| Wednesday, May 2, 2007 |
| Sct. Knud's Kirke (St. Canute's Church) |
Okay so I can't sleep and TECHNICALLY it is "tomorrow", so I'm going to make an early morning post.
This picture is of St. Knud's church in Odense. A very, VERY old church which has been built and rebuilt a number of times but is still standing quite prominently in the city center (the building you can see with the Danish flag on the left is the Town Hall).
Saint Canute's Cathedral (Danish: Odense Domkirke or Sct. Knuds Kirke) is named after the Danish king Canute the Saint (Danish: Knud den Hellige). Although King Canute the Saint was, historically, not much of a saint, there is an unusual reason for this nickname. Fleeing a rebellious force, the king took shelter in the Church of St. Alban's, a wooden church in Odense.
The rebels, however, were not about to let him flee, and killed him inside the church. The story tells that he died kneeling in front of the altar, praying, although his bones, which can still be viewed, tell a different story. King Canute was struck low in the abdomen by a spear while he was standing facing his attacker, and most likely killed by a blow to the head which fractured the skull.
Having been killed in a church by rebellious subjects, he was declared a saint in 1101, mostly for political reasons, and against the wishes of his successor and half-brother, Olaf I. Saint Canute's Cathedral was built in memory of this, although not in the same excact place as the original church. The oldest parts of the cathedral are from the early 1300s.
Source: Wikipedia
The church is REALLY beautiful inside and I've seen the bones of Knud and his brother who lies next to him. That part is not always open, though.
Oh and also, going past the church, you can see one of the cream-colored Fyn Buses that I made a post about a couple days ago ;) |
posted by Erin @ 12:21:00 AM   |
|
| 4 Comments: |
-
Saints and sinners. I think this is a different story but then who knows. John Wilkes Booth who shot my cousin, President Lincoln, was killed in a barn. Fortunately not in a church.
-
I had the greatest time here. It's just beautiful inside....incredible brick Gothic structure, and with the beatified king and his brother on display too!
There was also a great donner kebab place nearby as I remember.
Thanks for sharing it!
-
ah, you mention the bones. is there any schedule when they close that part off to the public?
hej hej. (The only Danish I remember.)
-
^ There is quite a few kebab and pizza shops near-by, actually, since it's right in the center of town where all the pubs are ;)
Well, I don't think there's a schedule to when they close off the underground area where the bones are; I think it's just when there is an event going on there, like a choir/music group performing or a holiday. Once I saw a load of folded chairs down there, so either they were about to have a special service or they just had.
Usually, the bones are on view, though.
Well, here is some more Danish for you to learn!:
"Hvordan går det?" -- (Pronounced: vor-dan gore day?)
It means: "Hows it going?" - something that you'd say to your friends or people you know well :)
When did you last go to DK? What made you come to Odense? And do you plan on coming again?
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
Saints and sinners. I think this is a different story but then who knows. John Wilkes Booth who shot my cousin, President Lincoln, was killed in a barn. Fortunately not in a church.