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Østerlars Church

Østerlars Church

Photo: Per Trangbæk · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Location
Bornholm, Denmark
Client / Owner
—
Year
Completed 1160
Access
Public
Typology
Spiritual

Østerlars Church stands just north of the village of Østerlars on the Danish island of Bornholm, 5 kilometers south of Gudhjem. It is dedicated to St. Lawrence. It was built around 1160, based on coins dated 1157 found in the floor. It is the largest and possibly the oldest of Bornholm's four round churches, and one of Denmark's oldest Romanesque churches.

The round nave is 16 meters in external diameter and the building has three stories. A large hollow central column, about 6 meters wide, holds a small inner room. The walls are fieldstone on limestone foundations. Evidence suggests the church was once fortified, with the top story as an open shooting gallery.

Frescoes from about 1350 on the central column show biblical scenes ending with the Day of Judgment. They were hidden under limewash from the Reformation and uncovered in 1882. A separate bell tower was the original entrance.

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