had to leave their weapons here before entering the church. Even the porch was later expanded. The southern side got a Gothic gable with pointed arch niches and roundels.
Inside Burlövs gamla kyrka the oldest item is the 12th-century font. It is made of Gotland sandstone. It once stood in the tower’s lower level which served as a baptistery. The font was damaged and moved to the cemetery in the early 1900s. It was restored and returned in 1959.
The altar is a sight to behold. This wooden piece was crafted in Lund in 1598. It is in the Renaissance style. Wilhelm Dresselberg financed it. He was a dean in Lund’s cathedral chapter. The altar has four stories and eleven panels. Originally these panels held Bible quotes in Latin. In 1773 they were painted over with biblical scenes.
Look at the pulpit. Like the altar it is a Renaissance work in wood. Dean Wilhelm Dresselberg paid for it around 1600. It likely came from a woodcarving shop in Lund. The pulpit features carved figures of the four evangelists.
Notice the fragment of a pew near the porch. It dates back to 1579. The year 1579 is carved into it. In 1732 the church got new pews. Some of these remain west of the pulpit.
Burlövs gamla kyrka has seen many changes. In the late 1800s a new church was built in Arlöv. For a time Burlövs gamla kyrka was neglected. However it was restored in 1908-09. During this restoration medieval vault paintings were uncovered. They had been covered over since the 1600s.
Outside the church the graveyard has old boundaries. It was expanded in 1864 1886 and 1913. A wall surrounds part of it. The eastern part of the wall is the oldest. It is made of gray stone and likely dates to medieval times.
Take a moment to appreciate Burlövs gamla kyrka. It is a place of history art and faith. It is a journey through time. Its walls have witnessed centuries of life in Burlöv.