St. Knud's Church in Odense

St. Knud's Church is Gothic in its purest form and one of Denmark's most beautiful churches. St. Knud's church is the third church on this location. In 1086 King Knud was killed in what was then a wooden church. Already in 1101 he was canonized and thus a quite big travertine church was built. In the crypt of the church remains of this travertine church, burning down in 1247, can be seen. But above all the crypt contains King Knud's coffin with his skeletal remains.

Bishop Gisico, Bishop of Odense from 1286-1300, began converting the church, increasing its size. This is recorded in a "birth certificate" under the outer cornice on the south and north wall. This renovation transformed the church into a masterpiece of the national (pointed arch) Gothic style. The profiled bricks used for the soaring pillars that bear the ceiling of the church, as well as the   doors   and   windows, display architectural   impulses   from some of the then leading cities in, for example, northern Germany. Today  the  church   is about 62 metres long and 22 metres wide. It consists of a nave and two aisles, separated by two rows of pillars.

When   the   church was   restored  in   the 1870s the high staircase leading up to the altar, something quite unusual for a gothic church, was added to the church, and the crypt was rediscovered and opened, after having been closed after the reformation.

The incredibly beautiful altarpiece is carved by the wood-carver Claus Berg. It was commissioned by Queen Christine, the queen of King Hans for the now demolished Grayfriar's Church and it was finished c. 1521, meaning before the ref­ormation. In connec­tion with the big restoration in 1881 the altarpiece came to St. Knud's Church. This amazing work of art, which has a generous coating of 23-carat gold leaf, is Claus Berg's main work of art. With its firm, medieval, theological composition the triptych bears the stamp of its Chatolic origin, but it invites all Christians to contemplation and insight. The only figure that is clearly seen as soon as we enter the church is Christ on the cross (1). Mary and the infant Christ (2), Christ on the cross (1) and Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven (3) make up the central axis.

From the cross, the Tree of Life, stylized branches sprout up, dividing the centre into three horizontal panels. In the topmost to the left we see characters from the Old Testament (4). Underneath on both sides of the cross we see a number of Chatolic saints, among others nearest to the cross to the left Frans of Assisi (5). Finally at the base panel a number of splendidly dressed women, wearing the fashion of that time (6). The 16 pictures of the side panels (7-22), which have to be read horizontally from the left, depict the Passion of Christ (7-14), and the events from Easter to Pentecost (15-22).

The base (23) shows the royal family, carved to be fair portraits. The kings Hans and Christian II to the left, their queens to the right of the stigmatised Christ, risen from the dead with the crown of thorns on his head. He was probably placed there to emphasize the presence of Christ during Holy Communion.

 

Source: The informational list of the St. Knud's Church