The origin of the abbey
Building a monastery, with the impressive abbey church as the centre and a number of other large stone buildings surrounding it, takes many years. The establishment and development phase took place during most of the second half of the 12th century. The monastery thus grew both in size and significance during this time.
Back to the history of Varnhem
Why was an abbey built here?
The monks tried to establish themselves both on Lurö and in Lugnås before they found the perfect place. The monastery was not originally intended to be located in here in Varnhem. The monks who in the 1140s were tasked with founding the monastery first tried to establish themselves on Lurö, a remote island on Lake Vänern.
After a few difficult years, they realised it was not a suitable place and tried again in Lugnås, just south of Mariestad. Even this location proved to be less favourable for establishing a monastery.
When a wealthy widow, "Mrs Sigrid", offered to donate her estate in Varnhem to the monks, everything fell into place and construction of the monastery could begin. Despite some problems at the start, even after arriving in Varnhem, the monks were able to build their monastery in accordance with the ideal image for the monastic complex created by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
The location next to the plateau mountain Billingen and its resources of both water and materials was also useful for the establishment of a monastery.
During the excavations in the 1920s, millstone from Lugnås was found in the remains of the great fire at the monastery in 1234.
Photographer: Mårten Bergkvist
Where did the monks come from?
New monasteries were formed exclusively by monks from an existing monastery migrating and establishing new daughter monasteries. The monks were then expected to live their entire lives in the newly founded monastery.
Royal tombs in the abbey church
The fact that Varnhem Abbey held a central place in the country's early history is evidenced by the graves found inside the church. Knut Eriksson, the son of Erik the Holy, died in the 1190s and designated Varnhem Abbey Church as his burial place. After him, both his son Erik Knutsson and his grandson Erik Eriksson ("the Lisp and Lame") chose to be buried in the abbey church.
Birger Jarl is considered the builder of the abbey church.
In the year 1234, a large fire breaks out in the abbey and large parts of the inner complex are destroyed. The reconstruction was initiated immediately with financial support through indulgences from the Pope and artisanal support from brother monasteries in northern Germany.
One of the country's most important figures in the 13th century, Birger Jarl, is considered to have played a significant role in the reconstruction, so significant that he is regarded as the church's founder – its builder. Even he, who for a time was the actual ruler of the country, is buried in the abbey church. After the reconstruction and for about a hundred years onwards, it was the country's largest monastery. Before the Reformation, it was noted that Varnhem Abbey owned 262 farms.
Mrs Sigrid in Varnhem
Mrs Sigrid, the woman who donated the large Varnhem estate to the monastery in the mid-12th century, is not well-known to us. She belonged to the aristocracy of Västergötland, possibly the Stenkil royal family. The then Queen Christina, of the same lineage, was a relative who disapproved of the donation and, according to sources, expelled the monks for a period so that the family could regain control over the estate. The dispute could, however, be resolved and the monks returned to continue building Varnhem Abbey.
Construction periods of the Abbey Church During the Middle Ages
Period 1 - the Franco-Romanesque period 1150-1170
Around this time, the church received a chancel with a straight end, surrounded by two chancel chapels and probably barrel vaults. From this period, masonry likely remains in the choir and transepts.
Period 2 - the German-Romanesque period 1180-1234
The church was modernised through the construction of a basilica form with lower side aisles and a higher nave with windows above the side aisles. The nave was probably equipped with ribless groin vaults, where each nave vault was supported by four aisle vaults. From this time, parts of the outer walls of the nave remain.
Period 3 - the North German, Westphalian/Rhenish 1234-1260
The nearly completed facility was severely damaged in the fire and had to be rebuilt. To assist, lay brothers from monasteries in Northern Germany were employed. Around this time, parts of the church's current vaults, ambulatory, and chapel ring were built.