Gudme: Iron Age, Finds and Church Art

Gudme is a destination for travellers interested in the Iron Age, archaeological finds and church art. The historic settlement, Gudme Church, the collection of antiquities at Broholm and routes in the area offer different perspectives: from traces of excavations and collection pieces to paths by the lake and through the wider landscape.

Gudme’s Iron Age heritage

From the 3rd to the 7th century AD, Gudme was one of Denmark’s largest and wealthiest Iron Age settlements. It was also a religious and economic centre with far-reaching European connections. The settlement comprised a chieftain’s farm, surrounded by around 50 smaller farms. This means the settlement structure can be understood as more than a single farmstead. Another archaeological landmark is Gudme Hall: excavations uncovered its postholes, and the hall is among Denmark’s largest hall buildings from the pre-Viking Age. Here, a specific excavation finding meets a comparison of its size with others nationwide. The “Den gyldne undergrund” cycle route passes through the Gudme-Lundeborg area; near Gudme, you can see the outlines of Gudmekongens Hal.

Finds and stories at Broholm

At Broholm, the collection of antiquities contains around 70,000 flint and other Stone Age finds from the area around Broholm. In the collection, you can view thousands of flint tools up close. You can hear stories from Denmark’s prehistoric past about ten selected objects. The figure of around 70,000 indicates the size of the collection as a whole; the ten selected objects focus on a smaller selection. In this way, an overview of the collection’s scale differs from exploring individual objects.

Architecture and visual art at Gudme Church

Different historical layers come together at Gudme Church. It is considered one of the oldest churches on Funen and was dedicated to Saint Lawrence during the Catholic era. Only the large nave survives from the original Romanesque building; it was built from unworked fieldstones. In 1488, the vaults were decorated with painted ornaments and figures. A large fresco on the west wall depicts Saint George fighting the dragon. The nave points to the Romanesque building, while the vaults and fresco display specific motifs and designs.

Walking routes and regional connections

Gudme Lake has a water surface of slightly more than nine hectares. Gudme Sø Rundt is a 1.6-kilometre walking route. The area figure describes the lake, while the kilometre figure describes the route; the two measurements therefore provide different information. The Eventyrstien trail runs around the lake at Broholm. In the wider Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area, the Øhavsstien trail follows the Tange Å from Broholm to Lundeborg. While the length is specified for Gudme Sø Rundt, the regional route and endpoints provide orientation for the Øhavsstien. For specific planning, it is worth checking the current route.

Local and demand-responsive buses serve Oure, Hesselager, Vejstrup, Lundeborg, Gudbjerg and Brændeskov in the Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area; regional buses run to Svendborg, Ørbæk, Odense and Nyborg. Check the current connection for your journey.

Discover more destinations: Hesselager, Nørre Vornæs, Svendborg, Vemmenæs, Gudbjerg, Vårø, Stenstrup, Revsøre

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