Vor Frelseres Kirke
Vor Frelseres Kirke (The Church of our Saviour) is a magnificent church named after King Christian V, the first monarch on the Danish throne with absolute power. The church is located in the Christianshavn area, close to the Freetown Christiania. Look up at the church tower and you'll see an exterior golden staircase winding up to the spire. At the top, there is a golden globe crowned by a statue of a flag-bearing statue.
The golden staircase enables you to climb to the top of the church's 95 meters high spire and from there you have a fantastic 360 degree view of Copenhagen, as well as the Øresund Bridge connecting Denmark with Sweden. To climb to the top is a must when you visit Copenhagen - even if it can be quite a climb it's well worth it for the excellent views. There is a total number of 400 steps to the top of the spire, the last 150 of them being outside.
When inside the church, look up into the ceiling, where you'll see the chains of the Order of the Elephant and the Order of the Dannebrogen. Both decorations were instigated by King Christian V. The church's exquisite organ is supported by a relief of two elephants.
Frederiks Kirke
Frederiks Kirke (The Marble Church) has the largest church dome in Scandinavia with a span of 31 meters, though there are three larger domes elsewhere in Europe.
In 1749 King Frederik V ordered the Marble Church, to be built as a commemoration and celebration of the Oldenborg's 300 years on the Danish throne.
it was one of the most expensive architectural adventures of those days; and the work on the new church was stopped several times because of lack of money. And in 1770 the workers were sent home and the construction site shut down.
Only a small part of the once so great idea had been finished and now it fell into ruins - until 1874 when the financier C.F. Tietgen bought it lock, stock and barrel, and finished the construction. Pantheon in Rome was the model; the marble came from Norway.
Vor frue kirke
The wedding between the crown prince Frederik and Mary Donaldsen took place here in 2004. Vor Frue Kirke (The Church of Our Lady) is also the national cathedral of Denmark.
The cathedral as it is today was built between 1810 and 1829, designed in neo-classical style by the Danish architect C.F. Hansen. It can sit more than one thousand people.
But its history goes back to the very beginning of the 13th century; although a rather small and unpretentious building, it was religiously important as the cathedral of Copenhagen and answered to the bishop Absalom of Roskilde. Four times it was ravaged by fire. In the beginning of the 14th century it was rebuilt, and this time large as a cathedral. For the next two centuries it was the main cathedral of Denmark, and in Europe it was considered as the most precious architectural masterpieces.
In 1728 the church once more was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt with red bricks and re-inaugurated ten years later. The last renovation was done in the 1970s. The Copenhagen is famous for its statues of Christ and the apostles by famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.
The wedding between the crown prince Frederik and Mary Donaldsen took place here in 2004. The Church of Our Lady is also the national cathedral of Denmark.
