Experiences at the abbey
Come on in
The history of Esrum Abbey is complex. The building holds stories from all the lives that have called the abbey home. From monks to kings.
Life in the abbey
The life of a monk in the Middle Ages both fascinates and raises questions; Who were the monks? And why did they choose to dedicate their lives to their faith? And what does their dedication say about the lives of modern people today?
Light and sound installations take us back in time to the everyday life of the monks at Esrum Monastery. The large, luminous time wheel is in constant motion. The repeated changes in color from sunrise to sunset, from light to darkness, symbolize the monks’ lives in eternal repetition and their alternation between prayer and work.
To the sounds of the tithing prayers, you are invited into the holy of holies: To the prayers and chanting of the monks. Following the quiet whispers of the many languages once spoken at the monastery, you can immerse yourself in the personal stories of the monk, abbot and lay brother who all lived here.
The light and sound installations are on the ground floor.
Travel back in time with virtual reality
Esrum Monastery was once one of the largest monasteries in Denmark. Today, only one building remains. It’s hard to imagine how big the monastery once was.
But if you put on a pair of Virtual Reality glasses, you can travel back to the Middle Ages and the heyday of Esrum Monastery. You see the monastery as it looked back then, take a walk through the monks’ friary and are let into the large church room. Finally, you’ll soar through the church ceiling, fly over the landscape and get the best view of Esrum Monastery.
The virtual reality glasses are on the 1st floor. Read more about them here.
The abbey cellar: Human footprints through 900 years
Discover the atmospheric monastery cellar where we talk about the many lives that have left their mark on the history and architecture of the abbey. Explore a house that holds 900 years of our Danish history.
In the abbey cellar you can get up close and personal with historical artifacts that people have left on the abbey grounds over time. The objects are small echoes of the many different daily lives that were lived behind the thick abbey walls.
A Reformation game
You are at the end of the Middle Ages. The church is slowly losing its grip on power. Chaos reigns because the monk Martin Luther has posted 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg. The theses are a critique of the church’s views on sin and salvation. This is the start of a battle between the powerful noble families, the king and the church over what it means to be a “real” Christian in Denmark.
In the dilemma game, you are one of the powerful noble families. You stand at the center of power and faith and must decide the future of Denmark. You are faced with dilemmas, and you must make the choices you believe are best for your family and for the country. The course of history is in your hands. The dilemma game is best played with others, but it can also be played alone.
The game is on the 1st floor.
