Tyska kyrkan

About the church

There are also other German churches in Sweden. See Tyska kyrkan.

Tyska kyrkan (the German Church), or Sankta Gertruds kyrka as it is also called, is a church in Gamla stan in Stockholm, located at Svartmangatan 16A in the Juno block. The block is surrounded by Prästgatan, Svartmangatan, Tyska stallplan and Tyska brinken. The church belongs to the German St Gertrude Parish (Tyska S:ta Gertruds församling), founded in 1571 and one of five non-territorial parishes within the Church of Sweden. The highest point of Gamla stan is the weathercock on the tower of Tyska kyrkan, 96 metres above the water.

The parish follows the ordinary order of service of the Church of Sweden, but most services are held in German. Tyska kyrkan is dedicated to Gertrude of Nivelles, the patron saint of travellers and seafarers. The cult of the saint spread to the Nordic countries in the mid-14th century, among other things in the form of Gertrude guilds in towns with a German population element. According to the legend of Saint Gertrude, she is said to have saved some seafarers who had called out to her when they were in distress at sea. In the Middle Ages she therefore became the patron saint of travellers. Before a journey, for example, one would drink in memory of Saint Gertrude.

The text has been translated from the article Tyska kyrkan, Stockholm on Swedish Wikipedia and may be used under CC BY-SA 4.0.