By Terri Mapes
Scandinavia Travel Expert, about.com
The Gothic Abbey Church (Klosterkirke) at Nykobing Falster is technically not a castle, but an abbey that is truly steeped in history and well worth a visit. It is in the city of Nykobing, the largest city on the islands of Falster and Lolland in the southern Denmark region of Sjaelland (Zealand). The Klosterkirke traces its history back to 1419, when it was first established by Eric of Pomerania, but is a functioning church even today.
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As you sit for a service at the Nykobing
Falster Klosterkirke, look around at the architecture and decoration and
imagine what it might have looked like as a Franciscan Monastery all
the way back in 1419. In 1482, the Franciscan communities in nordic
countries gathered in Nykobing for the annual chapter meeting and to
celebrate the birth of Saint Francis of Assisi. This church must have
been a central hub of the activities. In 1532, the monks left the abbey
and the church started being used by the local parish.
The Nykobing Castle, which was the home of the
dowager queens of Denmark, used to have strong ties with this church.
The castle is now demolished, but the church still contains the
Mecklenburg Ancestral Table of the dowager Queen Sophie.
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on a guided tour inside this interesting property! A tour to the
Nykobing Falster Klosterkirke will take you to a beautiful gothic
structure steeped in danish religious and royal history. As it is a
functioning church, it is possible to take part in the services. The
west wing and some of the north wing of the abbey are preserved and it
is possible to imagine how the lives of the monks might have been here.
The viewer can also note how the church was built in stages, based on
the slightly different styles of construction in the abbey, which was
built first, and then the church. The church windows overlooking the
abbey are not uniform and the tower was also built over at least three
periods. The current onion spire was built in 1766 and there are three
bells from the 15th through the 17th century on display.
There is no admission fee for entering the Nykobing Falster Klosterkirke, as it is a functioning church holding services and with weddings and other ceremonies taking place. Much more than traditional activities take place at the Klosterkirke, with concerts and activities for youth and young adults also happening on a regular basis. It is possible to get an overview of the events and entry requirements (many events have free entry and are open to all) on the church website:http://www.nyk-f-sogn.dk/
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How to get there: There are several Nykobings in Denmark, so be careful about looking up Nykobing Falster.
If you are eager to unravel the layers of history at the onion-spired
Nykobing Falster Klosterkirke, getting there is quite easy.
By train- There is a railway station at Nykobing Falster and trains operated by Danish State Railways stop here. The Nykobing Falster Klosterkirke is 700 meters away and can be easily reached with a short walk.
By road- Nykobing Falster can also be reached by road from other parts of Denmark and by road and ferry from Hamburg.
Address:Nykobing Falster Klosterkirke, Klosterstraede 34800 Nykobing F, Denmark.
Other historic buildings you may be interested in include the Charlottenlund Palace.
