April 4: Markuskyrkan

Next on to the singular St. Mark's Church, out in the suburbs of the city, in Björkhagen. It's one of the late works of Sigurd Lewerentz, completed in 1956.

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In the metro station.

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On the train.

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The shore of Gamla Stan (the old city), with more sunbathers.

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Here we are at the church, which is in a grove of birches and evergreens.

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I don't remember what this is. It's a nice thing to have with a church, though.

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Toward the main entrance.

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The nave. The irregular vaults are one of my favorite parts of the church.

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Side lights and entrances by the front of the nave.

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This is the only clerestory window besides the two above, so it's quite an important element, and very powerful when, as here, a sunbeam is shining through it.

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This incredible brick beam supports the two bays of the nave.

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The clerestory window casts a lot of uplight as well.

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A back door from the nave leads into this room of the parish center.

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This wall divides them.

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The foyer of the parish center; more vaults.

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At the center of the two buildings of the parish, uh, center is this linear courtyard.

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The massiveness and roughness of the church make it feel timeless.

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I walked all the way around the church. A view back toward the main entrance from further along in the grove.

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Around the other side; the sanctuary is on the left in the foreground and one end of the parish center is on the right.

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Not sure what this is, maybe the sacristy.

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The bells are up behind those horizontal openings.

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The bed of a fountain in the courtyard that was not yet running.

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The fountain.

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The window craning around to get all the sun it can. Also: birches.

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A shed just beyond the courtyard.

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I'll have a few bricks with that mortar. Thanks.