Örsjö Kyrka

With its distinctive stepped gables, white plaster facade and red tiled roof, Örsjö Kyrka, which dates from the 12th century, has all the external attributes that are so characteristic of the old Romanesque country churches in Skåne. The construction of Örsjö Kyrka began at some point in the 12th century with the construction of the chancel, which is enclosed on its eastern side by a semicircular apse. It was not until about 100 years later that the nave, also in Romanesque style, was added, with a wooden building serving as an interim solution until then.

After the nave was added to the south side of the entrance hall in the 13th century at the same time as the entrance hall, it took until the 15th century before the church tower was built in front of the western gable wall of the nave. This is a relatively massive example with a rectangular ground plan, which is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the church and completely covers the gable wall of the nave.

The tower is not connected to the masonry of the nave and has no entrance from inside the church. Instead, the entrance to the tower is located on its southern side and the stairs to the upper floors run inside the southern gable wall of the tower. In order to counteract the weakening of the masonry, the southwest corner of the tower was provided with a massive buttress from the outside.

Apart from an enlargement of the window openings, which were rather small window hatches in the Romanesque period, and subsequent changes to the vaulted ceilings, the appearance of Örsjö Kyrka has remained unchanged since its date of origin.

The sandstone baptismal font of the church is the same age as the nave itself. The brass baptismal bowl in it dates from the 17th century and is decorated with a relief depicting the Annunciation of the Lord. Also from the 17th century is the pulpit with canopy, which is decorated in baroque style with elaborate and partly gilded wood carvings.