Church of our Lady

The Church of Our Lady, or Vor Frue Kirke, is one of the larger churches of Aarhus—Denmark’s second largest city. There was a church on-site here as early as 1060, but only its original stone crypt is part of the structure today.

Originally known as St. Nicolaj’s Church, its name was changed after the Reformation, and the surrounding buildings became a hospital for the disadvantaged. The church saw consistent expansion from 1200 to 1500, including its impressive medieval bell tower. It can be seen from various points in the city, making it a distinctive landmark in Aarhus’s skyline, and a distinguished place on which pigeons like to perch.

Though you wouldn’t glean as much from this image, the interior of the grand old dame is anything but stark. It’s visited for its beautiful stained glass windows and intricate decorations on altarpieces, statues, and biblical frescoes. It has a sundial on its southern wall—an oddity for a church, though handy as a solar-powered clock of sorts.

In the 1950s, the original crypt was rediscovered beneath the structure. After its discovery, it was restored and reopened in 1957. One can visit for weekly mass, or, for the less ecclesiastically inclined, you could have a go at your own game of biblical bingo.

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