St. Nicolai Church (Vejle)

St. Nicolai Church (Danish: Sct. Nicolai Kirke) in Vejle, Denmark is a Lutheran church. The building is dating to the 13th century. Originally built in late Romanesque style and dedicated to the patron saint of merchants and seafarers, the church is the oldest building in the community.[1] Renovations in the 15th century developed the church into a Gothic hall with two transepts and a tower 27.2 m (89 ft) high.

Saint Nicolai Church
Sankt Nicolai Kirke
CountryDenmark
DenominationChurch of Denmark
History
DedicationSaint Nicholas
Architecture
Architectural typeRomanesque architecture, Gothic architecture
Completed13th century
Administration
ParishSankt Nikolaj Sogn
DeaneryVejle Provsti
DioceseDiocese of Haderslev

On display in a glass-covered sarcophagus in the northern transept are the remains of the Haraldskær Woman, one of the best conserved of the Iron Age bog bodies.[1] The southern transept houses the sarcophagi of Kai de la Mare and his wife. The exterior brick wall of the north transept has an interesting feature of 23 spherical indentations approximately 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter, which hold the skulls of 23 robbers who were caught and beheaded in the nearby Nørreskov forest.[2][3] In front of the church stands a sculpture of the priest Anders Sørensen Vedel.

The church was seriously damaged during the Thirty Years' War by the troops of Wallenstein. Since that time it has undergone several major restorations: in 1744, 1855-56, 1887-88 and 1964-66.[4]

References
  1. Hvass, Lone, Dronning Gunnhild', Sesam, 1998, pg. 7 ISBN 87-7801-725-4
  2. Hogan, C.M. History of Sct. Nicolai Kirche, Vejle, Denmark, Lumina Technologies, Santa Rosa Ca. July 23, 2006
  3. "Sct. Nicolai Kirke". Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  4. "Vejlenikolai_kirke". Retrieved 2008-08-19.

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