Tøndering Church is a beautiful Romanesque church built of granite ashlar, consisting of an apse, chancel, and nave. The tower was added in the late Middle Ages, constructed from reused ashlar and monk bricks. The porch dates from 1913, when the church underwent major restoration. A few bricked-up Romanesque windows are still visible in the masonry.
In the apse’s half-dome, four sound pots are embedded – and they come with a dramatic tale: A skipper once found himself in distress at sea in thick fog. When the fog lifted, he spotted the tower of Tøndering Church and managed to steer clear of grounding just in time. In gratitude, he sent four Jutland clay pots filled with gold to the church. The empty pots were later embedded under the ceiling, believed to improve the church’s acoustics – a practice known from other churches as well.
Inside the chancel, you can see the imprint of a slanted timber beam that once protruded through the gable top – perhaps it had a carved end?
The altarpiece is a fine woodcarving from the early 1600s, featuring columns, wings, and a top section. The painted decoration dates from 1709, and the painting in the top section is from 1905 – as is the Emmaus painting, which once adorned the altarpiece and now hangs in the church. The pulpit also dates from 1709.
On the north wall of the nave is a well-preserved gravestone for Anders Skeel (†1558) of Hegnet and his two wives. In the churchyard, you’ll find a Romanesque gravestone adorned with a cross.
