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Founded: c. 1300Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Denmark
Historical period: The First Kingdom (Denmark)
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Bjørnkær is a 14th century castle mound consisting of two square castle embankments surrounded by a moat and an outer embankment. During excavations in the 1930s, the foundations of a small building were found on the eastern castle embankment. Inside, the building measures about 4.5 m x 6.5 m, and the remains of the entrance door can be seen in the west wall. The other walls have traces of windows. The remains of cobblestones were found outside the building. Bjørnkær was owned by nobleman Niels Kalf. His widow, Abel Puder, gave the castle to the Bishop of Århus in 1427.
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.