Rutsker is a small settlement in Rutsker Parish on 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 ...

. It is situated in the north western part of the island, 3 km northeast of Hasle. The populated area lies immediately south of

Ruth's Church Ruth's Church ( da, Ruts Kirke) is a parish church located in the village of Rutsker near Hasle on the Danish island of Bornholm. The church was built in the early 13th century in the Romanesque style. Situated on a hilltop 130 m above sea lev ...

. As of 2009, Rutsker has a population of 64, nine less than in 2004."408 - Rutsker"
''Bornholms Regionskommune''. (Danish) Retrieved 26 October 2012.

Description

The locality is best known for Ruth's Church, from which it takes its name, "ker" meaning church in the Bornholm dialect. Standing on a hilltop above sea level, it is the highest-lying church in Denmark. Commanding views over the surrounding countryside, it formerly served as a landmark for sailors in the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and fr ...

. Built in the Romanesque style around 1200, much of the original structure has been replaced by extension and reconstruction work. Its separately standing half-timbered bell tower is characteristic of Bornholm churches. With its adjacent rectory, the church stands high above the houses in the locality.

Notable inhabitants

In the 17th century, Poul Ancher, who was the local priest from 1654 to 1697 fought for Bornholm's independence from the Swedes. Rutsker was also the birthplace of

Michael Ancher Michael Peter Ancher (9 June 1849 – 19 September 1927) was a Danish realist artist, and widely known for his paintings of fishermen, the lakes, and other scenes from the Danish fishing community in Skagen. Early life and education Michael ...

(1849–1927), a key member of the impressionist

Skagen Painters The Skagen Painters ( da, Skagensmalerne) were a group of Scandinavian artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, the northernmost part of Denmark, from the late 1870s until the turn of the century. Skagen was a summer destination whose sc ...

."Rutsker"
''Hasle.dk''. Retrieved 26 October 2012.

Gallery

File:Rutskirke.jpg File:Nordenskirker Rut(09).jpg File:Rutsker kirke.JPG

References

{{Bornholm Denmark Bornholm