Østermarie Church brings together a precisely dated building, older baptismal objects, and the distinctive building material Paradis granite. Along with the Hilly Billy e-bike route, these offer two specific points of interest for a stay: local history and an activity that takes you to Østermarie. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between an interest in the town’s culture and other experiences on Bornholm.

Church, Architectural History and Baptismal Art

Østermarie Church was consecrated on October 18, 1891. It was designed by architect Andreas Clemmensen and built from Paradis granite. Its architectural history is therefore defined by a specific date, a named architect, and a named building material.

A specific artistic connection can also be found at the altar: it features the color scheme created by Bornholm artist Poul Høm during the church’s restoration. Two baptismal objects bring even earlier dates into the picture. The granite baptismal font dates from around 1250 and was made on Gotland. The baptismal bowl is dated to around 1575, comes from Nuremberg, and depicts the Annunciation to Mary.

The differences between the objects are as specific as their similarities. Both belong to the church’s baptismal art, but they differ in material, date, and origin. The baptismal font is made of granite and dates from several centuries earlier than the baptismal bowl. The bowl also has the added detail of its depicted subject. For anyone interested in culture, the church offers more than a single date: its architectural history, restoration, and historical objects can each be explored separately.

To Østermarie on Hilly Billy

The Hilly Billy e-bike route passes through gently rolling terrain to Østermarie. The town has a double church, one of which is a ruin. Choosing this route combines a specific activity with a destination whose church complex brings part of the town’s history to life. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Beyond Østermarie, Hilly Billy heads towards Paradisbakkerne and passes through the fishing village of Årsdale on the east coast. There, you can stop for a beer or smoked herring. Check in advance whether either is available during your visit. This lets you plan the tour from the journey to a possible break without assuming that the described opportunity is guaranteed to be available.

A separate local point of interest lies outside the town: Fru Petersens Café is one kilometer outside Østermarie in a former parish school dating from 1908. The building was designed by architect Mathias Bidstrup. Its former use as a parish school and its year of construction give it a different history from Østermarie Church; for your planning, it is also important that the café is outside the town.

Bornholm as a Wider Travel Destination

Østermarie is on Bornholm, and getting to the island is a separate step in planning your trip. Bornholm can be reached by ferry, plane, bus, or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes. Check current timetables and crossing times before your trip. The stated time refers to the crossing to the island, not onward travel to Østermarie.

Other experiences on Bornholm are also part of the wider island setting and should be distinguished from the specific information about Østermarie. The NaturBornholm experience center has dinosaurs, live crocodiles, an aquarium, and a bison exhibition; exhibitions may change over time. Bornholms Middelaldercenter is a 15-hectare open-air museum that brings 14th-century Bornholm to life in an engaging and interactive way. These attractions have different focuses: NaturBornholm presents exhibitions, while the Middelaldercenter is about medieval Bornholm.

The smoking tradition is also part of the wider picture of Bornholm. Bornholm’s first smokehouse opened in Gudhjem in 1866, and herring has been smoked there ever since. Hasle is home to the last smokehouse on Bornholm where smoking is done in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. This distinction can help you choose where to stay: the church and Hilly Billy offer specific points of interest in Østermarie, while the museums and smokehouses mentioned are other themes of the island.

Discover more destinations: Vang, Østerlars, Svaneke, Olsker, Nexø, Rispebjerg Huse, Listed, Tejn.

To the main travel overview: Bornholm.