Medieval churches in Denmark

Tystrup Church

Tystrup Church was built in the first half of 12th century and first mentioned in 1370. The nave and choir were built in Romanesque style. The Gothic tower, porch and sacristy were added later. The vaults date from around 1450. The interior is decorated with mural paintings made around 1450-1475. The Baroque pulpit dates from 1635-1640 and organs from 1860.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Fuglebjerg, Denmark

Egtved Church

Egtved church was built in a Romanesque church in 1170 and a tower dates from 1863. The Egtved-runestone was found near the church in 1863, and are on display in the church.
Founded: 1170 | Location: Egtved, Denmark

Gram Church

Gram Church is a beautiful 12th century village church, once owned by the King. During the war with Sweden, it was given to Count Hans Schack, who presented it to the Danish state in 1926. Count"s chair from 1697, epitaphs and 6 old headstones in the porch.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Gram, Denmark

Hammelev Church

Hammelev Church dates from the Middle Ages and it was enlarged with porch and sacristy in the 18th century.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Haderslev, Denmark

Hvirring Church

The apse, choir and nave of Romanesque style Hvirring Church are built of granite. It was erected around 1175. The pulpit dates from the late 1500s.
Founded: c. 1175 | Location: Hedensted, Denmark

Hørup Church

Hørup Church is a Romanesque whitewashed granite block church with Gothic additions. It has an separate belfry. The pulpit dates from 1576 and 12 apostle figures in the altarpiece from 1425.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Sønderborg, Denmark

Stepping Church

Stepping Church was built in the early 12th century and the Late Gothic tower was added later. The pulpit dates from 1588.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Kolding, Denmark

Viuf Church

Viuf Church was built first time in the mid-12th century and it has been restored several times. The Romanesque choir and nave were built in Romanesque style and the tower was added in 1730. The church bell dates from 1447 and pulpit from 1600.
Founded: c. 1150 | Location: Kolding, Denmark

St. Bodil's Church

St Bodil's Church (Sankt Bodil Kirke) was built around 1200. It was dedicated to the English saint Botulf but by 1530 it had mistakenly become known by the woman's name "Bodil" although there has never been a Saint Bodil. As a result, the parish is called Bodilsker. The church first belonged to the Archbishopric of Lund, then came under the Danish crown at the time of the Reformation. In the 19th century, it became fully ...
Founded: ca. 1200 | Location: Neksø, Denmark

Selsø Church

Selsø Church was originally a small round church built in c. 1150. The two bells were probably casted in 1300 and 1467. The church has some wonderful mural paintings.
Founded: c. 1150 | Location: Skibby, Denmark

Aggersborg Church

The Vikings had a stronghold at Aggersborg surrounded by an enormous rampart. Towering to the north of the rampart there is a church of Aggersborg, probably erected during the 12th century. An interesting illuminated inscription of runes can be seen on the walls of the nave and the northern chancel wall. The altarpiece dates back to 1598, but it wasn't placed in Aggersborg until 1934. The previous altarpiece can be seen o ...
Founded: c. 1100 | Location: Logstor, Denmark

Kastrup Church

Kastrup Church was rebuilt to the Gothic style around 1480 and it was dedicated to St. Clemens. The altarpiece dates from 1520 and the crucifix from 1300s. The pulpit was made in c. 1600. There are graves of 98 German soldiers and 15 civilians from the World War II.
Founded: 1480 | Location: Vordingborg, Denmark

Fejø Church

Fejø Church oldest part was constructed in 1240, while the chancel, nave and church porch were added over the subsequent decades. In the Middle Ages the church was dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. The church is situated right down by the water and originally served as a church for the surrounding islands, from where the congregation came to church by boat. The church has a tiled pyramidical r ...
Founded: 1240 | Location: Fejø, Denmark

Fole Church

Fole Church was built in the 12th century. After the Reformation it was moved to the crown who donated it in 1673 to count Schack, the owned of near Gram castle. The church has Romanesque features and Gothic tower.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Gram, Denmark

Old Haderslev Church

The old church of Haderslev (Gammel Haderslev Kirke) was uilt in the twelfth century as a Romanesque granite church, and the first tower was built in the Gothic time. The present tower is from 1911-12, but many changes have taken place through the centuries. The altar is made by granite. There is a wooden crucifix, and some brass-candlesticks from 1609. The frescos behind the altar have a motive from the Apocalypse. The ...
Founded: 12th century | Location: Haderslev, Denmark

Taps Church

Taps Church consists of Romanesque style choir, nave and apse and late medieval tower. The altarpiece is late Gothic.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Kolding, Denmark

Himmelev Church

Himmelev Church dates probably from the late 1100s and it was built in Romanesque style. The tower and arches were added around 1300 as well as Gothic style windows. The tower was rebuilt of brick around 1550. The oldest item in church is a crucifix from the 1300s. The font dates from 1625 and pulpit from 1630. The altar was made by Anders Nielsen Hatts workshop in Roskilde in the early 1600s.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Roskilde, Denmark

Vrejlev Priory

Vrejlev Priory was founded as a daughter house by canons from Børglum Abbey about 1165. It was small and built out of granite blocks. After a catastrophic fire in 1200 which destroyed the entire premises, it was decided to rebuild. 12 residential cells were built into the new north range for the Premonstratensian nuns who were to live in the rebuilt priory. Another range contained the refectory and cellars, and a third r ...
Founded: 1165 | Location: Vrå, Denmark

Bogø Church

Bogø Church was originally built in the first part of the 13th century, but it was rebuilt in Gothic style in the mid-1500s. Today some medieval frescoes have survived.
Founded: 12th century | Location: Bogø, Denmark

Thorsager Church

Thorsager round church is the only one of its kind in Jutland (and one of Denmark's seven medieval round churches). It was built of brick around 1200 and is one of Jutland's oldest brick buildings - perhaps the oldest. Its thick walls (1m) are an indication of the defensive role it played. The church may lie on the site of a pre-Christian sacrificial place for the god Thor. The size of the church and its architecture s ...
Founded: c. 1200 | Location: Rønde, Denmark

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Krickenbeck Castle

Krickenbeck moated castle is one of the oldest on the lower Rhine. Its history dates back to the year 1104, when the castle was first mentioned. It is unclear why the old castle, which was certainly inhabited by Count Reginar, was abandoned or destroyed. In the mid-13th century the castle was moved to the current location. At the end of the 14th century the new castle belonged to the Counts of Kleve.

Johann Friedrich II of Schesaberg converted the castle into a Baroque mansion between 1708-1721. On September 7, 1902, a fire destroyed the entire mansion. From 1903 to 1904, a three-winged castle was built in the Neo-Renaissance style. Today Krickenbeck is a conference center.