S:ta Marie kapell
Lidköping

St. Mary's Chapel is located southeast of Traneberg Manor on the island of Kållandsö in the province of Västergötland. The first church on the site was built during the 12th century and was originally known as Thorsö Church. It was abandoned during the Middle Ages and gradually fell into ruin. The present chapel was rebuilt in the 17th century.

The Original Medieval Church

The original church, constructed in the 12th century, consisted of a rectangular nave with a narrower and lower chancel ending in a straight eastern wall. Its walls were built from finely dressed sandstone blocks laid in relatively regular courses on a broad stone foundation.

Entrances to the church were located in both the south wall and the west gable. A narrow chancel arch separated the nave from the chancel. The appearance of other architectural details, such as the window surrounds, is unknown. During the Middle Ages, a sacristy was added to the building.

The present nave appears to stand on the foundations of the original medieval church. Parts of the western gable, including the original portal, as well as the chancel arch incorporated into today's building, are believed to date from the Middle Ages. Two sandstone grave slabs and a sandstone baptismal font from this period have also been preserved.

The Rebuilt Chapel

In 1666, Traneberg Manor became the property of Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie. He commissioned the reconstruction of the church on the medieval ruins as the private chapel of the estate, naming it St. Mary's Chapel in honour of his wife, Princess Marie Euphrosyne.

Completed in 1678, the rebuilt chapel consisted of a single nave that incorporated parts of the medieval sandstone walls. The roof was covered with wooden shingles, and the walls were plastered both inside and out. The main entrance was located in the western gable, where a wooden porch was later added before eventually being demolished.

Later Alterations

In the mid-18th century, the then owner of Traneberg Manor, Eric Månsson Ulfsparre, financed an extensive renovation. A three-sided chancel was added to the east of the nave, together with a sacristy on the north side. Both extensions were built on the remains of the medieval foundations, which by then were described as ruins.

The former wooden entrance porch was replaced with a masonry porch built of brick and fieldstone. Additional restoration and maintenance work has been carried out in more recent times.

Church Guide

The Church Guide app provides more information about the churches in the area and can also be used as a guide during your visit. Download it here.

Getting Here by Public Transport

By Demand-Responsive Transport (Närtrafik)

Närtrafik, operated by Västtrafik, is an on-demand transport service designed for rural areas. It picks you up from an address of your choice within a designated service area and takes you to a bus stop within the same municipality.

How it works:

• Book by calling +46 (0)771 91 90 90 at least one hour before your journey (within the scheduled operating time windows).
• The fare is the same as a standard single public transport ticket.
• Payment can be made using the Västtrafik app, by card, or in cash.
• Senior travel cards are accepted (subject to inspection), while Västtrafik period passes are not valid on Närtrafik services.

Maps, timetables, and further information about Närtrafik are available from Västtrafik.