On a plateau in the hilly landscape between Christiansfeld and Haderslev, you will find Bjerning Church. The age of the church is unknown, but since the original part of the church, nave and choir is a typical romansque ashlar-church, it is reasonable to assume that is was erected around the year 1200. Fixtures in the church also confirms this, like a figure of an archbishop in wood, which has been dated to around 1250, and a figure of Mary and child from around 1350.
The fire
On November 17th 1937, a violent fire broke out, and everything flammable, such as altar, altarpiece, pulpit, benches etc. were totally destroyed. Only the roof over the sacristy avoided the flames.
Today, the church bears the marks of the 1938 and 1939 restoration. At the alter, a crucifix-group stands on a predella with Christ on a throne. The granite baptismal font was carved in 1939 as a replica of the old, and the pulpit is also a fairly accurate replica of the one destroyed in the fire.
