Stone churches
The earliest medieval stone churches belong to the 13th century, while some of them were erected in the 14th and in the 15th centuries. An apparent economic growth at the end of the 13th century made it possible to erect a large amount of stone churches more or less simultaneously. The building activity continued on a smaller scale, uninterrupted, through the entire medieval period.
The chronology of the stone churches is not yet established in detail, but it seems as if the “mother churches” were finished before 1300, while the chapel churches belong to the 15th century. Finström church was also entirely rebuilt in the 15th century.
The churches were erected in easily split Åland red granite (rapakivi). Bricks are only sporadically used towards the end of the Middle Ages. Fieldstones were preferred to bricks for the vaulting of the naves. Local Ordovician limestone was used for the framing of windows and portals.
Photo: Projekt Ålands Kyrkor, church of Hammarland