Vedsted-Rødekro

Selected experiences on the route

Vedsted Church
Originally, Vedsted was only a church site. The town of Vedsted came later. The church is a medieval church from the 12th century and has been rebuilt over time, like most other churches from the same period.

Inside the church, you can see a beautiful triptych altarpiece with the crowned Madonna in heaven, surrounded by a halo framed in a rosary. In her arms, she carries the naked infant Jesus. On the left wing, you can observe Saint Christopher with the infant Jesus on his shoulders, and on the right wing, the archangel Michael fighting the dragon.

If you exit the church through the south door, you can let your gaze wander over Vedsted Lake and the peaceful landscape to the rectory. On the cemetery, a war memorial was erected by Vedsted parish in 1921 for the 65 young men from the parish who fell during the First World War. The granite memorial stone features a relief of the angel of peace and was created by Niels Skovgaard.

Vedsted Church is situated along the Ancient Road and invites you to a quiet moment in the surrounding nature. After a visit to the church, you can even enjoy a refreshing dip in Vedsted Lake, which is one of the cleanest in Southern Jutland.

The church door is open for you during daylight hours from 8:00 to 18:00.

Søvænget 1, 6500 Vojens

Immervad Bridge
The distinctive Immervad Bridge has since 1786 provided travelers with the means to cross the stream.

You will notice that the bridge is constructed of split boulders. It is likely that the bridge was originally made of wood, but the name Immervad suggests that the location was used as a ford before the advent of bridges. Today, the old ford is dried up, and the stream follows new paths.

The granite blocks that make up the bridge were carved out of a single large granite stone, and their precise placement is a testament to impressive craftsmanship. The sturdy stone bridge significantly eased the task for cattle drovers to lead their animals from Denmark to the markets in Hamburg and Rendsburg. On an ordinary day, up to 700-800 oxen would cross the bridge.

As a traditional gathering place for travelers and cattle drovers, there used to be an inn at Immervad. Immervad Inn was known for its delicious dishes of yellow peas and pork. Although the inn is now closed, you can still find a picnic area and a modern farm, as well as one of the many hostels on the Hærvejen, welcoming travelers.

Hærvejen 14, 6500 Vojens

Rise Church
Rise Church, the old district church located along the Hærvejen, dates back to the 12th century and is situated at the northeastern end of the village of Rise near Rødekro. The church consists of a Romanesque choir and nave made of granite, with the choir still retaining three of the original four windows. A major fire in 1893 destroyed the church's original trusses, and the tower was rebuilt using recycled materials from another burnt-down church.

Inside the church, you can see that the walls are whitewashed, and the ceilings are grey-painted boards. The altarpiece, baptismal font, and pulpit survived the fire and date back to the Romanesque period. The altar table and altarpiece, carved by a master carpenter from Flensburg in 1894, depict motifs from the Old Testament. The pulpit and canopy are also from 1894 and carved in pine.

In the churchyard, you can find gravestones dating back to 1831, a stone from 1848 over a hussar from the First Schleswig War, as well as a monument to the parish's fallen in World War I. The church's organ, built by Marcussen & Søn in 1894, now has 22 stops, expanded from the original 12.

Rise Bygade 19A, 6230 Rødekro