Kungsäters Kyrka
Octagonal church in Kungsäter
The special feature of the Kungsäters Kyrka in the small village Kungsäter on the northeastern edge of Varbergs Kommun is, that it is one of the relatively rare octagonal churches in Sweden.
The church of Kungsäter, consecrated in 1881, was built according to the plans of architect Emil Viktor Langlet. In this form of church building, which follows great models such as the Pantheon or the Hagia Sofia, one achieves a better view of the altar area than in the classic elongated churches due to the round or polygonal shape of the church interior.
The bell tower above the center of the church and the alternating gables, give the Kungsäters Kyrka very symmetrical look from the outside without being boring. The interior of the church, which is basically not very large, offers space for 350 visitors due to its shape. In addition, the design creates a special acoustics, which is characterized by a strong but short reverberation.
About 250 meters south of the present church is Kungsäters Kyrkoruin. The ruins of the former village church, dating back to the Middle Ages, are used in summer for outdoor services and other church events.
