Dalby church
the Holy Cross Church in Dalby is the oldest existing stone church in the Nordic countries, founded as a cathedral in 1060 when Dalby became a diocese in Denmark.

January 12, 2022
A rough hazy January day. Puts the car in the parking lot to the church. Walks the path to the church. Sneaks into the porch, the church is open. Inside the church is a Christmas tree. The aisle between the benches in the nave is decorated with leaves. The nativity scene remains. The church is the same since the last visit more than ten years ago. Looking at the things that were not seen then. In the choir are medieval choir chairs. To the right of the altar is the sexton bench from the end of the 16th century, where the sexton led the hymn singing. The door to the sacristy is made of a counter or cabinet from the 16th century. From medieval times is the column that is walled in the southwesternmost pillar inside the church. Egino from Hildesheim was a bishop in Dalby 1060-1066, he is a statuette in the church. After that he became bishop of Lund, so Dalby was a diocese for only six years.

Going down into the crypt, is really an entrance hall. It is similar to the crypt in Lund Cathedral, albeit smaller, and probably has the same builder. Looking down into the well. There is a small altar. Walks around the church. The fog thickens. A cat leads us back to the parking lot.

9/8 2009: Drive to Dalby church. The Holy Cross Church in Dalby is the oldest existing stone church in the Nordic countries, founded in 1060 when Dalby became a diocese in Denmark. It has been expanded and modified many times since then. Here was also a monastery dating from 12th century. Left from the monastery is a white building north of the church, now a manor house for Dalby Kungsgård. A small monastery garden is restored to what is believed to be grown once. I enter the church and light, as I usually do, a candle over the dead. Today I light an extra candle for a recently deceased. Sit down a while and give them a thought. A beautiful baptismal font is from 12th century. I climb the pulpit from 1705 and looks at the empty bench lines from 1758. Turning my attention to the altarpiece, from 1758, with the suffering Jesus. Parts of the walls are not plastered, they are as from 11th century, do I read further in the brochure of the church. The crypt is a minor variant of the one in Lund Cathedral. At the corner of the crypt is a well. I am starving, slip into the nearby Dalby Gästis (Dalby Inn) for a herring sandwich and light beer. In the ivy ravage wasps, I keep away from them. Has already been stung once today, which is enough for one day. At the junction outside the inn is a different waiting hut, is it not locally famous?

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Dalby gästis

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