Århus Domkirke

Lonely Planet review

With a lofty nave spanning nearly 100m in length, Århus Domkirke is Denmark's longest church. Its construction began around 1200 and took 100 years to complete. In the 15th century the cathedral was transformed from its original Romanesque style to its current Gothic character. At that time the roof was raised over the nave, the landmark clock tower was erected, high Gothic windows were installed and the chancel extended.

Århus Domkirke was once richly decorated with frescoes that were painted to convey biblical parables to illiterate peasants. After the Reformation in 1536 church authorities, who felt the frescoes embodied Catholicism, had them all whitewashed. Many of these frescoes, which range from tormented scenes of hell to fairy-tale-like paintings, have now been uncovered and painstakingly restored. Just north of the altar is a powerful painting of St George, the patron saint of knights, who is slaying a dragon while a grateful princess looks on; the Arabic numerals in the corner date it to 1497. The fresco depicting Heaven, Hell & Earth is also worth some contemplation. A focal point of the cathedral is the ornate, five-panel gilt altarpiece made in Lübeck by the renowned woodcarver Bernt Notke in the 15th century. In its centre panel, to the left of the Madonna and child, is a gaunt St Clement, to whom Århus Domkirke was dedicated. Rather ironically, Clement became the patron saint of sailors by having the inauspicious fate of drowning at sea with an anchor around his neck. The anchor, which has come to symbolise St Clement, can be found in many of the cathedral's decorations. Other items worthy of special attention are the bronze baptismal font dating from 1481, the finely carved Renaissance pulpit created in 1588, the magnificent baroque pipe organ made in 1730, the large votive ship from the 18th century, and the baroque sepulchre in the Marselis family chapel.