Aarestrup Church

Aarestrup Church

Aarestrup Church is a village church with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It was built between 1140 and 1170 with a Romanesque apse, while the late Gothic additions were added later. The tower was built around 1500, and the church bell dates from 1582.

Inside the church, you can see a pulpit from 1550 and an altar from the 19th century. The original altarpiece has recently been moved to the tower room and replaced by a crucifix created by the artist Niels Helledie.

The church contains several small sights and traces of local history. In the churchyard, there is a memorial to 11 Allied airmen who were shot down over Nørlund Forest in 1940. They were first buried in the forest by the Germans, but in 1947 they were moved to the churchyard at Aarestrup Church. From the time of the German occupation, you can also see a memorial plaque in the porch dedicated to the resistance fighter “John”, Svend Otto Nielsen.

By the entrance stands a solid poor box from the 16th century. Opposite it is the wooden sculpture Anna Selvtredje from the 13th century. On the south wall of the chancel, you can also see a large plaster relief by Anders Bundgaard, who came from the parish.

Aarestrup Church’s history is also closely linked to the Krabbe and Viffert families. This can be seen in the carvings on the pews and in several coffin plates in the tower room.