"Møn island - the danish flower" a Møn Travel Page by bogomil

The Cliffs of Møn is one of the most fantastic places in Denmark ­ not to exaggerate and say the most fantastic place in Denmark!. You must set aside at least one full day for a visit at the Cliffs of Møn in order to say with any fairness that you have been there.

The Cliffs of Møn are part of a complex of other kinds of nature for instance Klinteskoven (the Cliff Forest), Jydelejet, Høvblege ­ Mandemarke Hills. And to the north Liselund Park.

The white chalk which forms the Cliffs of Møn and which is situated just beneath the moraine clay in the landscape just behind the cliffs ­ is created through lime shells from microscopic animals and plants being deposited on the bed of a tropical sea which covered most of Northern Europe 75 million years ago. During the following millions of years the layers were lifted up and when the gletchers of the iceage planes Møn they push the approximately 100 metres thick chalk flakes up from the underground. Høje Møn (High Møn) consisits of 20-30 such chalk flakes.

From the beach you may study the structure of the cliff. There is an alternation between protruding chalk flakes ­ noses - and lower parts ­ falls ­ which consist of sand and clay. In the chalk you will find flint stone in thin layers. They can be seen as dark lines and show how the ice has pressed and folded the layers of white chalk in many ways. In the chalk you may find fossilized shells from animals which lived in the chalk ocean such as cephalopods, sea urchins, and mussels.

The oldest part of the church is the central part of the choir which dates back to the year 1080. The lower part of the tower dates back to around year 1300, but the tower was first finished in the beginning of the 16th century.

The flat mound, to the left of the church, is believed to be an old heathen burial ground from the bronze age, before the Christian church succeeded.

he altarpiece was a gift from King Christian the IV´s daughter and her husband Seneschal Corfitz Ulfeldt and has the Kings monogram in the top-frame. The big middle-frame of the altarpiece depicts the institution of the Holy Communion. The sides depict the two evangelists Marcus and Johannes. Two small angels flanks the top-frame. The altarpiece is from the year 1646.

The pulpit also a present from the Kings daughter and her husband is carried by the apostle Peter and is from the year 1649. Big figures of the four evangelists fills the big frames while the smaller frames in the corners contains the symbols of the evangelists.

In the beginning of the 16th century after the present choir was added the mysterious fresco painter called "Elmelundemesteren" began to paint the white-washed arches of the church.