Hans Tausen

Slow morning in Viborg was what Flemming and I needed. The host of the apartment we rented, kindly allowed us to stay longer, and we enjoyed our late breakfast and the morning sun.

The tour of Viborg is not completed without visiting Saint Mogens’ street. The street is named after Saint Magnus (Mogens) and belongs to the oldest and best-preserved part of Viborg, full of historic buildings.

On the photo above, the house on the left, center, is Karnapgården, and probably the most photographed building on that street. It was built in 1643-1649 from a mixture of granite blocks and monk’s stones from old church ruins. For many years, it was the residence of high-ranking officials of Viborg.

We walked by the Franciscan monastery to the Viborg Cathedral, the world’s largest granite church from the 19th century:

Unfortunately, vi couldn’t visit the Cathedral that day, because it was closed for private service. The first church was built there in the beginning of the 12th century, later burnt a couple of times, and restored. Inside, there is a stone that marks the location of the murdered Erik V King of Denmark grave. In the northern crypt chapel, there is a rare coffin made of granite and carved from only one stone. The church is also known for its unique Protestant Bible frescoes, world’s largest, created by the Danish artist Joakim Skovgaard alone. More than 100,000 people visit the Viborg Cathedral annually.

Next to the Cathedral, former town hall, built in 1728. Today, there is an art museum:

Viborg once was the place where the Danish Kings were crowned. The first event took place in 1027, and the last one – in 1655. In commemoration of more than 600 years history, a monument was raised near the Viborg Cathedral, which shows Queen Margrethe I and her grandnephew, the later King Eric of Pomerania:

Another interesting sculpture was to Hans Tausen, known as “the Danish Luther”:

Hans Tausen was born on a farm on the island of Fyn in 1494. The legend has it, he couldn’t see himself driving a plow to follow in his father’s footsteps, but dreamed of studying. He ran away from home at the age of 12, and after a few years in various schools, was accepted as a monk in a rich monastery (which might be a sign of a much wealthier childhood!). Anyway, Hans Tausen was the most important person for the implementation of Reformation in Denmark.

Walking through the narrow streets of the old town, I sometimes stopped to appreciate a beautifully renovated door, an old window, or a piece of art:

Unfortunately we had to leave relatively early, because we were going to a concert of Joe Bonamassa, a blues rock guitarist, who was in Copenhagen with just one concert that night.