Jellinge Kirke: The very first church in Denmark is underneath the floor (indicated by lights in the floor)
I love churches - the old ones from the 12th century, where almost all small Danish communites built one within a short year span - most of which are preserved.
But also moderne churches are interesting to study - and they can in the 20th century become masterpieces of architechture.
I'll try here to present you with my favorites - starting with some Danish churches. Then I'll show you maybe the most impressive and beautiful, namely a church in Helsinki, Finland - and then I'll end up with my favourite, eg. the Episcopalian church in Dickinson, ND - that I visited each sunday during the year 1963/64 as member of the Baird Family.
The first church is Vangede Church in a small suburb to Copenhagen. It is one of four churches made by the Dansh architect von Sprechelsen - and it is just so beautiful inside with a fine altar, a fantastic baptismal font in gold and many other small, but fine effects.
The next church is also made by the same architecht and is Stavnsholt Church, which is located in our neighbourhood, but not "our" church. It has the same components as Vangede, but is more "clean", eg. without the rich decorations and interior, but still beautiful.
(awaiting photo)
The third church: Bagsværd Church is by another famous Danish architech Jørn Utzon, who made the Sydney Opera. It is not pretty from the outside, but very intersting from the inside.
(awaiting photo)
The fourth church is an old one - and also located in our vicinity: Kirke Værløse Church (which is double, since Kirke means church in Danish. My city is Værløse, but the original village was of course furnished with a church, so the city was name with this prefix - today it is just a small village). The photo I want to show is taken from a long distance, but it portrays well, how they placed the church on top of a hill, with the cemetery going downhill and the fields in front of it.
(awaiting photo)
Finally I want to show you "my" church, eg. Værløse Church, which is a modern church. It doesn't look so neat from the outside, but inside I especially like the altar wall with a fantastic decoration. My daughter used to sing in the choir, when she was around 9 years old - and I'll have to find a video, where they sing so beautifully whilst I try to capture this decoration. I was married in this church by the way ...
(awaiting photo)
Oh, I forgot one of the oldest - maybe the oldest church in Denmark, which is on the Unesco World Heritage list: Jelling Kirke. It was here, that the Old King Gorm resided, and his son Harald Bluetooth put up two stones, one of which has the inscription: "King Haraldr ordered this monument made in memory of Gormr, his father, and in memory of Thyrvé, his mother; that Haraldr who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian."
More to follow: The Finnish church in Helsinki: Temppeliaukio Kirkko (Rock Church)
