Jons Kapel

Have you ever heard of a place named Jons Kapel? It’s a rock bluff in Bornholm, Denmark, right on the west coast, and to get there, you need to climb a steep path, carefully descending between a little stream called Askebækken. And when you reach the top, the view is stunning! Jons Kapel is so named because of the stories about the hermit, Jon, who lived in the caves in the cliff. He was sent to Bornholm to bring Christianity to the islanders, and he was such a good storyteller that he attracted many visitors. He had to preach from a high vantage point called Prædikestolen, or ‘the pulpit’. And the visitors would come to hear him preach, sitting on the rocks, in their boats or even waiting for him to finish so they could speak with him. They would even take advantage of his long sermons to go fishing! Jon was so good that he’s said to have preached not only to the islanders, but to the sea gulls and the ocean, too. He had a lot of followers. And even though the truth of the story is a little bit out there, everyone in Bornholm knows the legend. The caves at Jons Kapel are actually called Jon’s Cave, Jon’s Bedroom, Jon’s Food Cellar and Jon’s Dining Room. There are even climbing routes there, named after the places he lived, so if you’re looking for something a little bit more adventurous, you can climb the cliff and see his sanctuary from a new perspective.