Perhaps you have seen the slender tower. It rises almost like an Italian campanile. This is the Ellevang Kirke.
Ellevang Kirke stands as a testament to modern church architecture. It is located in Vejlby a suburb in northern Aarhus. Its history is intertwined with the growth of the surrounding community.
In the mid-1960s the area grew. A new church was needed. The Church Ministry approved a new church in Vejlby Parish in 1973. The foundation stone was laid on September 21 1973. A few stones came from the 800-year-old Vejlby Kirke. Residents chose the name Ellevang. In the Middle Ages a field named Ellevangen was in this location.
Ellevang Kirke was inaugurated in 1974. Every year the church celebrates its birthday. It is celebrated on the first Sunday of Advent. Ellevang Kirke does not have its own cemetery. It shares the cemetery with Vejlby Kirke.
Friis and Moltke designed the church and many surrounding buildings. They created a unique space for worship and community activities.
Ellevang Kirke has three associated pastors. These are Søren Jensen Pia Elisabeth Pedersen and Signe Nøhr Kragsnæs. A complete list of pastors is under Ellevang Parish.
Erik Heide created the church’s decorations using iron and granite. Heide’s artistry enriches the worship space. The pulpit font and altar are made of red granite. The altarpiece is a wreath. It hangs above the altar. The wreath has ten sections. Five are large. Five are small. The large panels depict scenes of Christ’s suffering. The small panels show images of earth sea and sky.
Hanne Vedel wove Ellevang Kirke’s four chasubles. Erik Heide designed them. These vestments add to the church’s beauty.
The organ in Ellevang Kirke has 29 voices. It has two manuals. Bruno Christensen and Sons built it. Its music fills the church.
Ellevang Kirke is built of brick. It stands whitewashed. The church room is in the middle of the building complex. A large roof slopes to the ground on one side. Large windows go to the ground on the other side.
To the northeast is a square and slender church tower. It stands almost free from the rest of the complex. The church tower appears as a campanile. This tower model is common in Danish church buildings of the time.
Two large brick walls are on both sides of the church room. They contain meeting rooms and offices. Smaller extensions with sloping roofs are on the sides of the walls. These provide space for church activities and staff.
A parish hall connects to the church room. The building complex has several functions. It serves Ellevang Parish’s congregation. This is typical of contemporary church construction. It sought to combine parish activities and functional needs into one complex.
Ellevang Kirke stands as a symbol of faith community and architectural innovation. It continues to serve as a vital center for the Ellevang Parish.