Damsholte Church, located in the village of

Damsholte Damsholte is a village on the Danish island of Møn. It is located some 6 km south-west of Stege. The first reference to Damsholte dates back to 1664. Damsholte Church, the only Rococo village church in Denmark is to be found in the western par ...

on the island of

Møn Møn () is an island in south-eastern Denmark. Until 1 January 2007, it was a municipality in its own right but it is now part of the municipality of Vordingborg, after merging with the former municipalities of Langebæk, Præstø, and Vordingbo ...

in southeastern

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

, is the only village church in the country built in the Rococo style. It is considered to be one of Denmark's finest Rococo buildings.

History

Damsholte Church, with its pale yellow Rococo facade, is unlike any other parish church in Denmark. Its origins, which are comparatively recent, are also unusual. At the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Damsholte and its surroundings had grown so much that there was a real need for a local church. That, at any rate, was the opinion of Provost Jæger in nearby Stege. It is said that at a sumptuous reception in honour of a royal visit by

Christian VI Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

, he convinced the king that Damsholte should become a parish in its own right. There is no historical record of the incident but, in any event, in 1740 there was a royal decree that the western part of Stege parish should be separated off. The king contributed 3,000 rigsdaler to the cost of building the church. Each of the other churches on Møn contributed 1,000 rigsdaler while all the other churches in Denmark contributed 1 rigsdaler each. Designed by

Philip de Lange Philip de Lange (c. 1705 – 17 September 1766) was a leading Dutch-Danish architect who designed many different types of building in various styles including Dutch Baroque and Rococo. Early life and family Philip de Lange was probably born ...

, one of the most prominent architects of the day, the church was completed in 1743. A finely proportioned Rococo church thus came into being in the midst of West Møn's pleasant rolling farmland, the only one of its kind in a Danish village.

Architecture and furnishings

The church consists of a rectangular nave with two pentagonal extensions to east and west. White pilasters decorate each of the corners. Christian VI's monogram can be seen in the triangular gables topping the outer walls of the nave. The west door and all the windows have rounded arches. The red-tiled roof is divided into three main sections covering the nave and the extensions. At the western end of the building, it is crowned with an octagonal lantern and onion spire. The bright, yellow-tinted exterior with its onion spire is impressive enough. But those entering the double doors and proceeding through the small inner porch are struck by the rather sombre, well-ordered interior with its pious restraint and dominant altarpiece. Monumental pillars supporting the gallery stretch down either side of the nave to the lofty altar with its integrated pulpit, set high above the triptych. All built of wood, they are painted in subdued tones of grey.Damsholte Kirke - en rokokoperle på Møn. Damsholte menighedsråd. Damsholte, 2004. 16 pp. The austerity of Lutheran pietism is ubiquitous. The short benches are designed to keep their occupants awake. And a modern triptych of Jesus' crucifixion with the two robbers on either side decorates the altar. It was completed in 1993 by

Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen Sven Havsteen-Mikkelsen (16 September 1912, Argentina – 14 February 1999, Ærøskøbing) was a Denmark, Danish painter who is remembered for his old Nordic landscapes, his church decorations and his woodcuts.Eckersberg Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (2 January 1783 – 22 July 1853) was a Danish painter. He was born in Blåkrog in the Southern Jutland region of Denmark. He went on to lay the foundation for the period of art known as the Golden Age of Dani ...

(1825) while a recently restored figure of Christ occupies a small niche. To one side, a memorial plaque honours those who fell in the war of 1864. On the south wall, there is a picture of the resurrection by Niels Skovgaard together with a portrait of Damsholte's first pastor, Rasmus Platou. Hanging in the nave, a faithful copy of the warship Prince Christian commemorates the part it played in the

Battle of Zealand Point The Battle of Zealand Point was a naval battle of the English Wars and the Gunboat War. Ships of the Danish and British navies fought off Zealand Point on 22 March 1808; the battle was a British victory. Peter Willemoes was among the Danish ca ...

in March 1808. The two brass candlesticks on the altar were donated at the church's consecration. The wrought iron altar rails display the monograms of Christian VI and Sophia Magdalen. The font, surprisingly enough, is made of wood complete with wooden cover. Despite its austerity, the church bears a clear resemblance to the theatres of the day. The stage is set around the altar with the high-flying pulpit. And the audience is accommodated on the floor of the nave as well as up in the gallery, exactly as in contemporary auditoriums. There is therefore a clear contrast between Damsholte Church and many other churches in Denmark with the severe tones of its theatrical backdrop and the interior's dark, monumental elegance.

Churchyard

In the churchyard, there is a burial mound for the Tutein family which, for a time, lived in

Marienborg Manor Marienborg Manor is an estate on the Danish island of Møn. The estate has a large park with public access. The main building was demolished in 1984. The estate, covering , contains the thatched tenant farm of Egeløkke. Manorial records exist f ...

which stands behind it. To the north of the church, a burial vault houses the remains of

Antoine de la Calmette Gérard Pierre Antoine de Bosc de la Calmette, often referred to as Antoine de la Calmette, (21 September 1752 – 7 April 1803) was a Danish County Governor, geheimrat, and landowner. He is, however, remembered above all as an artist and la ...

, who was governor of Møn and Nykøbing, and his wife Lisa Iselin, for whom he created Liselund, a park adjacent to Møns Klint at the eastern end of the island. Other notable people buried in the graveyard include: * Peter Adolph Tutein (1797-1885), politician *

Elsa Gress Elsa Judith Elisa Gress (17 January 1919 – 18 July 1988) was a Danish essayist, novelist and dramatist. In Denmark, she is remembered above all for her essays. Biography Born in Frederikshavn, Gress was brought up in Ordrup where her father lost ...

(1919-1988), writer *

Clifford Charles Wright Clifford may refer to: People *Clifford (name), an English given name and surname, includes a list of people with that name *William Kingdon Clifford * Baron Clifford *Baron Clifford of Chudleigh * Baron de Clifford *Clifford baronets * Clifford f ...

(1919-1999), architect and painter

Gallery

File:Damsholte Kirke, Stoleværket.png, Interior Image:Damsholte Kirke, Pulpiturstolper, døbefont, alteropbygning.png, Interior File:Damsholte Kirke - interior 02.png, Interior

References

{{Møn Denmark Churches in Vordingborg Municipality Churches in the Diocese of Roskilde 18th-century Church of Denmark churches Rococo architecture in Denmark Philip de Lange buildings Møn