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Holmens Church
When
new skipper’s cottages where built in 1617
as homes for naval officers on the Southside of the city,
the need for a church for men of the navy was highly required,
and in 1619 Bishop Hans Resen was able to
consecrate the old anchor forge on Bremholm
Island as the navy church after King Christian IV
(1577-1648 – ruled
Denmark and Norway 1588-1648) had dedicated the old anchor
smithy on Holmen to
be used as a church for the Danish navy and named it Holmens
Church.
| Holmens
Church painted in 1748. |
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The
church was rebuilt during 1641-43 with the
present choir part and the two aisles creating a four wing
plan. To the east lies ‘The Skipper’s Aisle’,
to the west ‘The Choir Aisle’. To the north ‘The
Captain’s Aisle’ and to the south ‘The Garden
Aisle’. The main portal is from the cathedral
of Roskilde and was placed here in 1871.
The
altar-piece is made of solid oak and decorated
in the middle of Jesus Passion starting with the holy community
to the crucifixion and then the entombment. On top is the
figure of Christ blessing and the font is from 1646.
| The
altar-piece in Holmens Church from 1661 is made
of solid oak. |
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| The
votive ship is a model of Niels Juel's warship
from 1674 "Christianus Quintus". |
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The
Votive Ship
The votive ship hanging in the cross intersection is a model
of the Danish naval hero Niels Juel's warship "Christianus
Quintus" from 1674, and as admiral onboard of
this grand battleship he defeated with his fleet the Swedish
armada at Køge Bay 1. June 1677.
The Organ
At
the side of the organ from 1738
are four big sculptures of prophets placed. The Organ is built
with 53 stops and 4.300 pipes
together with a carillon. Famous organists like Niels W. Gade
and Thomas Laub have played in the church. The organ has been
rebuilt several time and last in 1956.
| The
organ is from 1738, with 53 stops and 4.300 pipes,
and rebuilt several times. |
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| The
great burial chapel from 1709 with coffins of many
prominent persons. |
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The
Chapel
The
chapel of the church was ordered by King Frederik IV
(1671–1730 – ruled from 1699-1730) and the church’s
patron Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve (Son
of King Christian IV) laid the foundation stone to a spacious
chapel along Børskanalen (The exchange Canal) in 1705.
In the chapel one can find two very famous men buried in Holmens
Church – the naval heroes Niels Juel (1629-1697)
and Peter Wessel Tordenskiold (1690 -1720).
One of the greatest victories ever won by Commander
Niels Juel was in June 1677
in the battle at sea at Køge Bay, where
he with his armada of 25 battleships defeated the Swedish admiral
Evert Horn with his 36 battleships. The top photo illustrates
the battle in 1677, painted by Viggo Fauerholt. Peter
Tordenskiold was best known for is services in
the Great Northern War - 1700-1721,
where he rose the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Dano-Norwegian
Navy of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway.
| Admiral
Niels Juel's final resting place is in the chapel
of Holmens Church. The portrait was painted by
Jocob Coning in 1685 and displayed at Frederiksborg
Castle . |
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| Naval
hero and Vice-Admiral Peter Wessel Tordenskiold
is buried in the Chapel of Holmens Church. The
portrait was painted by Balthasar Denner in 1719
and displayed at Frederiksborg Castle . |
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Prominent
Sarcophaguses
The sarcophagus of the Danish naval hero admiral Niels
Juel and his wife Margrethe Ulfeld are placed at
the end of the chapel and the sarcophagus of the Norwegian-Danish
naval hero vice-admiral Tordenskiold, who
was killed in a duel with a Swedish colonel in North Germany
in 1720. Tordenskiold's Sarcophagus is made
of the remaining marble from the cathedral of Copenhagen Our
Lady which was damaged during the bombardment of
Copenhagen in 1807.
| The
sarcophagus of the Danish naval hero admiral Niels
Juel and his wife Margrethe Ulfeld are placed at
the end of the chapel. |
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| Sarcophagus
and burial plot of the Norwegian-Danish naval hero
vice-admiral Peter Wessel Tordenskiold in the great
Chapel Hall. |
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Statue
of Tordenskiold
In the little yard vest of Holmens church is a statue
of the Danish naval hero vice-admiral Peter Wessel called
Tordenskiold created by sculptor Vilhelm
Bissen (1836-1913).
Royal
Wedding
On June 10th 1967 - our present Queen
Margrethe was married in Holmens Church
to French - Henri Marie Jean André greve de Laborde
de Monpezat - who later became HRH Prince Henrik of
Denmark
Location
Holmens
Church is situated next to Christiansborg Palace and the old
Stock Exchange.
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