St Bodil's Church

The Bodil Church is a Grade I listed church in the parish church Bodilsker Sogn on the island of Bornholm. It is a Romanesque building from the 13th century, which was expanded in the early 20th century. The church is located 3.5 km west of Nexø, about half way to Aakirkeby.

History

13th - 19th century

The church was built around 1200 and named after the saint St. Botulf. In 1530 the name of the church was changed to maiden name Bodil, although there is no Holy Bodil. This name is mentioned Landebog in 1569 in the Diocese of Lund.

The original church consisted of a nave, the apse and the choir. The powerful, consisting of meter-thick walls 4 - story tower was built after the construction of the church ( in the Roman period ). Foundations in the ground still show that the tower was originally supposed to have larger dimensions ( floor plan ). It is believed that the tower as it was the case with Scandinavian round churches, the people also served as a shelter against predator attacks, who came especially by sea to the island. To the church included a separately standing bell tower, which also served more defense than the ringing of bells.

Commemorative plaques in the lobby show that in the parish 1618 251 and 1654 186 people died in the years of the plague.

20th century

In 1903, the Bodil church was soon to be demolished as it had already been delivered in the Østermarie Kirke. It was decided to build a new church, as an extension of the old church was not considered possible in light of the liturgical requirements. A special survey of Bornholm churches came to the recommendation of the receipt of the medieval churches of Bornholm. The church was then under the supervision of the Danish National Museum, a historical monument.

In the years 1910 and 1911, it was renovated and expanded to include an additional transept and a porch. The tower and porch were provided along the lines of a weapons house with a gable.

The renovation was found in the floor of the nave 4 coins, an unspecified identifiable coin ( 1100 ), one from Stralsund (1300), Hamburg ( 1400 ) and from Rostock ( 1550-1562 ). Furthermore, were in the wall of the church five rune stones ( Bodilsker Stene, 1867-1883 ) discovered, two of which are situated in the vestibule of the church.

Church interior; equipment

The carved wooden pulpit of the church dates from the Renaissance to 1600 and contains four bays with reliefs of the Evangelists.

The old baptismal font is made ​​of gray, imported from Gotland limestone. " Christ on the Road to Emmaus. " By a statue of the former altarpiece by Jørgen Roed depends from 1856

View of the transept

Pulpit

Font, passages to the tower

Rune stone in the anteroom