Rolsø Kapel, Medieval chapel in Syddjurs, Denmark.
Rolsø Kapel is a stone chapel situated at the northern edge of Knebel Vig where it meets Århus Bugt on the Djursland peninsula. An old cemetery stands beside the chapel, creating a modest religious site on this coastal area.
The chapel was founded in 1175 and remains the last structure of the original Rolsø Church, which was demolished in 1908 after serving the community for over 700 years. This demolition made the chapel the sole surviving part of the medieval church.
The cast iron crosses in the cemetery date from the 1700s and feature burial inscriptions cast directly into the metal rather than carved into stone markers. This metalworking technique gives the burial ground a distinctive character that reflects how people marked their dead in earlier times.
The chapel is located at Rolsøgårdvej in Knebel and welcomes visitors interested in Danish religious architecture and history. The site is accessible year-round and sits in a quiet, somewhat remote location along the coast.
The cemetery contains the grave of teacher Chr. Johansen from 1897, which displays a black and white photograph over a century old that has remained remarkably clear despite harsh coastal weather. This photograph is a rare example of how such memorial markers have endured over the decades.
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