Herlev Kirke

Journey back to the 15th century. Imagine a small village, Herlev, whose inhabitants trudge to Gladsaxe Kirke every Sunday. One foggy morning, they lost their way. They prayed for a church closer to home. That night, an angel visited a local farmer, Matthis Jensen. The angel instructed him to dig where Herlev Kirke now stands. He was told to dig until he found a stone cross, upon which he should build an altar. He was warned of blindness if he refused. Matthis Jensen is indeed linked to Herlev Kirke’s construction. His gravestone, located in the church’s vestibule, identifies him as the church’s guardian and founder. He died in 1480. Herlev Kirke, a late medieval building in the Gothic style, is much older than his death. Its oldest parts date back to around 1400. Matthis Jensen likely contributed to the later additions. This includes the vestibule, sacristy, and tower. Herlev Kirke became an annex to Gladsaxe Kirke. Herlev itself didn’t become an independent parish until 1921. In 1539, King Christian III gifted Herlev Kirke to the University of Copenhagen. The university became responsible for its upkeep. This arrangement lasted almost 400 years, ending with the church gaining independence in 1934. The Swedish wars of 1658-1660 devastated the area, including Herlev Kirke. The church was reportedly used as a stable by Swedish troops. Restoration work didn’t begin until around 1700. Inside Herlev Kirke, you can find a model of the Greenland ship “Hvalfisken”, hung in 1988. This ship transported supplies between Copenhagen and Greenland from 1802 to 1899. Later, it served as a training ship and eventually a cement barge in Limfjorden. The ship was ultimately dismantled, and some of its beams were used in the construction of the school at Hjerl Hede. In the mid-1990s, the parish council commissioned modern artwork for Herlev Kirke. Artist Bodil Kaalund created three paintings for the east wall windows and one for the front of the altar. These were inaugurated in 1997.