Østerlars: Round Church, Frescoes and Medieval Centre

The Round Church and Medieval Wall Paintings

Østerlars Rundkirke is Denmark’s largest round church and is considered the best-known of Bornholm’s four round churches. It is also considered the oldest of these churches; its exact year of construction is unknown, but it probably dates from around 1150. Around 120,000 visitors come each year. This approximate figure may change. Historically, the church served both as a place of worship and as protection against enemies arriving from the sea.

The interior frescoes date from around 1350. They depict the life of Jesus, from the Annunciation to Mary to the Last Judgment. During the Reformation, the frescoes were whitewashed over; they were uncovered again in 1889 and restored in 1958 by a conservator from the National Museum. The sequence of images and their eventful history give a visit to the church a distinctive art-historical focus.

When no service is taking place, visitors may be able to enter Østerlars Rundkirke for a fee and climb up to the roof beams. Check the current visitor information before your visit.

Medieval History to See and Experience

Bornholms Middelaldercenter first opened its doors in 1996. The 15-hectare open-air museum brings 14th-century Bornholm to life in an engaging, interactive way. A visit connects the history of the area with a broader view of the island during this period.

The centre offers a free guided tour every day. Visitors can also try activities such as archery and coin minting each day, or watch the medieval breech-loading cannon being fired. This means there are different ways to spend time there: a guided tour, hands-on activities and watching a cannon being fired. Check the current weekly programme for details of the activities.

Prehistoric Traces in the Risen Forest

South of Østerlars lies the Risen forest, with several hundred prehistoric field plots enclosed by stone walls. Most date from the Early Iron Age, around 400 BC to 200 AD. They were also used during the Late Iron Age, and some of the plots remained in use until the 19th century. The stone walls vividly illustrate the long-standing use of this cultural landscape.

Risen’s Bøgebjerg is also home to a burial ground with burial mounds, stone cists and standing stones dating from the Iron Age and the Viking Age. Together, the field plots and burial ground reveal different traces of human activity across several periods—from agricultural land to stone burial and memorial sites.

Bornholm Beyond Østerlars

Bornholm offers other themes to consider when planning a holiday. At the NaturBornholm visitor centre, you can find dinosaurs, live crocodiles, an aquarium and a bison exhibition; the exhibits may change. Ekkodalen in Almindingen is Bornholm’s largest rift valley. This perspective on the landscape complements Østerlars’s cultural and historical focus with a different view of the island.

The smoking tradition is also part of Bornholm’s history. Bornholm’s first smokehouse opened in Gudhjem in 1866, and herring has been smoked there ever since. Hasle Smokehouse is the last smokehouse on Bornholm where fish is smoked in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. You can therefore choose where to stay based on whether church art and archaeology, or other landscapes and traditions, matter most to your holiday.

Bornholm can be reached by ferry, plane, bus or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes. Check the current timetables before travelling. When choosing a holiday apartment in Østerlars, you can first consider whether the area’s historical themes fit your holiday plans or whether you would rather focus on other facets of Bornholm.

Discover more destinations: Vang, Rispebjerg Huse, Svaneke, Nyker, Rø, Olsker, Bodilsker, Klemensker.

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