Saint Lars was one of the largest churches in medieval Visby. It was named after Saint Lawrence, a Christian martyr who was burned alive on a gridiron in 258 AD. The church dates back to the 12th century and was expanded in the 13th century to accommodate the growing population of the city. It was the only church in Visby to have five portals.
The church was destroyed during the Battle of Visby in 1361, and today only the ruins of the chancel and parts of the nave and transept remain. The chancel is the only part of the church that still has a roof.
The chancel of St.Lars church was long and wide. It was built in Gothic style with pointed arches and vaults. The east wall of the chancel has three windows, one of which is a rose window. The window tracery is highly decorated and typical of the Gothic style. The south wall of the chancel has a double piscina and a sedilia, which were used for washing the communion vessels and for the priests to sit during the mass.
The nave of the church had six bays and five portals. The north portal was the main entrance to the church. The west portal was the second largest and was used by the bishop and the clergy. The south portal was reserved for women, and the east portal was used for funerals.
The transept of the church was used for processions and was decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible. The transept also had a rose window in the east wall.
St. Lars Church was one of the wealthiest churches in Visby, and had several altars and chapels dedicated to different saints. The church also had a chapter house, a sacristy, and a bell tower. The bell tower was destroyed in the Battle of Visby, but its foundation can still be seen near the church ruins.
Legend has it that a sad monk haunts the ruins to this day because he cannot find the treasure that was once hidden somewhere within the church.
