Hundslund Church

Romanesque village church by Horsens Fjord

If you drive along the main road between Horsens and Odder, you'll pass through the village of Hundslund, where you can spot the town's old church, a historical landmark visible from the road. Built in the late 12th century, like many of Denmark's oldest stone churches, it was originally owned by local farmers but had to be transferred to Aarhus Cathedral due to a dramatic case, which you can read more about further down the page. Over time, the church underwent tumultuous ownership changes, having been owned by the Crown, the local estate Dybvad, and several others before it became a freehold in 1911.

Hundslund Church consists of a chancel and nave from the 12th century, along with a late medieval tower and porch added around 1500, a common feature of many Danish churches. The prominent, whitewashed tower with its sawtooth design is easily seen from a distance, as the church is situated on elevated ground. The chancel and nave are made of brown field stones. On the outer side of the porch, you will find four old Romanesque gravestones from the church's first century.

Surrounding the beautifully landscaped churchyard are field stone dikes from the 1600s on all sides. At the entrance to the churchyard stand royal hunting stones, described below.

The church interior

Hundslund Church has a warm and bright interior, characterized by its distinctive use of red and gray colors, combined with whitewashed walls. Both the beamed ceiling and the pews are painted in these colors.

The Romanesque granite baptismal font is quite distinctive with its lion motif and twisted ropes. The use of lion motifs on baptismal fonts from the 12th century is seen in many places in East Jutland and is referred to as the so-called Horsens type.

Among other interesting furnishings, there is a medieval crucifix, a beautiful altar, and a pulpit from the 17th century. Additionally, a lovely and prominent memorial plaque from the 17th century commemorates a farmer from Hadrup and his family on the north wall of the church.

The church ship is a model of the ship "Samsø af Horsens" from 1908.

The hunting stones

The three hunting stones at the entrance to the churchyard date back to 1757. Hunting stones served as boundary markers that indicated the borders of royal hunting grounds established during the reign of Frederick II. These hunting grounds were spread across the country and covered large areas. The stones were placed at intervals of 1 or 2 kilometers, often in prominent locations such as hilltops, burial mounds, or similar.

The stones at Hundslund originate from the Skanderborg Hunting Ground, which spanned a vast area from Horsens to Viborg. They were originally located near Åkjær, a couple of kilometers from Hundslund.

The murder of the priest at Hundslund

The most dramatic event in Hundslund Church undoubtedly occurred in 1284 when local farmers who owned the church murdered their priest. It is unknown why the villagers resorted to such violent methods. Subsequently, the church was handed over to Aarhus Cathedral, and the villagers lost the right to choose their own priest. The individual farms in the parish were required to pay an annual fine to the church. One farm in the village, Østergaard, still pays this fine today. For many years, it was believed that this was a penance for the over 700-year-old murder, but it has since been shown not to be the case. However, they are still obliged to pay "4 quarters, 1 peck, and 2½ firkins of barley at the capital rate or an equivalent contribution."

Would you like to visit Hundslund Church?

Hundslund Church is open when work is being done on the churchyard, which is during daylight hours on weekdays. You are welcome to drop by if no church services are taking place. Staff may come and go, so there is no guarantee that it will be open when you arrive.

The church is located right by the hiking route Banestien Horsens-Odder and not far from Fjordminoen. You can visit the church during your hike and refill your water bottles at the churchyard.

More Historical Attractions

Kystlandet offers many exciting historical attractions, ranging from ancient history to industrial heritage. From museums to architectural sites and natural attractions. On this page, you can find inspiration for historically interesting experiences near Horsens, Odder, and Juelsminde.