Haderslev Cathedral
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Haderslev Cathedral () also known as Our Lady's Church is the cathedral church of the
Diocese of Haderslev The Diocese of Haderslev ( Danish: ''Haderslev Stift'') is a diocese within the Church of Denmark, established in 1922. List of Bishops * Ove Waldemar Ammundsen, 1923–1936 * Carl Wulff Noack, 1936–1955 * Frode Beyer, 1956–1964 * Thyge Vilhel ...
located in
Haderslev Haderslev (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark with a population of 22,405 (1 January 2025).Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
.


History


The wooden church

It is assumed that the oldest church building in
Haderslev Haderslev (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark with a population of 22,405 (1 January 2025).


1200s

It has previously been assumed that the quarantine church was destroyed in connection with the wars between King
Eric IV of Denmark Eric IV ( – 10 August 1250), also known as Eric Ploughpenny or Eric Plowpenny (), was King of Denmark from 1241 until his death in 1250. His reign was marked by conflict and civil wars against his brothers. Early life Eric was the son of Val ...
and King
Abel Abel ( ''Hébel'', in pausa ''Hā́ḇel''; ''Hábel''; , ''Hābēl'') is a biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within the Abrahamic religions. Born as the second son of Adam and Eve, the first two humans created by God in Judaism, God, he ...
in 1247, but there is no evidence that these wars affected the church. The destruction was probably more about tearing down the too modest old church to construct a larger church with an appearance that suited an expanding city. The quarantine church was replaced with a large brick church in mixed Romanesque-Gothic style. Remains of this church were later used in the construction of the Church of St Nicholas (''Sct. Nicolai Kirke'') in
Aabenraa Aabenraa (; , ; South Jutlandic: ''Affenråe'', also known as Åbenrå) is a town in Southern Denmark, at the head of the Aabenraa Fjord, an arm of the Little Belt, north of the Denmark–Germany border and north of German town of Flensburg. It ...
and
Løgum Abbey Løgum Abbey (; ) was a Cistercian monastery in the present town of Løgumkloster in North Schleswig, Denmark. In 1548, the monastery was closed down. The site is now occupied by Løgumkloster Church. History Løgum Abbey was founded in 1173 b ...
the
Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
abbey in
Løgumkloster Løgumkloster (; both mean 'Løgum monastery'), is a town in Tønder Municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark with a population of 3,519 (1 January 2025).
. One can still imagine its exterior by considering the
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
of the present church, built by large yellow and pink stones, which can easily be distinguished from subsequent changes and extensions whose stone is dark red. The southern
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
is the best preserved part of the building from this period. In 1270 a significant rebuilding took place. The church was constructed in a
Hall church A hall church is a Church (building), church with a nave and aisles of approximately equal height. In England, Flanders and the Netherlands, it is covered by parallel roofs, typically, one for each vessel, whereas in Germany there is often one s ...
model after the North German model, with two side aisles, whose width corresponded to half of the main aisle. The church was larger than the previous one, reflecting the church's new title of a
collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, headed by a dignitary bearing ...
. As such, it was mentioned for the first time in 1273, when it was given to the Bishop of Schleswig to be part of Aller parish. It was then necessary to include a number of altars for the Collegiate Chapter.


