Vor Frue Kirke (Aarhus)
The Vor Frue Kirke (dt. Our women's church ) in Aarhus is the south wing of the medieval and post- Reformation repealed Dominicans - Monastery of St. Nicholas, which was donated by about 1227th The previous building on this site, of which the crypt is still preserved, was the first stone cathedral in Århus . After today's cathedral, located further east, was put into operation, the Dominicans moved into the old one.
The Dominicans soon began to build their new brick church over the foundation wall of the former cathedral from the middle of the 13th century . After the choir was set up, still in Romanesque style , there was a break. After that, the nave was built in Gothic style .
After the Reformation the church was rededicated as an Evangelical Lutheran parish church.
crypt
Under the choir of today's church is the completely preserved crypt of the previous stone building, which can possibly be regarded as the oldest preserved church space in all of Northern Europe. However, only sparse remains of the church above were found. The crypt was probably built shortly after 1060, when the wooden cathedral was burned down in an attack by the Norwegian King Harald Hardrade (who, six years later, was defeated by the other conqueror Wilhelm in Hastings while attempting to conquer England ). The crypt is made of travertine (spring limestone). At an unknown point in time, the entrance was bricked up. The old lower church was completely forgotten and was only rediscovered in 1955 as part of a renovation of the church. Two years later the three-aisled vaulted room was consecrated again and has since been used regularly for special services. The Romanesque crucifix above the altar is a copy. The original is in the National Museum in Copenhagen and comes from Gammel Åby (in Aarhus Municipality ).
Crypt from around 1060
Copy of a Romanesque crucifix
Web links
- Homepage of the parish
- National Museum: Danmarks Kirker: Vor Frue Kirke, Århus Købstad → PDF Vor Frue Kirke
Coordinates: 56 ° 9 ′ 29.2 ″ N , 10 ° 12 ′ 18.5 ″ E