Avnede Church was originally a wooden structure, probably one of the first to be built on Lolland in the early 11th century. It was located near a spring known in pre-Christian times and later Christianized as St Lawrence's spring. It was well known for the powerful effects of its waters. The church itself was also originally dedicated to St Lawrence. Today's stone building dates from the end of the 14th century. Apart from a short period in the 16th century, it was annexed to Halsted Church. Together with Halsted, in 1719 it was transferred to the Juellinge barony, created in honor of Jens Juel, and was subsequently owned by members of the Juel-Vind family. The church gained its independence in 1957.
The church was built in the Gothic style with a nave and a chancel with a three-sided east wall. The tower was added slightly later. The pyramidal spire is from c. 1770. The pulpit from 1580 is decorated with the 10 virtues which were restored in c. 1950 after being painted over for centuries.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.