The current stone church in Hemse dates mainly from the 13th century.

[1] However, about a century earlier there was a stave church built at the same location.

[1][2][3] There have been plans to erect a replica of the church somewhere near its original location.

The oldest of these are in the tower, and depict centaurs assaulting the tree of life.

There is also a rune inscription on the western wall of the choir, a repetition of the futhark or runic "alphabet".