Description of the attraction
St. Olav's Church is the cathedral of the city of Helsingor, also known as Elsinore. It was built in the Gothic style in 1559.
The first Romanesque chapel appeared on this site at the beginning of the 13th century. But then the city of Helsingor gained great influence, becoming a major trade and customs center. The number of parishioners grew, and it was necessary to build a large church. The first work was carried out at the beginning of the 15th century, at the same time the bell tower was erected, and in 1475 a separate funeral chapel of the Holy Trinity was added. In 1559, the construction of the new temple was finally completed - then the vaulted ceilings were completed, and the Gothic spire crowning the bell tower appeared even later - in 1615.
After the Reformation in 1536, the Church of St. Olav in Helsingor became one of the main strongholds of Catholicism in all of Denmark. It is also known that Scottish sailors often stayed here, and therefore one of the main altars of the church was dedicated to the patron saint of Scotland, St. Andrew. Since 1961, the Church of St. Olav has served as the cathedral of the entire city diocese.
The interior of the church is predominantly in the same style. The Baroque main altar was completed in 1664. It is yet another masterpiece by the expert woodcarver, Lorentz Jorgensen. His "pen" also belongs to many church decorations throughout Denmark. The two small side altars were made by Dutch artists. The pulpit dates back to 1567, and the wrought iron baptismal font belongs to the same period. Other decorations and church utensils date back to the 17th century and are made in the Baroque style. Also of particular note are the frescoes on the vaults of the nave ceilings that have survived from the middle of the 16th century; they mainly depict graceful and discreet floral ornaments.
