A Complete Guide to Christiansfeld, Denmark
Christiansfeld is a little town in Southern Jutland that was founded back in 1773 by the Moravian Church.
Christiansfeld was definitely one of the most unique places we've seen in Denmark - here's our take on what to expect from a visit.
Even though it had been raining heavily since Kolding, and we were tired from being on the road since early morning, Lucie was insistent on seeing Christiansfeld. This quaint town in Southern Jutland is famous for its Moravian Church settlement, well-preserved historical buildings, and unique layout - plus, it's got UNESCO status. It does sound pretty cool, but let's be honest, it's definitely not your typical tourist spot.
Lucie mentioned Christiansfeld for the first time when we were planning our Denmark trip and kept bringing it up ever since, asking if we'd go there. But based on what she told me, I wasn't sure it was worth seeing. It was more about 'we won't have enough time,' but I also assumed there wouldn't be much to see and do - Lucie's vague responses to my questions didn't really convince me otherwise.
After touring Koldinghus, we were back in the car, facing a tough call. Honestly, there were plenty of reasons to head straight to Funen Island and just a few to take a detour. The thing about Christiansfeld is that you really need to see it to judge if it's worth the trip. So, let's dive in.
Christiansfeld is the best-preserved example of Moravian Church town-planning and architecture.
What to See and Do in Christiansfeld
Since we arrived in Christiansfeld pretty late and the weather was really bad, we accepted that our visit would be short. Plus, there was one more reason why we felt that way.
Earlier, when I said Lucie was a bit vague about what's in Christiansfeld, she responded with something like, "There are some historic buildings, a church, a cemetery, probably a museum, and the unique planned layout," and then she added the UNESCO status to the mix. Typically, this combo would seem pretty cool - plus, it kind of reminded me of Brasilia, but like a mini version of this idea - but the way she said it made me think this time it might be different.
Christiansfeld Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
A big reason we decided to check out Christiansfeld was its UNESCO status, which usually means there's something special about the place. And Christiansfeld didn't disappoint; the history behind the town's founding is pretty interesting.
Christiansfeld was founded in 1773 as a planned settlement for the Brethren Church, originally based in Herrnhut, Saxony, Germany. The town was designed to reflect the Protestant urban ideal, with key buildings around the square in front of the Brethren Church. The architecture was simple and uniform, featuring one and two-story buildings made of yellow Flensburg stone with red roof tiles.
The town plan reflected the Brethren Church's democratic and equality-based ideals, plus included large communal buildings for welfare, such as houses for widows and unmarried men and women. On July 4, 2015, Christiansfeld was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Christiansfeld was super quiet for a UNESCO site - it felt like we were the only tourists in town.
Coincidentally, we had already visited a UNESCO site that day, the Jelling Monuments, known for Viking rune stones and the origins of Denmark's state and identity. Since it's rare to hit two UNESCO spots in one day, we were pretty hyped about this site, too. Christiansfeld felt totally different from Jelling, which makes sense since there's an 800-year gap between them. But there was more than just that making Christiansfeld unique.
The biggest difference we noticed about this place compared to other UNESCO sites we've visited was how low-key Christiansfeld was. Even after walking around for twenty minutes, it still didn't feel like we were in a UNESCO town. It was a weekday, pretty late, summer was over, and the rain wasn't helping, but we were still surprised. On the bright side, we know what UNESCO status can do to places like our beloved Cesky Krumlov, so we didn't really mind.
Wander Around the Cobblestone Streets of Christiansfeld
I'm not sure how lively Christiansfeld gets when the weather is good, but on that rainy Tuesday evening in September, the town was completely dead. Without a few cars passing by, we might've thought we were in a ghost town, not a UNESCO spot. The streets were deserted, and it looked like we were the only ones around. On the other hand, if locals spotted our little adventure from their cozy living rooms while we trudged through the rain, they'd probably just shake their heads.
The wandering part was easy since there are basically just two main parallel streets, Lindegade and Nørregade, each about 500 meters long. Since we parked at Meny, a local grocery store on Lindegade, we explored that street first. The two central streets were awesome, lined with historical buildings and communal houses (yellow brick with red tile roofs, the town's signature look) and lots of Linden trees.
Christiansfeld's town center was super walkable and pretty compact - it was just the two parallel streets, after all.
Without the rain, we might have taken more time to appreciate the small details of each building (even though there weren't many because of the simple design). But with our travel umbrella only doing so much, we made it to the end of Lindegade pretty fast, and the walk back through Nørregade didn't take much longer.
We obviously made some stops along the way (museum, square, church, and a coffee shop to try the gingerbread, which was also closed) and even ventured beyond these two streets, but honestly, that was a wasted effort since there wasn't anything interesting to see.
We couldn't recall the last time we visited such a symmetrical, well-arranged town. Our spring Bavaria road trip had towns like Regensburg and Rothenburg with their street mazes, but nothing like this came to mind.
