Dominican Priory, Viborg

The priory church was completed towards the end of the 13th century in red brick in the Gothic style and consisted of a choir, sacristy, and central nave.

The Dominican custom was to sleep fully clothed, including footgear, so that they would be ready to travel at a moment's notice.

Many Danes felt that the tithes, fees, and work due to religious houses were a burden on a generally poor country.

Dominicans and Franciscans, as mendicant orders, added to that burden by requiring constant donations of food, fuel, drink, and services from the local population.

Frederick I and Christian III, both of whom were reform-minded kings, received letters of complaint about the mendicant orders and in 1527 began granting local requests to close monasteries.

A narrow tower was added to the front of the priory church in 1696-1701 with funds raised by Christen Erichsøn, the local parish priest.

King Frederick IV donated an altarpiece, constructed in Antwerp in 1520 by Mogens Christian Thrane, with dozens of pictures depicting scenes from the New Testament, from Christianborg Palace chapel in Copenhagen.

The church features a large pipe organ by Danish builder Christensen, built in 1985, in a mixed baroque-romantic style.