St. Bendt's Church, Brick church in Ringsted, Denmark
St. Bendt's Church is a Romanesque brick church in Ringsted, Denmark, originally part of a Benedictine monastery. It has a cross-shaped plan with a central tower, Gothic vaults, and an Empire-style west facade added after a fire.
Built around 1170 on the site of an older travertine church, it became Denmark's first royal church when Valdemar the Great had his father's relics enshrined and his son crowned there. After the Reformation it became a parish church, and a fire in 1806 led to changes before a restoration in the early 20th century brought back its Romanesque look.
The church is known for its royal tombs, especially that of Valdemar the Great, and for the medieval frescoes depicting King Erik IV's murder. These paintings, though damaged, give a sense of the violent power struggles of the time.
The church is in the center of Ringsted, easy to reach on foot from the main streets. It is an active parish church, so visitors should be respectful during services and can explore the royal tombs and frescoes at their own pace.
The church houses the tombs of Danish kings and queens from 1182 to 1341, making it second only to Roskilde Cathedral for royal burials. Among the frescoes, one shows King Erik IV being stabbed, painted around 1300 in an attempt to have him canonized.
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