Medieval church near Grenaa

Ålsø Church is situated in the village of Ålsø, approximately five kilometres south-west of Grenaa. The whitewashed medieval church was built in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 16th century. The church is also known as Our Lady’s Church from the Middle Ages and features traces of several periods in Danish church architecture.

Romanesque features and Gothic extensions

The oldest church in Ålsø was a small Romanesque stone church with a narrow chancel to the east and a nave for the congregation. Today, you can still see traces of the early building, including a stone adorned with vine motifs in the church’s outer north wall and parts of the old west gable from the tower.

In the late Middle Ages, Ålsø Church underwent a major reconstruction. Like many other churches from that period, it was fitted with a tower, a porch and a sacristy. It is likely that ashlars from the original church were reused during the reconstruction.

Cemetery and views

Ålsø Church is situated in a peaceful spot in the eastern part of Ålsø. From the cemetery, there is a partial view of the countryside, and the church’s masonry and gables illustrate how the building has evolved over several centuries.