St. Peter's Church (Danish: ''Sankt Peders Kirke'') is located at
Næstved
Næstved () is a town in Næstved Municipality, the municipality of the same name, located in the southern part of the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in Denmark.
Næstved has several adult education centers, five Primary education, elemen ...
on the Danish island of
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
. St. Peter's is situated in the Næstved parish of the
Diocese of Roskilde
The Diocese of Roskilde () is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. The seat of the Bishop is Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde.
History
The Diocese of Roskilde was formed in 1922 when the Diocese of Zealand was divided into ...
of the
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 ...
. The church is one of Denmark's foremost Gothic buildings.
History
The church was first documented in a monasterial letter from 1135.
Today's Gothic church replaced an older Romanesque cross-shaped building built of limestone and brick from the second half of the 12th century. This in turn was built on the site of an even older stone church with two western towers. In 1375, the extension to the present Gothic church began. Built of red brick, it is one of Denmark's largest and finest Gothic buildings, scarcely altered since 1375. The chancel, with its five tall windows, is particularly impressive. The church has undergone several restorations, including one from 1852 to 1856 by the architects
Niels Sigfred Nebelong
Niels Sigfred Nebelong (14 October 1806 – 9 October 1871) was a Danish architect who worked in the Historicist style. He was city architect in Copenhagen from 1863 and also designed many lighthouses around Denmark in his capacity as reside ...
and Georg Kretz, and again from 1883 to 1885 by the architects
Johan Daniel Herholdt
Johan Daniel Herholdt (13 August 1818 – 11 April 1902) was a Danish architect, professor and royal building inspector. He worked in the Historicist style and had a significant influence on Danish architecture during the second half of the 19th ...
and
Vilhelm Ahlmann
Hans Vilhelm Ahlmann (14 February 1852 – 12 May 1928) was a Swedish and Danish architect. He is credited with designing and restoring a variety of churches in Denmark.
Biography
Ahlmann was born in Scania, Sweden. He graduated from the KTH R ...
. It is Næstved's largest church, measuring 55 m in length.
Furnishings
The church's most notable
fresco
Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
is on the north wall of the chancel. It depicts King
Valdemar IV
Valdemar IV Atterdag, Valdemar Christoffersen or Waldemar (24 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance wars under previous rul ...
and Queen Helvig. There are several uncovered frescoes in the church by lime painter Morten Maler whose frescoes also appear at Gerlev Church (''Gerlev kirke'') and Gimlinge Church (''Gimlinge Kirke'') in
Slagelse
Slagelse () is a town on Zealand (Denmark), Zealand, Denmark. The town is the seat of Slagelse Municipality, and is the biggest town of the municipality. It is located 15 km east of Korsør, 16 km north-east of Skælskør, 33 km south-east of Ka ...
.
The most imposing feature of the church is the pulpit, designed by
Lorentz Jørgensen
Lorentz Jørgensen (before 1644 – after 1681) was a Danish woodcarver. He was possibly trained by Hans Gudewerdt in Eckernförde. The two may well have worked together in 1643 on the altar screen for the north chapel in Halsted Priory, Hals ...
of
Holbæk
Holbæk () is a town in Denmark and the County seat, seat of Holbæk municipality with a population of 30,903 (1 January 2025).Marcussen & Son.
Burials
Notable burials in the church:
* Axel Arenfeldt (15901647), government official and landowner
*
Otte Brahe
Otte Brahe (; 2 October 1518 – 9 May 1571) was a Danes, Danish (Scanian) Danish nobility, nobleman and statesman, who served on the privy council (Rigsraad, "Council of the Realm"). He was married to Beate Clausdatter Bille and was the father o ...
(15791651), landowner
*
Caspar Paslick
Caspar is a masculine given name. It may refer to:
People
* Caspar (magus), a name traditionally given to one of the Three Magi in the Bible who brought the baby Jesus gifts
* Caspar Austa (born 1982), Estonian cyclist
*Caspar Badrutt (1848–1904 ...
(15301597), diplomat
*
Abel Schrøder
Abel Schrøder, also Abel Schrøder the Younger, (c. 1602–1676) was a Denmark, Danish woodcarver with a workshop in Næstved, then the centre for woodcarving in Zealand, Southern Zealand. He is remembered for his many Auricular style, auricular ...
(c. 1602–1676)m woodcarver and organist
* Peter West (17081878), military officer and landowner
Architecture of Denmark
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking Age, revealed by archaeological finds. It was established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque architecture, Romanesque, then Gothic architecture, Gothic churches and cathedrals, wer ...