page_title: St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted
section_title: Royal burial site
hierarchical_section_title: St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted / Royal burial site
caption_attribution_description: English: Grave of King Birger and Queen Margaret of Sweden at St. Benedict’s ChurchPlace: Ringstead, Denmark
context_page_description: St. Bendt's is a church in Ringsted, Denmark, which was originally part of a Benedictine monastery that burnt down in the 18th century. Built in the Romanesque style, it is the oldest brick church in Scandinavia, dating back to about 1170 when it replaced a travertine church from about 1080. It is considered to be one of Denmark's architecturally finest churches. Furthermore, it is of special historical interest as it is first Royal church in Denmark and it houses the tombs of many of Denmark's earlier monarchs and noblemen.
context_section_description: As the church houses the tomb of Valdemar the Great, it is of great historical significance to Denmark.
  Since St. Canute's relics were enshrined in a chapel behind the high altar, the monarchs of Valdemar's line were buried in front of it. Indeed, from 1182 to 1341 all the Danish kings and queens were buried in St. Bendt's. Apart from Valdemar the Great, they included Canute VI, Valdemar II, Eric VI and Eric IV. It is second only to Roskilde Cathedral for the number of royal Danish tombs it contains. As indicated on the plaque (pictured), the most important (with the year of death) are:
  Duke Canute Lavard (1130)
  King Valdemar I. The Great. (1182)
  His Queen Sophia (1198)
  His son, Duke Christopher (1166)
  King Canute VI (1202)
  His sister, Queen Richeza of Sweden (1220)
  King Valdemar II. The Victorious (1241)
  His Queen Dagmar (1213)
  His Queen Berengaria (1220)
  King Valdemar III. (1231)
  Lady Eleonora (1231)
  Canute, Duke of Reval (1260)
  His son Erik, Duke of Halland (1304)
  Prince Valdemar, the son of King Christopher I.
  King Erik IV (1250)
  King Birger of Sweden (1321)
  His wife Queen Margarethe of Sweden (1341)
  King Erik VI (1319)
  His mother, Queen Agnes (1304)
  His Queen Ingeborg (1319)
  Erik, son of King Christopher II (1331)
caption: Gravestone of the exiled King and Queen of Sweden
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