Visby Cathedral: Gotland Island’s Merchant Church

Larger than life: Art that inspires us through the ages

A view of the beautiful Visby Cathedral in front of the Baltic Sea. The cathedral is made of limestone from Gotland and was designed as a three-aisled Romanesque basilica, influenced by German models (particularly from Rhineland). It is composed of a square chancel, a square western tower, and two octagonal towers. The domes of all three towers burned down in the 18th century and were replaced with the current ones. RPBaiao/Shutterstock

Once a strategic point for European merchants due to its proximity to the Baltic Sea, the old medieval town of Visby is filled with beautiful architecture. On the Swedish island of Gotland, one building in particular stands out: the Visby Cathedral.

Originally built as a church dedicated to St. Mary in the 12th century, it was rebuilt in the 13th century by the Hanseatic League, an organization formed by German merchant guilds. At that time, it dominated commercial activity in Northern Europe, and many Germans lived in Gotland.