Those considering Bøstrup as a place to stay can explore specific links to church, literary and economic history. Bøstrup Church combines medieval origins with later works of art and the history of Grundtvig. There are also literary salons at Bøstrup Parsonage and the former dairy. This gives the village several distinct themes for a stay focused on cultural history.

Bøstrup Church: Building History and Furnishings

Bøstrup Church was originally built in the 13th century. In the 14th and 15th centuries, it served as the district church for Langeland’s Nørreherred. Its construction date and ecclesiastical role therefore belong to different periods of its history: the original building dates from the 13th century, while its regional function is associated with the following centuries.

The furnishings include a granite baptismal font of the so-called Storebælt type, dating from around 1200. The pulpit provides a much later point of reference: it is a Baroque work carved by Hans Gudewerth the Younger in 1634. The font and the pulpit offer a chance to observe different materials, styles and periods of creation within the same church.

The carved stones depicting figures also shape the character of the church. An unusually large number of them are so-called Romanesque figure stones. One on the north wall of the nave shows a lion devouring a person. The specific motif and its location offer a clear point of reference for viewing the carved stones alongside the font and the later pulpit.

Grundtvig: From the Pulpit to the Cemetery Gate

Grundtvig delivered some of his first sermons from the pulpit of Bøstrup Church. There is another link at Bøstrup’s cemetery, Bøstrup Kirkegård: it has a gate called “Grundtvigs låge” (“Grundtvig’s gate”). Grundtvig used it when he went to church for the service. His story is thus connected both to the pulpit and to a specific route to worship.

Literary Salons and the Promotion of Literature

Literary salons were held at Bøstrup Parsonage, also known as “Møllehavehuset”. Møllehavehuset is also a nationwide literary association based in Bøstrup. Its main aim is to promote Danish literature and related arts. The salons and the association’s stated aim offer two different perspectives on the literary theme: a venue for literary gatherings and the work of an association with a nationwide focus.

The Dairy as Part of Local History

Bøstrup’s former dairy industry is also part of local history. The dairy operated until 1990 and was the last dairy on Langeland. It represents a chapter in the village’s dairy industry that has come to an end. Together with the church and literary connections, the history of the dairy adds an economic aspect to the picture of Bøstrup.

If you would like to see the church’s interior furnishings, check visiting arrangements in advance. When choosing a holiday apartment in Bøstrup, the church and literary history can help guide you; what matters is which of these themes you want to make the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Humble, Østerhuse, Klavsebølle, Botofte, Kragholm, Nordstrand, Hennetved, Bagenkop

For the overview of the wider area: Langeland.