Olstrup Church

Olstrup Church, Lolland

Olstrup Church is a Romanesque church in open country west of in the south of the Danish island of Lolland.^[1] There are 16th-century frescos of the Last Judgment on the chancel arch with Christ sitting on a rainbow.

Architecture[]

In the Middle Ages, the church was originally dedicated to St Lawrence. Built of red brick, the relatively small church first consisted of a Romanesque chancel and nave. It was later extended to the west in the Late Gothic period with a stepped gable.^[2] The chancel's cross-vaults and the round chancel arch may date from the church's original construction. The cross-vaults in the nave also seem to be older than the Gothic extension.^[3]

Frescos[]

Fresco of Christ on a rainbow

In 1936, discovered frescos in the east vault of the nave which were dated to c. 1575. They present scenes of the Last Judgment. Christ is depicted sitting on a rainbow with his feet on the globe of the Earth, flanked by trumpet-playing angels and the 12 apostles. Some pre-Reformation features such as the lily and sword are included but there are no halos.^[3]

Interior[]

The carved pulpit from 1622 has figures of the apostles. The canopy is from c. 1675. On the north wall there is a figure of St Lawrence from c. 1300. There is a decorated font in Gotland limestone.^[3]

See also[]

• List of churches on Lolland

References[]

Literature[]

• Kirsten Weber-Andersen, Otto Norn, Aage Roussell, Gertrud Købke Knudsen, "Olstrup Kirke", Danmarks kirker: Maribo amt, Volume 8, 1951, Nationalmuseet, pages 703-714. (in Danish)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Olstrup Kirke.

Coordinates: 54°40′25″N 11°27′54″E / 54.67361°N 11.46500°E / 54.67361; 11.46500