Østerlars Round Church

Østerlars Church is the largest — and possibly the oldest — of Bornholm's four remarkable round churches, standing just north of Østerlars village about 5 km south of Gudhjem. Dating from the 12th century, these massive whitewashed rotundas were built to serve a double purpose: as parish churches and as fortified refuges. Østerlars is the mightiest of them, its cylindrical wall wrapped by later buttresses and topped by a conical roof. A thick central pillar carries the vaulting, and the building rises through three storeys, the uppermost once used for defence. Inside, medieval lime-wash paintings depicting biblical scenes survive on the central column. The round churches are Bornholm's most distinctive architectural heritage, found nowhere else in such concentration, and Østerlars makes the best introduction to them. A small admission fee applies; allow about 45 minutes, and consider pairing it with the island's three other round churches — Olsker, Nylars and Nyker — for a fuller picture.