Högalid Church

The two tall towers of Högalid Church can be seen across the whole of Södermalm. Tengbom built the church of handmade brick, and inside opens a tall space with an atmosphere that recalls medieval churches.

The population of Södermalm grew rapidly in the early 20th century, and a new church was needed for the new Högalid parish. Ivar Tengbom won the competition, and the church was built in 1916–1923. It was consecrated in 1923, the same year as the City Hall. In the same period Tengbom also designed the Concert Hall at Hötorget. The church was placed high on the hill so that its towers could be seen from afar.

The church is built of handmade brick and has two tall, slender towers. The brick is also visible inside, where the church interior is tall and solemn. Many of the artists and craftsmen of the time contributed to the decoration. The building shows late National Romanticism’s love of brick, craftsmanship and monumental volumes.

Högalid Church is one of Stockholm’s best-known churches and an important venue for church music. It marks the transition from National Romanticism to the classicism of the 1920s, which Tengbom himself was to lead with the Concert Hall and the Match Palace.

• National Romanticism
• Ivar Tengbom