Church of Our Lady (Aarhus)
Encyclopedia
The Church of Our Lady is one of the largest churches of Århus, Denmark
. It is situated in the centre of the city not far from Aarhus Cathedral (Århus Domkirke). The church's crypt contains a stone church dating to 1060 AD.
priory in 1240, the Vor Frue Kloster (Our Lady's Priory
), of which the present church formed the southern wing. After the Reformation in Denmark
, the name was changed to the Church of Our Lady and King Christian III
decreed that the surrounding buildings, formerly a priory of the Dominicans, should function as a hospital for the sick and poor. The church was subsequently granted congregational privileges which officially made it a centre for clerical activities in its area.
Between 1250 and 1500 the church was heavily expanded by the addition of, among other things, the large tower. In the 1950s a crypt
-church was rediscovered beneath the church during renovations. The crypt church dates to approximately 1060 AD. The church has since been renovated again in 2000.
The crypt church is the oldest extant stone church in Scandinavia
. Built in 1060 after the old wooden church had been burned in an assault on the town, the church is situated under the main building of the Church of Our Lady. After its discovery in the 1950s it was restored and reopened on 10 November 1957 and is still used for mass once a week.
During the restoration by the Danish National Museum, two graves were found - one of a child and one of an adult - and 23 coins from the 14th century. Five of these coins were from Lübeck
and the rest from Hamburg
.
The crypt church was initially built as an attempt to weaken Adalbert
, archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, who had considerable influence on Danish clerical matters as the head of the Danish church. Svend Estridsen
(1047–1074) divided Denmark into 8 bishoprics, and in 1060 Christian became the first bishop of Aarhus. The crypt church was built the same year.
In approximately 1080 a new and larger church was built named after Saint Nicholas
, just like numerous other Danish churches of the time. In 1180 it was mentioned as Aarhus' first cathedral, but was demolished when the Dominicans
came to the town.
There is no information regarding the following centuries of the history of the crypt church. At some point the rooms were walled off and used as a storage room until the church itself was forgotten.
The priory was separated from the Church of Our Lady during the Reformation, when King Christian III (1534–1559) decided that the church should function as a parish church, while the other priory buildings should be used as a hospital and poor house. In 1888 part of the former priory was converted into a chapel for the residents of the building, then as now principally the elderly.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It is situated in the centre of the city not far from Aarhus Cathedral (Århus Domkirke). The church's crypt contains a stone church dating to 1060 AD.
History
The church was originally known as St. Nicholas' Church but was expanded by the construction of a DominicanDominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priory in 1240, the Vor Frue Kloster (Our Lady's Priory
Our Lady's Priory, Aarhus
Our Lady's Priory, Aarhus was an early Dominican foundation just outside the walls of Aarhus, Denmark.-Early history:The exact date of the founding of Our Lady's Priory is unknown. One source, in an aside, says it was founded about 1227...
), of which the present church formed the southern wing. After the Reformation in Denmark
Reformation in Denmark
The Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein was the transition from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism in the realms ruled by the Copenhagen-based House of Oldenburg in the first half of the sixteenth century...
, the name was changed to the Church of Our Lady and King Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
decreed that the surrounding buildings, formerly a priory of the Dominicans, should function as a hospital for the sick and poor. The church was subsequently granted congregational privileges which officially made it a centre for clerical activities in its area.
Between 1250 and 1500 the church was heavily expanded by the addition of, among other things, the large tower. In the 1950s a crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
-church was rediscovered beneath the church during renovations. The crypt church dates to approximately 1060 AD. The church has since been renovated again in 2000.
Crypt church
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Built in 1060 after the old wooden church had been burned in an assault on the town, the church is situated under the main building of the Church of Our Lady. After its discovery in the 1950s it was restored and reopened on 10 November 1957 and is still used for mass once a week.
During the restoration by the Danish National Museum, two graves were found - one of a child and one of an adult - and 23 coins from the 14th century. Five of these coins were from Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
and the rest from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
.
The crypt church was initially built as an attempt to weaken Adalbert
Adalbert of Hamburg
This article is about Adalbert of Hamburg-Bremen. For other uses, see Adalbert .Adalbert of Hamburg-Bremen was a German prelate, who was Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen from 1043 until his death...
, archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, who had considerable influence on Danish clerical matters as the head of the Danish church. Svend Estridsen
Sweyn II of Denmark
Sweyn II Estridsson Ulfsson was the King of Denmark from 1047 to 1074. He was the son of Ulf Jarl and Estrid Svendsdatter. He was married three times, and fathered 20 children or more, including the five future kings Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood and Niels...
(1047–1074) divided Denmark into 8 bishoprics, and in 1060 Christian became the first bishop of Aarhus. The crypt church was built the same year.
In approximately 1080 a new and larger church was built named after Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
, just like numerous other Danish churches of the time. In 1180 it was mentioned as Aarhus' first cathedral, but was demolished when the Dominicans
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
came to the town.
There is no information regarding the following centuries of the history of the crypt church. At some point the rooms were walled off and used as a storage room until the church itself was forgotten.
Priory
The exact year for the erection of the Dominican priory is not known. Different sources point both to the years 1227 and 1239; it is generally assumed that the priory was fully established by approximately 1240.The priory was separated from the Church of Our Lady during the Reformation, when King Christian III (1534–1559) decided that the church should function as a parish church, while the other priory buildings should be used as a hospital and poor house. In 1888 part of the former priory was converted into a chapel for the residents of the building, then as now principally the elderly.
External links
Sources
- Zwergius, Ole, nd: Århus Vor Frue Kloster 1239-1541. ISBN 87-983814-0-7