Cnut the Holy - King and Saint
In the crypt beneath Odense Cathedral, you can meet Canute the Holy, the Danish king whose canonisation helped turn Odense into one of the most important pilgrimage destinations of the Middle Ages. Discover his tomb, historic shrines and one of the most dramatic stories in Danish history.
From king to saint
Canute the Holy was King of Denmark from 1080 to 1086. He worked to strengthen both the monarchy and the Church, but his policies met resistance from nobles and farmers alike.
On 10 July 1086, Canute and his followers sought refuge in St Alban's Church in Odense during a rebellion. Here, he was killed alongside his brother Benedict. A few years later, stories of miracles at his grave began to spread, and around the year 1100 Canute was canonised by the Pope. As a result, Odense became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Northern Europe during the Middle Ages.
"In the low, quiet crypt beneath Odense Cathedral, St Canute's Church, stand two solitary shrines. They contain the mortal remains of the last Viking king, Canute the Holy, and his brother, Benedict.
Whenever I stand looking at them, I cannot help but think about the vastness of time before us and the vastness of time and new stories waiting in the future when we ourselves are long gone. We know many skeletons from the Viking Age, but the crypt beneath Odense Cathedral is the only place in the world where you can see the remains of a Viking king."
Karsten Kjer Michaelsen, archaeologist and museum curator
Visit Canute the Holy in the crypt
The crypt beneath Odense Cathedral is one of the cathedral's most atmospheric spaces. Here, the mortal remains of Canute the Holy are preserved alongside the shrines of both Canute and his brother Benedict.
You will also find tombs belonging to several members of the Danish royal family, including King Hans and Queen Christine. At the same time, the crypt's ancient masonry offers an impression of the earlier churches that once stood on the site before the present cathedral.
The story that put Odense on the map of medieval Europe
Few places in Odense are as closely connected to the city's history as the crypt beneath the cathedral. Canute's canonisation made Odense known far beyond Denmark's borders, and for centuries pilgrims travelled here to visit his tomb.
A visit to the crypt is therefore more than a meeting with a Danish king. It is an opportunity to experience a story that has shaped Odense for nearly 1,000 years.
The drama lies beneath your feet
Canute the Holy is just one of the stories hidden within Viking Age Odense. Follow the Viking Route and discover more of the places where archaeological finds, kings, churches and ancient tales come together to reveal the city that emerged more than 1,000 years ago.
Last updated by:VisitOdensejmjen@odense.dk
