Tillitse Church is a Romanesque building west of the village of Dannemare, some 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Built of red brick in the first half of the 13th century, it has an intricately carved auricular altarpiece created by Jørgen Ringnis in 1642. An 11th-century runestone stands outside the church entrance. [1] [2]
Built in the first half of the 13th century, the church was extended towards the west in the early 17th century. Little is known of its ownership in the Middle Ages but the Crown had clerical appointment rights at the time of the Reformation. In 1648, it was transferred to the ownership of the Rudbjerggård Estate where over the years it was governed by F.B. Bülow and Gustav Smith. It came into the ownership of Gustav Smith c. 1850 and was transferred to the Friderichsen family in 1850. In c. 1880, it was taken over by Landsmandsbanken which transferred it to the local congregation in 1907. [2]
The church consists of a Romanesque apse, chancel and nave. It was extended towards the west in 1625 with a porch on the west gable in 1856. An arched frieze decorates the upper apse, topped by a saw-toothed cornice. Its three finely finished Romanesque windows have now been bricked up. The profile of the chancel's former south door can still be seen. There is a saw-tooth decoration along the top of the chancel with a more recent cornice. The remains of the nave's south portal extend up to the roof. The old Romanesque windows have been replaced by modern pointed-arch windows. There are lesenes on the east corner but those on the west corner have been removed. There is also an arched decorated topped by a saw-toothed line along the top of the nave. [2]
The carved altarpiece from 1642 is the work of Jørgen Ringnis. It bears the arms of Joachim von Barnewitz, Øllegaard Pentz and Hartwig Passow. The Renaissance pulpit from 1608 presents the arms of Knud Rud and Ellen Marsvin. The church also contains a sandstone epitaph for Joachim von Barnewitz (died 1626) and Øllegaard Hartvigsdatter Pentz (1684–1654). There is a Romanesque font. [3]
Notable people buried in the graveyard include Ludvig Eduard Alexander Reventlow, who purchased the Rudbjerggård estate in 1891.
There is a free-standing runestone listed as DR 212 in the Rundata catalog that is outside the church porch. It was originally found in the churchyard wall in c. 1627 and was later used as a foundation for the porch. Dated to the mid-11th century, it is 143 cm (56 in) high and 81 cm (32 in) wide. The stone contains two inscriptions which read (translated): "Áskell, Súlki's son, had this stone raised in memory of himself. Ever will stand, while the stone lives, this memento, which Áskell produced. May Christ and Saint Michael help his soul." and "Tóki carved the runes in memory of Þóra, his stepmother, a good wife." [4] [5]
Østerlars Church is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churches.
Tingsted Church, located on high ground in the village of Tingsted on the Danish island of Falster, dates from c. 1200. Built in the Romanesque style, it is best known for its frescos from the end of the 15th century.
Aastrup Church, located on the top of a steep hill in the village of Aastrup, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Stubbekøbing on the Danish island of Falster, dates from c. 1200. Built in the Late Romanesque style, it has frescos from the 13th and 15th centuries.
Nørre Alslev Church in the small town of Nørre Alslev in the north of Danish island of Falster dates from at least 1308, a date found on its early frescos. Built in the Early Gothic style and painted pink according to local tradition, it is best known for its fresco of the death dance.
Torkilstrup Church is located in the village of Torkilstrup some 7 km (4 mi) southeast of Nørre Alslev, on the Danish island of Falster. It is built of hewn fieldstone rather than brick, indicating it is one of the oldest churches on the island from before 1160.
Stubbekøbing Church is located in Stubbekøbing some 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Nørre Alslev on the Danish island of Falster. The basilical nave was built of limestone in the Late Romanesque period. Choir and tower are of brick, the choir built in Early Gothic style, tower and the northern chapels in the 15th century in Late Gothic style. In addition to its Renaissance altarpiece and pulpit, it has a variety of old frescos and wall decorations (1300–1500).
Brarup Church is located in the village of Brarup some 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Nørre Alslev on the Danish island of Falster. The Late Romanesque church has frescos from various periods including several by the Brarup Master and his workshop from the early 16th century.
Eskilstrup Church is a church in Eskilstrup, Denmark. The church dates from the 12th century and was built in the Romanesque style. In accordance with a local tradition, it is painted red. It is best known for its frescos, said to be Denmark's oldest.
Toreby Church is the parish church of Toreby on the Danish island of Lolland. It is an unusually large red-brick Romanesque building, the nave and chancel having been extended in the Gothic period with a sacristy and lateral aisle. The tower is late Romanesque. There are frescos from c. 1400 in the sacristy. The carved pulpit (1645) is the work of Jørgen Ringnis.
Østofte Church, located in the village of Nørreballe on the Danish island of Lolland, was built in the 14th century. The Romanesque apse, chancel and nave formed the original building while the tower and porch were added in the Late-Gothic period and the north wing was completed in 1656.
Sandby Church is located in the village of Sandby some 7 km northwest of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Dating from the middle of the 13th century, the church has a Romanesque chancel and nave and a Late Gothic tower.
Halsted Church stands in the little village of Halsted some 6 km east of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Dating from the second half of the 12th century, the church has a Romanesque chancel and nave, a large burial chapel from 1636 and a tower from 1877. The church was closely associated with Halsted Priory, which has not survived.
Nakskov Church is the largest church in Nakskov on the west coast of the Danish island of Lolland. As Nakskov was mentioned in Valdemar's Census Book in the 13th century, the church probably dates to the same period.
Tågerup Church is a Romanesque parish church located 4 km southeast of Rødby on the Danish island of Lolland. Dating from the beginning of the 13th century, its nave is richly decorated with early 16th-century frescos painted by the Brarup workshop.
Fuglse Church is a parish church located some 13 km (8.1 mi) south of Maribo on the Danish island of Lolland. The original Romanesque church was almost totally rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the late 16th century. Standing prominently on a hilltop, the red-plastered building has a tall spire roofed in shingles.
Dannemare Church is a Neo-Romanesque church in the village of Dannemare, some 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Built in 1897, it replaced the earlier Romanesque church which burnt down in 1897.
Dannemare is a village on the Danish island of Lolland located 11 km south of Nakskov and 19 km west of Rødby. As of 2020, it has a population of 407.
Arninge Church is a Late Romanesque church in the little village of Arninge, some 8 km (5.0 mi) south of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Built of red brick in the 13th century, it has an intricately carved auricular altarpiece created by Henrik Werner in 1644.
Gloslunde Church is a Romanesque church east of Dannemare, some 13 km (8.1 mi) southeast of Nakskov on the Danish island of Lolland. Now whitewashed, it was built of red brick in the 13th century.
Øllegaard Hartvigsdatter Pentz was a Danish noble and landholder. Her holdings included the estates Rudbjerggård and Fredsholm on Lolland.
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