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. [1]
Dedicated to St Michael, the church was the property of the Crown in the Middle Ages and remained so after the Reformation. In 1726, it was sold by auction to Chamberlain Christian Carl Gabel together with the Fuglsang and Priorskov estates. The Toreby market was moved to Sakskøbing in 1550. [2]
Built c. 1200, Toreby is one of the largest churches in the area. Built of brick with fieldstone foundations, it consists of a nave, two lateral aisles, a chancel, a sacristy and a tower. The nave and part of the chancel remain from the original Romanesque building. Traces of the old apse, removed in the Gothic period, can still be seen. The tower was constructed in late Gothic times, shortly after the church was built. The sacristy to the north of the chancel was built at the beginning of the 14th century. The aisles were added in the Gothic period, first the one on the northern side, then the one to the south. The Late-Gothic porch has been altered several times. [3] [2]
The chancel originally had a flat wooden ceiling, the vaulting was added later. Six-ribbed vaults were also added to the nave and the northern aisle. A fresco of a bassoon-playing angel was found on the chancel arch, probably part of a painting of the Last Judgment. [3]
The altarpiece consists of a painting of the Entombment of Christ, copied from Pietro Perugino's original by Albert Küchler in 1849. The former altarpiece now stands at the west end of the church. The pulpit (1645) in the auricular style is the work of woodcarver Jørgen Ringnis. The north aisle contains a crucifix from c. 1250. [3]
The frescos on the sacristy vault were discovered in 1904 and restored in 1920. Probably dating from the early 14th century, they depict the Enthroned Christ, two angels, John the Baptist with the lamb, and the prophets Zechariah and Jeremiah. Traces of other figures can also be seen including Michael fighting the dragon, the Judgment of Solomon and the Sacrifice of Isaac. There are also traces of frescos of Moses, including Moses and the Burning Bush. [2]
Notable people buried in the churchyard include Bodil Neergaard.
Væggerløse Church is a Romanesque church in the village of Væggerløse, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Nykøbing on the Danish island of Falster. Its early 16th century frescos depict the Supper at Emmaus.
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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.
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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 is a village in Guldborgsund Municipality on the Danish island of Lolland. It is located 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Nykøbing Falster and 11 km (6.8 mi) east of Sakskøbing. It had a population of 623 as of 1 January 2023. The main road through the town is known as Torebyvej.
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Stokkemarke Church is located in the village of Stokkemarke some 11 km (6.8 mi) northwest of Maribo on the Danish island of Lolland. Dating from the middle of the 13th century it was built in the Romanesque style with later additions in the Gothic period.
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.
Olstrup Church is a Romanesque church in open country west of Errindlev in the south of the Danish island of Lolland. There are 16th-century frescos of the Last Judgment on the chancel arch with Christ sitting on a rainbow.
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. The heritage listed Gloslunde Rectory is located next to the church.
Saint Olaf's Church is the cathedral church of Helsingør in the north of Zealand, Denmark. With a history going back to around 1200, the present building was completed in 1559. In 1961, the church was given the status of cathedral in connection with the establishment of the Diocese of Helsingør.
Stege Church, also Sankt Hans Church, is a 13th-century brick church in Stege on the Danish island of Møn. Now in the Gothic architectural style, the church was originally a Romanesque building.
