Østerlars

History

In the area of the farm buildings next to Østerlars Church, there are traces of buildings from the early Middle Ages. Rune stones and gravestones from the Middle Ages have also been found nearby. To the east of the village, Bækkegård and Rytterbakken have provided evidence of communities living during the Iron Age and the Viking period. At the top of the hill near Bækkegård, Bornholm's largest burial site has been found with over 220 graves from 525–850. Østerlars Church, built around 1160, is one of Denmark's oldest Romanesque churches. Today's village grew up around the railway station on the Aakirkeby–Gudhjem line which operated from 1916 to 1952. For a period, it had numerous facilities including a hotel, a bank, a post office, two butchers, a baker, a library and various agricultural interests but today there is only one food store. The old station building designed by Kay Fisker and Aage Rafn at No. 42 Nybrovej is now used as a school.