A short drive from Kolding, you’ll find Christiansfeld, a truly unique and very beautiful town with a fascinating history. Christiansfeld was founded in 1773 by the Moravian Church, which arrived here from what was then Saxony and built the town according to a strict plan. The streets are straight, the houses are built in brick in the same muted yellow, and everything feels orderly and perfectly symmetrical.
Life in the Moravian Church was structured around community, and that’s reflected in buildings such as the Sisters’ House and the Brothers’ House, where unmarried women and men lived separately within clearly defined frameworks. It was a way of life where daily routines were shared between work, religious practice, and social community.
The church sits at the center of town and, like the other buildings in the original part of Christiansfeld, is marked by a deliberate simplicity. Nearby is the cemetery, Gudsageren, where the graves are identical and arranged in neat rows, reflecting the Moravian view of community and equality, even after death. Christiansfeld is one of the best preserved examples of a planned Moravian settlement, and it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.
My tips for visiting Christiansfeld
Start with a guided tour
Christiansfeld makes much more sense once you understand the background of the town and the Moravian Church. On the guided tour, you’ll learn why the town looks the way it does and what makes it so special. The tours are run by Museum Kolding, and you can check the schedule and book on their website.
Have a Honninghjerte
You can’t visit Christiansfeld without trying a honninghjerte, a traditional Danish heart-shaped honey cake. The tradition goes back to the Moravian Church, which brought the recipe with them from Germany, and the cakes are still made with honey, syrup, and warm spices that give them a dark, dense, and gently spiced flavor. The classic version is coated in chocolate and sometimes filled with cream. If the weather is nice, stop by the cafe at Xocolatl, find a table in the sun, and enjoy a good cup of coffee with a honninghjerte from Brødremenighedens Honningkagebageri.
Visit the Sisters’ House
Today, the Sisters’ House functions as a museum. Inside, you can see the beautiful choir hall and get a more tangible sense of how life in the Moravian community was organized and how daily routines worked in practice.
Buy a Herrnhut star
Stop by the museum shop in the Sisters’ House and pick up a Herrnhut star. These distinctive stars became known in Denmark through the Moravian community in Christiansfeld and are often referred to as Christiansfeld stars. They were originally developed in the 19th century at a school near Herrnhut in Germany as a teaching tool for geometry. Since then, they’ve become a popular design object, especially around Christmas, but in Christiansfeld, you’ll see them hanging in windows all year round. Profits from sales in Denmark go through the Danish Moravian Mission and support church and social work, including projects in Africa.
My blog about The Heart of Jutland
Curious about this part of Denmark? Visit The Heart of Jutland’s website or check out their instagram @theheartofjutland
