Hyby Old Church dates back to the 12th century. On September 9, 1873, lightning struck the church, causing a subsequent fire. This accident led to the decision to build a new church not far from the old one. Hyby New Church was completed in 1877. Only the large choir of the old church was preserved, serving as a burial chapel for the noble Trolle family at nearby Klågerups Castle. This noble family had already used the church as a burial place before the fire. There were three coffins for the Trolle youth who drowned at Torup in 1775. In 1940, the coffins in the chapel were considered to be in such poor condition that they needed to be buried. In 1951, the church was restored to its current appearance.
Hyby Old Church was dedicated to St. Nicholas and consisted of a long choir and a nave with two cross vaults. The nave had a portal in the south for men and one in the north for women. During the 18th century, a tower was erected west of the nave and was crowned with a very tall spire.
The walls of the church's nave and its vaults were covered with frescoes. In the so-called 'Prästrelationer' from 1624, there are mentions of depictions of noblemen and coats of arms belonging to families such as Has and Hack in Hyby and Klågerup. Today, only the paintings in the former choir remain.
The remaining choir has two cross vaults, with the western one likely built in connection with the original church and the eastern one added during the 15th century. The vaults are covered with paintings executed by the anonymous Master Harriemästaren around 1500. The vaults feature scenes of Golgotha, the Last Judgment, and a row of apostles. In the south: Peter, Paul, Andrew, James the Elder with a pilgrim's staff, and Philip. In the west: Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon, and Jude. In the so-called tribune arch, St. Nicholas, the medieval patron saint of Hyby Church, is depicted.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.