Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Denmark Skagen The Sand-Covered Church

The Sand-Covered Church

Tiring of digging out the door to this church for every service, it was eventually abandoned to the sands.

Skagen, Denmark

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Sand-Covered Church   Larry Myhre on Flickr
The Sand-Covered Church   Wikipedia
The Sand-Covered Church   Wikipedia
Inside the roof of the sand covered church   Rob Fearn / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the tower of the sand covered church   Rob Fearn / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Rising out of the sands in Skagen, Denmark, the remaining tower of a once prosperous chapel now known simply as the Sand-Covered Church (or Buried Church, or Old Skagen Church) is a testament to the unstoppable power of nature.

Neither man nor God could save the church that was originally dedicated to Saint Lawrence of Rome. First built in the 14th century the brick chapel was the largest church in the region during its heyday. However around 1600, increasing desertification began taking its toll on the building. Rising levels of sand began to bury the foundations faster than they could be dug out, while sand found its way to the interior of the aging church through every crack and crevice. By the late 1700s the door was almost completely covered and had to be dug out regularly just to hold services.

Despite the ever increasing issues with the church as it fell deeper and deeper into the sands, the owners of the church refused to let it be closed down. The tapestries and furniture were removed from the interior lest they be buried, and it was not until 1795 and with the permission of the King of Denmark that the Sand-Covered Church was finally closed. Most of the church was demolished, leaving around nine feet of wall standing, these were quickly wiped from the landscape by the shifting dunes. The tall main tower was left to jut from the sands, and it is this brick monolith that remains to this day.

The Sand-Covered Church has been white-washed over the years and ownership transferred to a historical society, but the historic tower remains otherwise unaltered. The tower can be entered on certain days of the year and the view from the windows is a reminder of the building that lies beneath.   

Related Tags

Churches Geology Abandoned Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

Martin, Rob Fearn, Qunoptikum

  • Martin
  • Rob Fearn
  • Qunoptikum

Published

January 5, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sand-Covered_Church
  • http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/en_GB/the-sand-covered-church
The Sand-Covered Church
Skagen, 9990
Denmark
57.713534, 10.55089

Nearby Places

Grenen

Skagen, Denmark

miles away

Hair Jewelry Exhibit at the Bangsbo Museum

Frederikshavn, Denmark

miles away

Cloos Tower

Frederikshavn, Denmark

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Skagen

Skagen

Denmark

Places 2

Nearby Places

Grenen

Skagen, Denmark

miles away

Hair Jewelry Exhibit at the Bangsbo Museum

Frederikshavn, Denmark

miles away

Cloos Tower

Frederikshavn, Denmark

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Skagen

Skagen

Denmark

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

33 Deserted Places Around the World

List

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • Inside the church in 2006

    Angahuan, Mexico

    Viejo San Juan Parangaricutiro

    This church, buried halfway in lava rock, is all that remains of a Mexican village destroyed by a volcano.

  • Plaisance Ward, Seychelles

    Abandoned Church

    In the middle of a busy residential neighborhood, a small roofless church being reclaimed by nature.

  • San Michele Arcangelo Hypogeum.

    Torre del Greco, Italy

    San Michele Arcangelo Hypogeum

    The old church, buried by the 1784 Mount Vesuvius eruption, is a remarkably well-preserved place where people now pray for the souls of the dead.

  • East Haddam, Connecticut

    Johnsonville Village

    This picturesque Victorian ghost town was once a thriving mill community.

  • Église du Bon-Pasteur

    Lyon, France

    Église du Bon-Pasteur

    This abandoned church in central Lyon is missing its front stairs.

  • Inside the chapel.

    Oxfordshire, England

    Godstow Abbey Ruins

    These ancient ruins were the final resting place of King Henry II's mistress.

  • Vals, France

    Église Notre-Dame de Vals (Church of Our Lady of Vals)

    A medieval church built into an ancient cave.

  • Graves next to the kirk.

    North Berwick, Scotland

    St Andrew's Kirk Ports

    The ruins of the second of three churches dedicated to the saint in a touristic Scottish town.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.