Learn About the Moravian Church and its History
We have been really curious about the 'Moravian Church thing' ever since Lucie mentioned it, especially since Moravia is part of Czechia, our home country. We wondered if there'd be any link. We decided to wait until we got to Christiansfeld, and our deduction skills were spot on.
The funny part was that, even though the Moravian Church started in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now part of Czechia, we realized we knew hardly anything about this Christian group. If we did, the memories were buried deep. It felt strange discovering a piece of our country's history in this little town in Southern Jutland we hadn't even known existed before this trip.
The Moravian Church, aka the Moravian Brethren, has its origins in the teachings of Jan Hus - his name is closely linked to our hometown, Tabor. For his criticism of the corrupt Catholic Church, he was burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415. Many new movements emerged from his ideas, with Unitas Fratrum (their Latin name) being one of them. Their philosophy was straightforward, focusing on good, simple living rather than strict doctrine.
Christiansfeld was founded by the Moravian Church in 1773 and named after King Christian VII of Denmark.
The order barely made it through the next three hundred years, but in 1722, a small group of Brethren fled to Saxony. Count Zinzendorf, who was a big supporter of religious freedom and liked their ideals, granted them land, and they founded Herrnhut.
Count Zinzendorf visited the Danish court and became acquainted with Crown Prince Christian and Crown Princess Sofie Magdalene. He was even invited to the coronation of Christian VI. Zinzendorf wanted to set up a colony in Denmark but died before it could be done. Nonetheless, the congregation town was eventually established on Tyrstrupgard's estate during Christian VII's reign in 1772.
And that was just the start for the Moravian Church in Denmark. If you're curious about their religion, daily life, and architecture, you can learn more at the Museum Kolding Christiansfeld, which we'll discuss in a second.
Explore the Museum Kolding Christiansfeld (Søstrehuset)
While heading back, we passed by the Museum Kolding Christiansfeld in Sostrehuset (Sister House). It looked like a great spot to learn more about the town and church, but it was already closed since it was after 6 PM. The name 'Kolding' might throw you off, but it’s because the museum is part of a larger group managing other museums like Skamlingsbanken and Staldgarden, along with cultural sites nearby.
The museum probably would've been a good starting point for exploring Christiansfeld, but since it wasn't open, we missed out. Also, from what we found, it's quite small, and most of the info panels are only in Danish. Hopefully, that'll change in the future, because it's not ideal for international tourists who don’t speak the language (which I assume is most of them).
Museum Kolding Christiansfeld is inside a building named Søstrehuset.
Admission to Museum Kolding Christiansfeld costs 80 DKK for adults. From September to May, it's open 10 AM to 4 PM but closed on Mondays. In June, it's open every day from 10 AM to 4 PM, and in July and August, it extends its hours to 10 AM to 5 PM. Just so you know, plenty of museums, like the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Tirpitz Museum, close on Mondays - so checking the opening hours beforehand is always a smart idea.
Our tip: We found out afterward that the museum offers a digital tour called Reunification in 1920, which gives you more details on this part of Christiansfeld's history. You can download it on your phone for 25 DKK, or it's part of the Staldgarden's Museum ticket if you're visiting Kolding. There are guided tours too, but they don't happen often, and the ones we saw were only in Danish.
Visit Gudsageren (Cemetery)
Our final stop was Christiansfeld's cemetery, called Gudsageren in Danish. Like everything else in town, the cemetery was pretty simple. And just like the church, it was quite different from other burial grounds we've seen.
Following Moravian Church tradition, the cemetery is split by gender rather than family. Men are buried on the left (west) and women on the right (east). This layout shows that everyone belongs to the congregation.
It was a quick walk from Christiansfeld's town center to Gudsageren - the cemetery was just as simple as the town.
A few more things to note about the cemetery: it's geometrically arranged, the grass is only occasionally cut to give it a natural feel, and the simple tombstones are designed to look identical regardless of the deceased's social status, with only dates of death on them. So the only thing that caught our eye as unusual was the plain but restored entrance gate with golden writing that we had to pass through to get into the grounds.
See the Brodremenighedens Church (Salshuset)
The historic Moravian Brethren Church (Brødremenighedens Kirke) was really different from any other church we've visited on our European trips.
We visited Melk Monastery and Church of Wies before heading to Denmark, and both places were traditional Christian churches with loads of decorations, intricate altars, and beautiful frescoes. But Brodremenighedens was a whole different experience.
Even from the outside, it was hard to tell this was a church. The yellow-brick facade and black-tiled roof made it look really simple and modest, and only the small tower suggested it wasn't just a regular house.
Brodremenighedens Church really reflects the Moravian Church's values of simplicity and equality.
The white entrance door was simple enough, but we were really shocked when we stepped inside. The interior was minimalist and plain, with white walls, white benches, and sanded floors. There were no religious paintings, no altar, just an organ. It felt very intentional, reflecting the Moravian Church's principles and values.
Given the simplicity of the church, there wasn't much to see or do from a tourist's point of view - it certainly wasn't like Roskilde Cathedral in this aspect - apart from hiding from the rain for a few minutes, it was a very quick visit.
