Østerlars is a village in the northeast of the Danish island of

Bornholm Bornholm () is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland. Strategically located, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. It has usually been ruled by ...

, south of

Gudhjem Gudhjem is a small town and fishing port on the northern coast of the Baltic island of Bornholm, Denmark. Its population is 736 (1 January 2022). Gudhjem is a popular venue for tourists who are attracted by its steep, picturesque streets, views ...

and northwest of Østermarie. It is best known for its round church, the largest on the island. 1. January 2023 it had a population of 294.

Etymology

The village takes its name from

Østerlars Church Østerlars Church (''Østerlars kirke'') is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churche ...

which is dedicated to St Laurentius (St Lawrence). The Danish equivalent, Lars, was also the church's original name but around 1600 the prefix "øster" (eastern) was added to avoid confusion with nearby Nylars.Østerlars kirke. From NaturBornholm
. Retrieved 4 November 2012. Earlier names for the village were Østerlarsker (meaning Østerlars church) and Nybro (new bridge) as a result of the bridge over the stream known as Præstebækken which runs through the village.

History

In the area of the farm buildings next to Østerlars Church, there are traces of buildings from the early

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. Rune stones and gravestones from the Middle Ages have also been found nearby. To the east of the village, Bækkegård and Rytterbakken have provided evidence of communities living during the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

and the Viking period. At the top of the hill near Bækkegård, Bornholm's largest burial site has been found with over 220 graves from 525–850. Østerlars Church, built around 1160, is one of Denmark's oldest Romanesque churches. Today's village grew up around the railway station on the

Aakirkeby Aakirkeby or Åkirkeby is a town in Denmark with a population of 2,119 (1 January 2022). It is the third largest town on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It was the main town of the now abolished Aakirkeby Municipality. The town is s ...

–

line which operated from 1916 to 1952. For a period, it had numerous facilities including a hotel, a bank, a post office, two butchers, a baker, a library and various agricultural interests but today there is only one food store."310 - Østerlars"
''Bornholms Regionskommune''. Retrieved 4 November 2012."Nybro - Østerlarsker - Østerlars"
''På 357 ture i Bornholms natur''. Retrieved 4 November 2012. The old station building designed by

Kay Fisker Kay Otto Fisker, Hon. FAIA (14 February 1893 – 21 June 1965) was a Danish architect, designer and educator. He is mostly known for his many housing projects, mainly in the Copenhagen area, and is considered a leading exponent of Danish Functi ...

and

Aage Rafn Aage Rafn (21 April 1890 - 7 May 1953) was a Danish architect and designer. He headed Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Copenhagen from 1924. Early life and education Rafn was born on 21 April 1890 in Copenhagen, the son off Carl Hjalmar Rafn (1848-1 ...

at No. 42 Nybrovej is now used as a school.Ann Vibeke Knudsen: ''DBJ – Historien om Jernbanerne på Bornholm''. Bornholms Museum, 2007.

The village today

Stretching some on either side of the main road, the village is principally a residential area with two schools. It is one of the island's few villages where the population is expected to increase in the coming years. The church and

Bornholm's Medieval Centre Bornholms Middelaldercenter (Bornholm's Medieval Centre) is a family attraction near Østerlars in northeastern Bornholm, Denmark.Østerlars Church Østerlars Church (''Østerlars kirke'') is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churche ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osterlars Bornholm Cities and towns in the Capital Region of Denmark