Discover Gislev: Church, culture and landscape

Gislev combines local cultural offerings with a Romanesque church and the landscape around the Kongshøj Å. When looking for a hotel in Gislev, you can choose your reason for travelling based on whether you are most interested in architectural history, a cultural programme or the music event in June. Each of these themes has its own connection to the local features.

Church and architectural history

Gislev Church dates from the mid-12th century. Its Romanesque chancel and nave are the two features that define its architectural style. The nave is the elongated main space; the chancel is the adjoining area. This makes it possible to describe specific elements of the church’s design as well as its age.

Well-preserved frescoes adorn the ceiling of the chancel. Their motifs include scenes from the New Testament, the Passion, and the death and resurrection of Christ. They also include depictions from the story of Jesus’s childhood and everyday life. Biblical themes and everyday scenes thus appear side by side. For those interested in cultural history, Gislev offers both its Romanesque architecture and its wide-ranging decorative programme as points of interest.

Culture and music in Børneskoven

Ådalscenen Gislev Kulturcenter organises cultural activities on and around the stage in Børneskoven. The stage is built from natural wood. At Ådalscenen, a stage and a picnic shelter are arranged around an observation tower; the tower is part of a wind turbine tower. The Madpakkehuset at Ådalscenen Kulturcenter is located in the middle of Gislev Børneskov.

The Gislev Music Festival takes place every year on the first Saturday in June in Gislev Børneskov. The Gislev Music Festival has existed as a local association since 2001. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the programme and date for the relevant year. Its annual timing helps with general planning; the current edition is what matters when arranging the specific trip.

There is ample parking near Ådalscenen; the car park is accessible via Skolevej. Check the latest access information before your visit, as access arrangements may change. This allows you to plan your journey to this cultural venue separately, whether or not your stay coincides with the music festival.

Landscape and the Kongshøj Å

The landscape around Gislev is characterised by rolling fields and open spaces. The Kongshøj Å meanders south of Gislev, continues towards eastern Funen and eventually flows into the Great Belt. The tunnel valley system of the Kongshøj Å extends from Gislev in the west via Frørup to the Great Belt in the east and is just over 15 kilometres long. The system branches out along the Kongshøj Å, Holme Bæk, Sorteå and Fiskebæk. The river course and the extensive tunnel valley thus describe two different scales of the local landscape.

Gislev has extensive recreational areas by the Kongshøj Å valley. Large parts of the tunnel valley now consist of protected natural habitats; access from Gislev is limited. Bear this restriction in mind when planning if the landscape is a focus of your trip. Together with the open fields, the river course and the branches of the valley system, this creates a landscape that can be understood both locally and along its wider course towards the Great Belt.

Discover more destinations: Ringe, Årslev, Falden, Dyreborg, Fjællebroen, Broby, Faaborg, Tommerup

For the broader travel overview: Faaborg-Midtfyn Municipality.