The soaring electricity prices in Sweden are impacting not only households and businesses but also the country's religious heritage. On the island of Gotland, where there are 92 medieval churches, heating the historic buildings has become prohibitively expensive, according to a report from SVT Östergötland.
Most of Gotland's medieval churches remain unheated during winter months and are warmed only when needed for services. The cost for heating a single church for an event reportedly ranges between 5,000 and 15,000 Swedish kronor, depending on the building's size. Carin Jakobsson, chair of the church council for Gotlands kyrkor, which maintains the medieval churches, confirmed the financial strain.
The cost for heating a single church for an event reportedly ranges between 5,000 and 15,000 Swedish kronor, depending on the building's size.
The churches typically have outdated electrical and heating systems. A review is currently underway to find a common solution that could work across multiple churches. Jakobsson noted that wood chip heating appears to be the best option, while 17 remaining oil boilers must be removed by 2030 to comply with environmental regulations.
The organization has tested heating solutions in three churches and received various proposals but has not yet determined the optimal approach. The situation highlights how energy price fluctuations affect cultural heritage preservation alongside everyday economic concerns.
wood chip heating appears to be the best option, while 17 remaining oil boilers must be removed by 2030 to comply with environmental regulations.