Description of the attraction
St. Mary's Church is located in the historic center of Sønnerborg, on the island of Als, where the Old Town of Sønnerborg is located. The church itself stands in close proximity to the King Christian X Bridge, which connects this island with the Jutland Peninsula.
Initially, this place housed the monastery hospital of St. George, where they were treated for leprosy. It was discovered back in the XIII century. The Church of St. Mary at that time was only a small monastery chapel, which was greatly enlarged in 1600. Subsequently, it became the main city church. On the territory of the churchyard, traces of the foundations of the medieval monastery of St. George have been preserved. Its existence is also reminiscent of the street names in the area.
The church bell tower was erected only in 1883, but the interior decoration of the church has been preserved since the beginning of the 17th century. The construction of this church was patronized by Hans the Younger, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. He managed to acquire and repurchase from neighboring churches many masterpieces of fine art and decor items, made in the style of the Renaissance. Of particular note is the bronze baptismal font from 1600, the altar from 1618 and the sculpturally decorated pulpit from 1625. In an amazing way, it was possible to preserve the sash of the wooden cabinet, which depicts Jesus Christ. This unique masterpiece of medieval art dates back to 1400.
It is interesting that in this church services are also conducted in German - this is a tribute to the history of this area, which for many years belonged to Prussia.
The Church of St. Mary stands on a hill, as if towering over the entire island of Als and the city of Sonnerborg. Like Dubbel Mill, this church has become a kind of symbol of this city, and is very popular among tourists.
