Three virtues replaced

Three statues representing the virtues, justice, temperance, and fortitude, once stood in front of the Holy Trinity Church in Kristianstad. But where are they now?

Viking Age
AD 800 – AD 1100
Middle Ages
AD 1050 – AD 1520
Modern Age
AD 1520 – AD 2025

The figures are carved from Gotlandic sandstone. Records from the county archives in Visby, Gotland mention the shipment of sandstone for the construction of the church in Kristianstad in 1617. The sculptures were carved on site. Once completed in 1622, they were placed atop the gable of the church’s southern transept.

A church built of yellow brick. It stands against a clear, blue sky. — Holy Trinity Church in Kristianstad. Photo: Jan Ainali (CC BY 4.0).

During the church’s restoration between 1925 and 1928, it was determined that the sculptures were in such poor condition that they had to be removed. In 1928, they were repaired to allow moulds to be taken.

These casts, made in the early 20th century, served as models for new copies that were carved and installed in place of the originals. The original sculptures were presented by the parish as a gift to the Swedish History Museum.

The three virtues:

A sculpture of yello stone, withered of age.

Fortudio

Fortitude leans on a broken column with one hand and carries a loose fragment of the column over her shoulder.

A sculpture of yelllow stone and rusty iron, clearly in need of TLC.

Justitia

Justice holds a sword in one hand and a set of scales in the other.

Temperantia

Temperance pours wine from a jug into a cup.

Unfit for the outdoors

In 1941, the sculptures were conserved in preparation for outdoor display in the courtyard of the Swedish History Museum. However, it soon became apparent that the figures were too fragile to withstand the elements. They were therefore taken down again and have spent the past 40 years in the museum’s storage facilities.

In the early 2000s, museum conservators carried out another round of cleaning, this time to prepare the statues for indoor display. They now stand in the so-called Lion's Gallery adjacent to the museum’s auditorium.

Summary

The Three Virtues - Justice, Temperance, and Strength - are 17th-century sculptures made of Gotland sandstone that originally adorned the exterior of the Holy Trinity Church in Kristianstad. When the church was restored in the 1920s, the sculptures were in such poor condition that they had to be removed. Copies were placed on the church, while the originals were donated to the Swedish History Museum to be cared for and preserved for the future. After conservation work in the 1940s and further cleaning in the 2000s they are now safely displayed in the museum.

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