Make a Side Trip to Christinero
That wraps up everything we saw in Christiansfeld, but there's another spot worth visiting nearby called Christinero. It's about two kilometers southwest of the town center. Originally a garden made by Christina Friederica von Holstein in the late 1700s, it had ponds, fountains, gazebos, hermit huts, and other features.
Nowadays, it's more like a small forest with a few short trails (often muddy) and a pavilion called My Thoughts, where Christina is buried. Here, you won't find the meticulously landscaped gardens that castles like Egeskov or Frederiksborg have.
We didn't plan to walk through it in the rain since we were already soaked, plus it was closed for renovations until summer 2025 anyway. If you visit the restored garden later, tell us about your experience in the comments!
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In 2023, Christiansfeld celebrated 250 years since it was founded.
Is Christiansfeld Worth Visiting?
The last sentence also answers your question about whether to visit Christiansfeld or pick more exciting spots for your Denmark itinerary. We could say that visiting Christiansfeld was very simple, straightforward - simply no-frills. The local attractions lacked the wow factor of the Black Sun Phenomenon we experienced in Wadden Sea National Park or the grandeur of Kronborg Castle we saw later.
But that wasn't the point of the Moravian Church and, by extension, Christiansfeld. It's hard to get a grasp on Christiansfeld because it's so unique and different. This is one of those sites where it's really about the mindset you have when you arrive and the effort you put in. Simply put, Christiansfeld might not be for everyone.
Christiansfeld was totally different from any other UNESCO site we've visited.
On the other hand, we've been to many incredible UNESCO sites that were crowded with tourists (like Giant's Causeway), and Christiansfeld felt like a peaceful escape in comparison. At least, that's how it felt for us (and we know summer might change the vibe here).
So if you're nearby and have some extra time, don't overthink it - give Christiansfeld a chance. It's still a UNESCO site with an interesting history. If not, there are tons of other amazing spots to visit in Denmark.
Best Hotels in Christiansfeld
We kept our travel plans as open as possible, so we had no idea where we'd spend the night. Since we got to Christiansfeld so late, staying there seemed like the logical move.
I had my eye on Brødremenighedens Hotel, set in a historic building from 1773. It was right in the UNESCO-protected area and, while a bit pricier, it had everything we needed, plus that amazing atmosphere, location, and some rooms with tiled stoves. The only issue was that the hotel was sold out when we finally decided to stay there and tried to book a room. Keeping a flexible itinerary has its benefits, but there are also some nuisances like this one.
Brodremenighedens is a charming and historic hotel right in the center of Christiansfeld.
Our other option was Den Gamle Grænsekro Inn, which seemed nice, but the problem was it was a few kilometers outside of town. The hotel met all our needs - cozy, not too pricey, free parking, etc. - but it wasn't in the historic part of Christiansfeld, which was a bit disappointing as we thought it would be a cool experience. With plans to explore Odense the next day, we decided there was no point in staying outside of Christiansfeld (since we couldn't stay in the historical area). It made more sense to get closer to our next stop.
We also looked into staying in Kolding, which has some fantastic hotels like the centrally located Hotel Kolding or Milling Hotel Saxildhus and the beautiful Hotel Koldingfjord, which is slightly outside town. But once again, this didn't really solve anything for us.
We eventually ended up at Frederik VI's Hotel, a few kilometers outside the city, which was a total bargain that evening compared to hotels in Odense. If the options above are out of your budget, Danhostel Haderslev in the nearby town of Haderslev could be a great choice, too.
Getting to Christiansfeld
Located in Southern Jutland, Christiansfeld is a small town best reached by car. If driving isn't your thing, you can always take the bus.
Driving to Christiansfeld: We made our way to Christiansfeld by car, as it was part of our longer road trip through Jutland. Having our own car was awesome because we could easily visit various spots around Jutland and eventually get to Christiansfeld, which would have been almost impossible without a car - for instance, we also checked out Ejer Bavnehoj and Legoland House that day.
Christiansfeld is roughly 20 minutes from Kolding, 50 minutes from Ribe, an hour from Odense, 90 minutes from Aarhus, and under three hours from Copenhagen. Check out rental car prices in Denmark here.
Public Transport to Christiansfeld: If you're traveling by public transport in Denmark, you can easily get to Christiansfeld by taking bus 134 from Kolding, which you can access by bus or train.
Parking in Christiansfeld
Since we were driving to Christiansfeld, we needed to find a parking spot near the historic area. Street parking in Christiansfeld is generally free, but finding an empty spot might be tricky.
The nearest official parking we found on Google Maps was Busparkering Christiansfeld, and despite the name, it's also for cars and campervans (GPS coordinates 55.35593, 9.49068). The car park was just 500-600 meters from the old town, which was really convenient, and the best part was that it was free. We needed to buy some food, so we parked in front of the Meny grocery store, which was pretty much empty then.
If you want to stay overnight in Christiansfeld, see if your accommodation offers parking - it makes arriving much easier.
You could park on the street in Christiansfeld, but finding an empty spot was the tricky part.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
