Gyrstinge Church

The Church's Surroundings

The former Gyrstinge vicarage now functions as the parish hall and as a home for local institutions and associations. The parish priest's residence is located in Bringstrup. Gyrstinge parish includes the villages of Gyrstinge and Ørslevvester.

In the former vicarage garden, local efforts have created a park with paths, vegetation, and a small lake. In the northwest corner of the garden, a small mound has been constructed. Climb to the top of the mound for an overview or find a corner in the garden and view the church from a new perspective!

Outside

The church building consists of a Romanesque* nave* and a Romanesque chancel*. The tower and porch* were constructed in late Gothic* style. Originally, the chancel had an apse*, which was demolished in 1848 to make space for the sacristy*. The tower and porch are made of monk bricks* mixed with field stones. Both structures show signs of restoration carried out in the 19th century.

Inside

The vaults in the church's nave were built around 1400. There are two vaults in the nave and one in the chancel. Around 1500, they were decorated with chain ornaments* between small, green flowers. On the arches, you can see reddish-brown wave-like vines and diagonal bands. The organ is placed unusually for a village church, positioned on a sort of bridge above the back pews. The baptismal font is in Romanesque style, carved from granite. The top edge is adorned with so-called "rope twisting," a popular decoration in Romanesque stone art.

Frescoes

In 1897, traces of frescoes were discovered in the church's nave. The oldest of these were painted on the walls of the nave and are believed to date from the mid to late 1200s. When examined in 1897, the remains of the frescoes were in such poor condition that they were whitewashed over. During the same examination, remnants of a painted flower were found, but no actual motifs were likely painted on the vaults, except for the aforementioned ornaments.

The Pulpit

The pulpit is from around 1600 and is made in High Renaissance style*. The five panels feature paintings of the Holy Trinity and the four evangelists, symbolized by the following animals: Matthew – a human with wings, Mark – a lion with wings, Luke – an ox with wings, and John – an eagle. On the staircase panel, there are motifs of flowers and fruits. Both the colors and the inscriptions in Latin and Danish have been "freshened up" in a later restoration.

Money Block

On the north wall of the nave (behind the baptismal font), there is a recess in the wall. The money block is carved from a single oak post. Above the block in the wall is a hollow where one can just slip a hand inside.

Altarpiece

The altarpiece of Gyrstinge Church is the work "Golgotha," created by Grethe Bagge (1925–2012). The bronze relief of Golgotha won a competition for altarpiece decoration for Gyrstinge Church. The plaster version was exhibited at the Spring Exhibition at Charlottenborg in 1954 and was awarded the Academy's Gold Medal. However, due to the National Museum's discovery of frescoes in the church, the relief was not created at that time and was later forgotten.

In 2008, Grethe Bagge offered the parish council of Gyrstinge Church to see the relief before it was moved. The parish council was surprised, but the competition had been mentioned in the parish council's old handwritten records. They gratefully accepted the offer and had the sculpture cast in bronze by Skulpturstøberiet in Svendborg, led by Jørn Svendsen.

The relief was installed on April 2, 2009, and consecrated during a festive service on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009.

The people at the foot of the cross are, at the bottom left:

Mary (the mother of Jesus), Mary Magdalene, Mary (Jesus' aunt) (John 19:25).

Above them to the left: Joseph of Arimathea holding the chalice (cup) with Christ’s blood.

To the right of the cross: The young man whom the soldiers tried to capture in the Garden of Gethsemane but who escaped, and the Apostle John (John 19:27).

Far right: The Roman soldier whose spear was later thrust into Jesus’ side to show that death had occurred.

Gravestones

On the north wall of the nave, there are memorial plaques for several of the priests of Gyrstinge Church:

A: Mr. Peder Ladorph, parish priest for Gyrstinge and Kirke Flinterup, and provost for Alsted Herred. B: Jens Poulsen, priest for Gyrstinge and Kirke Flinterup for 40 years. The plaque’s text tells of the priest’s family and his tragic death in a fire in 1663. C: Peder Hansson Lolch. The stone was paid for by 9 of the priest’s original 13 children.

On the western wall of the porch, there is a gravestone. The inscription has mostly worn away, likely because the stone was once used as a step in the vicarage. However, the year 1698 and the rough initials H H S and D C W can still be discerned.

The Ship Model

Not to be confused with the main church building. In the ceiling, there hangs a ship model, an exact replica of the schooner Leon, built in Larvik in 1880. The model was made by the retired architect Viggo Bagger. There are several explanations for why ship models hang in many of our churches. One explanation is that the ship symbolizes the congregation, with Jesus as the captain. (The church) ship is the space where the congregation gathers during services. And we must not forget that Denmark is a seafaring nation.

Glossary

• Roadside Church (Vejkirke): A parish church within the Church of Denmark that remains open for visits during the day. Note that the church may be closed during religious ceremonies. If you want to plan a visit to Gyrstinge Church, call the priest at mobile 25 72 30 10 to inquire about any church services. You can also take a brochure in the porch and find inspiration for trips to other roadside churches in the country.

• Romanesque: In art and architecture, Romanesque refers to the style that was predominant in Europe from 1000 to 1200. Romanesque architecture is characterized by round arches and simple, solid forms.

• Nave (Skib): The main area of the church, i.e., between the tower and the chancel. The congregation sits here during services.

• Chancel (Kor): The part of the church where the altar is placed. In Romanesque churches, the chancel is typically narrower than the nave. Originally, the chancel was reserved for the priest and choir. In most village churches, the chancel and altar face east.

• Porch (Våbenhus): The entry area to the church. The porch is usually located at the entrance to the nave. In some churches, the porch is built together with the tower. Many medieval churches added porches in the late Gothic period (1400-1500s). The original function of the porch was to shelter those who, according to earlier traditions, were not allowed inside the church. The term "porch" has lost some clarity. A common explanation is that weapons, such as swords or sickles, were left in the porch before entering God’s house. This is a myth, as there were almost no people in the congregation who carried weapons.

• Gothic (Gotik): A style of architecture common in Europe from 1150 to 1550. Gothic architecture is characterized by pointed, sharp, and angular lines (in contrast to the Romanesque style with round arches). The lines in Gothic style reach vertically towards the heavens. Arches, vaults, and columns direct the gaze upwards to the divine in the sky. Gothic style arrived in Denmark around 1250.

• Field Stones (Kampesten): Also called "gray stones." These are blocks of granite, gneiss, or crystalline schist. The majority of the country's medieval churches were built with field stones gathered from local fields.

• Monk Bricks (Munkesten): Large bricks often seen in medieval buildings.

• Apse (Apsis): A semi-circular building that serves as the ending. According to Roman tradition, the apse was the most important part of the building and symbolized the most significant aspect of the church, which is the altar.

• Sacristy (Sakristi): The room in the church that houses the locked cabinet containing the altar disc, chalice, and cups used for communion, as well as the priest's vestments. In many medieval village churches, the sacristy is an addition to the nave.

• Ornament: A stylized figure, pattern, or drawing, often depicting entwined plants, fantasy animals, and similar elements.

• Renaissance (Renæssance): The period from 1300 to 1500 when the medieval unitary culture dissolved, and the foundation for modern European culture was created. The High Renaissance covers approximately the period 1500-1550.

For further reading, see the National Museum's website here: National Museum - Gyrstinge Church