Nydala Abbey Church

Jönköping · Sweden · Monastery

The monks gave the king lodging at Candlemas. Next morning his men cut a hole in Lake Rusken and put the abbot and his brothers through the ice.

Nydala Abbey was founded in June 1143 as a Cistercian house on the shore of Lake Rusken in what is now Värnamo municipality; its name translates that of the mother house, Clairvaux. It became one of Småland's wealthiest monasteries. Then came 1521. Christian II's army moved through the district after the Stockholm Bloodbath, and according to the chronicles the king lodged at the abbey at Candlemas and was well received by the monks. The next morning he had a hole cut in the ice on Rusken and drowned the abbot together with six or twelve of the brothers – the sources disagree. Scholars note that the king dated a letter in Copenhagen the following day, but his forces were demonstrably in the area. The abbey church still stands and is still in use. The lake is right outside.

FAQ

Where is Nydala Abbey Church located?

Nydala Abbey Church is in Jönköping, Sweden.