Gudhems Nunnery

The living quarters and puthouses in the nunnery were during the first 100 year as far as one can tell built of wood. It was not until after Queen Catherine, wife of King Eric, donated a large sum of money in her will in the mid 13th century, that stone buildings were constructed.

In return for her generosity Queen Catherine was given a splendid ornate tomb in the west end of the church. The carved tombstone which covered the grave is now in the History Museum in Stockholm, and since 1964 a copy has lain in its place.

After the Abbey had been abandoned by the nuns, it was used as a stone quarry and was sson transformed into ruins and gradually from ruins to a grassy hill with trees and odd remains of wall sticking up here and there. In this state the Abbey lay hidden to the world right up until 1928 when the excavations were startet on the site. The work continued til the early 1950's when the abbey ruins as we see them
today, were uncovered and preserved.