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This
is the Cathedral's largest chapel, in the foremost location of
furthest east, nearest sunrise, the point that symbolizes eternity
and the kingdom of God. During the middle Ages the chapel was
dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady Queen of Heaven.
The
burial monument was erected in memory of Gustav Vasa, King of Sweden
1523-1560, and two of his spouses who died before him: Queen
Katarina of Sachsen-Lauenburg and Queen Margareta Leijonhufvud. The
three of them were buried at the same time in the crypt under the
floor just before Christmas 1560. The king's third wife, Katarina
Stenbock, was later also buried here. King Johan III and his
second wife Queen Gunilla Bielke rest in the chapel as well.
The
burial monument was completed first in 1583. The sides are decorated
with the national coat of arms, as well as the oldest known
representations of certain Swedish and Finnish provincial coats of
arms.
The
burial regalia from the Vasa grave can be seen in the Treasury.
During the 1830s, Johan Gustaf Sandberg
painted the wall frescoes with subjects from Gustav Vasa's life: the
march into Stockholm 1523; the battle at Brännkyrka 1518; before
the counsel in Lübeck; at Anders Persson's lodge in Rankhyttan; the
speech to the men of Dalecarlia at Mora church; the first Swedish
bible translation 1541
the farewell speech 1560.
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