The Church of Our Saviour is a Baroque church in Copenhagen, built by King Christian V in 1696. It took almost 14 years to complete the church; the famous spire was added 50 years later.
The Church
The Church was built by the Danish architect, Lambert van Haven in Palladian-Netherlandic style. The dimensions of the church are enormous with the height of the ceiling rafters reaching up-to 36 meters. The marble altar is designed by the Swedisn architect, Nicodemus Tessin, influenced by Roman architecture. The eloquent altar resembles Borromini's facade of San Carlo church in Rome.
The organ facade on the West side of the church is a lavish one, built by the Botzen brothers between 1896 and 1898. The organ pipes belong to the oldest in Copenhagen and have survived the great fires of the 18th century and bombardments of the British in 1807. Repaired in 1965, one can hear the legendary sounds of the pipes during services and concerts today.
The Spire
The spire of the church, built in 1752, is a well-known attraction in Copenhagen. Built by the architect Lauritz de Thurah, it was inspired by the university chapel of St. Ivo in Rome. The notable feature of the spire is its external stairs leading to a globe, atop which stands the figure of Christ with a flag. Of the 400 steps, 150 are located on the outside of the spire.
The outer railings, the globe and the figurine are embellished with gold and they exquisitely contrast against the coper-colored building.
There is a persistent urban legend that de Thurah committed suicide by jumping from the church's top in distress after constructing the spire in anti-clockwise direction as opposed to King Fredrick V's wishes. This has been proven to be a myth as de Thurah died in his bed seven years after completing the spire.
The Carillon
The carillon in the Church of Our Savior is one of the largest and first in Scandinavia. The organist P. S. Rung-Keller is the man behind the installation of the carillon to the unique spire. It is 48-belled with the six larger bells hanging in the bell stock together with the swinging bells behind the shutters, beneath the clock faces.
A Visit to the Church
The church is a must-visit for any tourists in the city; the interior is celestial. There is a small fee for climbing the spire. The walk along the narrow, claustrophobic steps is indeed not for the faint-hearted; it gets overbearingly crowded sometimes.
The walk along the outer spire with the capricious wind blowing against the face is adventurous —acrophobics are warned. The view from the top is simply stunning; the vibrant buildings, the magnificent towers and domes, the strolling canals, and the distant, azure seas are a treat for your eyes.
More information on the services, opening hours etc. can be found on the official site.
Aarthi Ananthakumar - A budding freelance writer interested in topics like Green Living, Responsible Travel and South Indian History.