1400s

The history of Our Lady's Church was closely linked to the common political and cultural development of
Southern Jutland Southern Jutland (; ) is the region south of the Kongeå in Jutland, Denmark and north of the Eider (river) in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The region north of the Kongeå is called . Both territories had their own ting assemblies in the Mi ...
. In particular, the conflict associated with King
Eric of Pomerania Erik of Pomerania ( 1381/1382 – 24 September 1459) ruled over the Kalmar Union from 1396 until 1439. He was initially co-ruler with his great-aunt Margaret I of Denmark, Margaret I until her death in 1412. Erik is known as Erik III as King of ...
and the
Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein The Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein were titles of the Holy Roman Empire. The dynastic family came from the County of Schauenburg near Rinteln (district Schaumburg) on the Weser in Germany. Together with its ancestral possessions in Bückebur ...
between 1413 and 1423. In those years, the former Schleswig Diocese was divided between the two parties, and the struggles waved especially back and forth in the area around
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish language, Danish and ; ; ) is an independent city, independent town in the far north of the Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg's ...
. This meant that the connection between the collegiate chapter of Haderslev to the Diocese of Schleswig was discontinued and soon a plan was made to separate Haderslev from Schleswig and create a separate Diocese of Haderslev. In 1415 King Erik secured the Our Lady Church in Haderslev and the whole chapter with offices and cannons, against any kind of taxation and other inconveniences. At the same time, the revenues of a number of churches were given to Our Lady's Church in Haderslev, which riches left it with significant large estates. This financial stability granted the chapter the necessarily means to rebuild the church. The new larger church was built between 1420-1440 reflecting the new plans which wanted to create a new diocese with Our Lady's church as its cathedral. The men behind the construction project wanted to create a
Gothic cathedral Gothic cathedrals and churches are religious buildings constructed in Europe in Gothic style between the mid-12th century and the beginning of the 16th century. The cathedrals are notable particularly for their great height and their extensive us ...
, fully worthy of being the main church of an independent Haderslev Diocese. In fact, a document from that time already referred to the new church as Haderslev Cathedral.
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish language, Danish and ; ; ) is an independent city, independent town in the far north of the Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg's ...
fell in 1431 to Schleswig-Holstein forces which prevailed in the long-standing war with King Erik, and the dream of a separate Haderslev Diocese had to be abandoned. The bishop of Schleswig demanded that the construction of the new Haderslev church should be stopped, however the church was still completed in a high Gothic style with tall apses and transept. A tower was later built with a saddle roof. A number of chapels were added to the church building during the late Middle Ages.


Reformation

In 1525 the Collegiate church in
Haderslev Haderslev (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark with a population of 22,405 (1 January 2025).Church of Denmark The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church ( , or unofficially ; ), sometimes called the Church of Denmark, is the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The supreme secular authority of the church is composed of ...
from
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
to
evangelical Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
under the initiatives of King
Christian III of Denmark Christian III (12 August 1503 – 1 January 1559) reigned as King of Denmark from 1534 and King of Norway from 1537 until his death in 1559. During his reign, Christian formed close ties between the church and the crown. He established ...
. In fact Haderslev can therefore be rightly called the "Nordic Wittenberg".


Fire

In 1627, troops of the
Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
caused a terrible fire that hit the church and a large part of the city. The great tower of the church and its western part, as well as the entire northwestern part of the present church building, became a victim of the flames. Restoration and reconstruction progressed slowly and was only completed in 1650. There was no way to restore the church in its original form. The great west side of the church was rebuilt. The main entrance was built using both Renaissance and Baroque architecture. All recent restorations have preserved the church in the shape it had in 1650.


Cathedral Church

The
Diocese of Haderslev The Diocese of Haderslev ( Danish: ''Haderslev Stift'') is a diocese within the Church of Denmark, established in 1922. List of Bishops * Ove Waldemar Ammundsen, 1923–1936 * Carl Wulff Noack, 1936–1955 * Frode Beyer, 1956–1964 * Thyge Vilhel ...
was created in 1922 and Haderslev church was chosen as the cathedral of the diocese. Thus, after nearly 500 years since rebuilding the church with the intention of becoming a cathedral, Haderslev church became an official cathedral in its own right.


