Votive
ships
in churches
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Tourists are often surprised to find ship models of the most different ship types in the churches of ports and wonder about the meaning they may have. For centuries, it was usual to decorate churches with gifts. So for example these ships serve as thanks for the protection on sea and they are very often produced by retired seamen. Models of lightships can be found in the below mentioned churches: |
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St. Petri Church in Cuxhaven (Germany) A model of the German lightship ELBE 1 "Buergermeister O´Swald I" can be found in the St. Petri Church in Cuxhaven, built in 1911. Beside the sanctuary, some years ago a memorial was created for the Christian navigation. Address:
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Sønderho Church (Denmark) In the south of the island of Fanø close to Esbjerg is Sønderho village. In their church no less than 15 votive ships can be seen, one of them is the Danish Fyrskib no. XXI "Horns Rev", which was built 1911 in Faaborg. The model was hung up in the church at the 11th of December 1988, but nobody knows who built it. It was bought in a second hand shop in Vejle (Denmark) at the price of 5,200 DKK. The fact that 60 seamen of the island of Fanø served on lightships was probably the reason, that the church in Sønderho was looking for a lightship as a votive ship. The model is 54 cm long and 50 cm high. Address:
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Tornby Church (Denmark) At Tornby church close to Hirtshals there is a copy of one of the earliest Danish lightships "Knoben". This was the lighthsip on the station "Anholt Knob". The model is 70 cm long and 75 cm high and shows a two master with a ball at the front mast and the Danish flag "Dannebrog" at the stern of the ship. The model was built by Jens Christian Christensen, who was born 1828 in Tornby. In 1870 it was hung up in the church. Address:
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