Masthuggskyrkan (Church): Soon to have an Elevator in the Tower

Many cities across the world have an iconic structure or a building or a symbol that identifies with the city like the Liberty Statue in New York, Opera House in Sydney, and Tower Bridge in London.

What is the iconic image of Gothenburg? Poseidon, or Liseberg, or the Museum of Art overlooking Avenyn, or one of the parks (Botaniska Trädgård or Trädgärden or Slottskogen), the harbour area with the Viking ship or Lipstick Tower in the foreground or background…

But one of the indisputable landmarks of the 400-year-old city of Gothenburg is the steeple tower of Masthuggs Church (Masthuggskyrkan).

Joakim Thoresson, one of the priests of the church and resident of the city, says the steeple tower of Masthuggskyrkan is definitely one of the symbols of the city since it came up.As a result of popularity and iconic location, Joakim disclosed that the church authorities are considering to install an elevator to reach to the top of the tower so that visitors can get a 360 degrees view of the city!

From one of the hills of the city nudging the Göta River rises a huge tower – steeple – overlooking Gothenburg. It is 60 meters in height and 11 meters in width. The tower arising out is from the Masthuggs Church echoing medieval cathedrals of other European countries or like the Italian city tower.

The steeple can also resemble to some extent to other towers in the city’s important buildings like Carlanderska Hospital and the Natural History Museum in Slottskogen.

On top of the tower is the wind vane indicating the direction of the wind. Gothenburg is a windy city: the rain and the wind constantly batter the city but the residents are immune to it and carry on with their lives and with tasks dot on time (Punctuality is a defining trait of Swedish people).

Examples of Ur själva kyrkan och expeditionsbyggnaden reser sig det väldiga tornet. Tornet är 60 meter högt och har 11 meters sida. Denna monumentalitet kan väcka associationer till medeltida katedraler eller italienska stadstorn. Tornbyggnader är överhuvudtaget viktiga insläg för det tidiga 1900+talets ledande arkitekter. – Ta en titt på Carlanderska sjukhuset eller Naturhistoriska museet i SLottskogen.

See also

ur funktion, ur led, spåra ur, dra sig ur, dricka ur, ut ur, koppla ur, backa ur, ta ur, ur askan i elden

Translations of Ur själva kyrkan och expeditionsbyggnaden reser sig det väldiga tornet. Tornet är 60 meter högt och har 11 meters sida. Denna monumentalitet kan väcka associationer till medeltida katedraler eller italienska stadstorn. Tornbyggnader är överhuvudtaget viktiga insläg för det tidiga 1900+talets ledande arkitekter. – Ta en titt på Carlanderska sjukhuset eller Naturhistoriska museet i SLottskogen.

Masthugget Churchwas built in 1914,and it is located in one of the centres of the city, and closer to Göta ÄlvRiver. The church and particularly its tower is striking sight. It is built in Swedish national romantic style in Nordic architecture. The church was designed by Sigfrid Ericson.

Joakim Thoresson informs that the church has a seating capacity for more than 500 people but when it was built it housed more than 1,000 worshippers, and it sees a large attendance depending upon a season and weekdays.

Masthuggs Church is one of the most visited sights of the city: more than 100,000 visitors a year. It is a major attraction for the visitors and tourists: why?

• Architectural significance: Romantic Nationalism
• Historicity: designed in 1907 and completed in 1914
• Forms a stunning silhouette for the city in addition the bridge and the crane adjacent to the location of the city
• The striking presence of the church’s tower rises from the three-storeyed long house
• The 60 meters tower is similar in height to the German Church in Gothenburg (Tyskakyrka i Göteborg), and 127 meters above sea level.
• The spot of the church gives a bird’s eye view of the city
• The church and its premises could be an outing for a family: picnic
• For worshipping (prayer), meditation and reflection

Joakim Thoresson reckons the church is catering to the needs of the changing times. He says when the church was built if was open to everybody unlike other churches, and since then it has been a beacon for the residents. Listen to the podcast:

The church offers many services including counselling and meditation sessions in addition to ceremonies and rituals associated with birth, death and marriages.

Masthuggskyrkan (Church)

1 of 8