Later Renovations

The church was last restored between 1941-51 where the whole of the church was whitewashed. A few paintings were uncovered, amongst them 12 seals of different families from southern Jutland and Holstein Families, another of
Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...
, and in the north crossing one depicting
Saint Barbara Saint Barbara (; ; ; ), known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an Early Christianity, early Christian Greek saint and martyr. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the origin ...
. The restoration was done by architects
Harald Lønborg-Jensen Harald Magnus Lønborg-Jensen (10 October 1871 – 1 November 1941) was a Danish architect known as a productive church and restoration-architect. Biography Harald Lønborg-Jensen was born at Rødemarkshus near Tureby on the island of Zealand ...
and Helge Holm, thereby giving the church its current appearance. In the summer of 2009, a major repair was done on the south side of the roof, which was damaged because of the rain and other elements.


Interior


Altar

The present high altar was added to the church during the renovations of 1941-51. The altar table was designed by Lønborg Jensen. A medieval top with incisions was also added. The crucifix above the altar dates from the 1300s brought over from Egebjerg in
Odsherred Odsherred is a peninsula in the north-western part of the island Zealand (Sjælland) in Denmark. Odsherred stretches from the Sjællands Odde in the north-west to the now drained Lammefjord in the south, covering an area with a wide range of the ...
. The cross includes the four symbols of the evangelists. The cross also features the figures Mary and John dating from the 1400s and originated from Seem Church near
Ribe Ribe () is a town in south-west Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 8,367 (2025). It is the seat of the Diocese of Ribe. Until 1 January 2007, Ribe was the seat of both a surrounding municipality and county. It is now part of the enlarged E ...
. The figures of the twelve apostles date from the 1400s and were previously located in Hertug Hans Hospitalskirke in
Haderslev Haderslev (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark with a population of 22,405 (1 January 2025). The pulpit and its top were donated by Georg von Ahlefeldt and Margrete Blumen in 1636. The stairs leading to the pulpit and the pulpit is decorated with figures of the apostles. The Baptismal fount is made of bronze, was made in 1485 in
Flensburg Flensburg (; Danish language, Danish and ; ; ) is an independent city, independent town in the far north of the Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg's ...
. The font is lifted by 4 figures of the 4 evangelists."Haderslev Cathedral"
''Travel guide''. Retrieved on 07 August 2017.


Organ

The organ originates from 1652 and was made by Peter Carstensen. The organ was restored in 1948 by
Marcussen & Søn Marcussen & Søn, also known as Marcussen and previously as Marcussen & Reuter, is a Denmark, Danish firm of pipe organ builders. They were one of the first firms to go back to classical organ-building techniques, and have been producing tracker ...
. The organ currently has 73 ranks divided into four manuals and pedals, making it one of the largest in Denmark.


Epitaphs in the cathedral

Similar to most city churches, Haderslev Cathedral also houses a number of historically and artistically valuable epitaphs, reminiscent of the famous people of the city and the church in the 1600s and 1700s. These memorial, along with some paintings with biblical motifs, are hung on the church's walls. The epitaphs of the priests of the church were written in Latin, while the memorials of notable citizens were written in German, which was the official language of the town, although most citizens spoke their Danish dialect in their daily lives.


Other works of art

In the southern side of the cathedral there several paintings, including an aftermath of unknown artists high up on the east wall. The painting has been part of the church's former altarpiece. The motif is derived from the renowned renaissance painter Peter Candid's Last supper. The cathedral has 18 chandeliers, the two oldest are from 1605 and 1655 respectively. The Votive ship represents the ''Fyn'' from 1950.


References


External links


Haderslev Domkirke
(nordenskirker.dk)

(KortTilKirken.dk)
Haderslev Domkirke
(Nationalmuseet)


Related reading

*Niels Peter Stilling (2000) ''Politikens bog om Danmarks kirker'' (København: Politikens Forlag) {{Authority control Churches in the Region of Southern Denmark Cathedrals in Denmark Lutheran cathedrals in Denmark Lutheran churches converted from Roman Catholicism Church frescos in Denmark 15th-century churches in Denmark Brick Gothic Gothic architecture in Denmark Romanesque architecture in Denmark Churches in the diocese of Haderslev Haderslev Burial sites of the Piast dynasty German-speaking religious communities abroad Tourist attractions in Haderslev Municipality