Copenhagen's Cathedral - The Church of Our Lady

Church since 1209
On the site where Copenhagen’s Cathedral (The Church of Our Lady) is located the area has housed a church since 1209. The Cathedral has been rebuilt four times – after the first church from 1209 of limestone, placed on the highest spot in town, burnt down and was reconstructed in 1316 – then when the second church was razed by a great fire in 1728 together with five other churches in Copenhagen and rebuilt in 1738 – and finally during the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807, when the spire was hit by a Congreve rocket and nearly burnt the church down the to the ground.

The second Cathedral in 1520 was the church of the Danish Royal House and conducted all ceremonial handlings like crowning and weddings for the Royals. The church burnt down in 1728 together with five other churches during the heavy fires in Copenhagen.

In 1738 the third Cathedral was built with the highest tower and spire in Copenhagen, and was raised by a fire in 1807 during the bombardment of the city. The Royal House had selected the Palace Chapel at Christiansborg Palace as their future parish church in 1732.

The Royal Cathedral
The Cathedral had for a long time been associated with the Royal family, where the Royal House used the Cathedral for their ceremonial events such as crowning and weddings. The first royal ceremony in the second Cathedral from 1316 was when King Valdemar IV – nickname Atterdag – (Tomorrow, there is also a day) – (1320-1375 – ruled Denmark 1340-1375) let his ten-year old daughter Margrethe – later Queen Margrethe I – marry to King Haakon of Norway in 1363 and then when King Christian I and Queen Dorothea were crowned and married in 1449 the Cathedral obtained the status of being the prime church for the Royals.

Reformation 1536 and national church
After the crowning in 1536 of King Frederik III in the Cathedral, and in the same year when reformation came to Denmark and abolished Catholicism, the church became a national church, where the mother tongue was allowed and future services was conducted after the Evangelical Lutheran order.

Battle of Copenhagen (1801-1807)
The background for the battles was the result of multiple failures of diplomacy in the end of 1800 and the beginning of 1801 during the Napoleonic wars. To size the Danish fleet to avoid its ending up in the hands of Napoleon, the naval Battle of Copenhagen (Slaget på Reden) was fought in April 1801 by the British fleet under the command of Admiral Hyde Parker, Jr. The main attack was led by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, who famously disobeyed Parker's order to withdraw and destroyed many of the Danish-Norwegian ships before Denmark-Norway agreed to a truce.

The Second Battle of Copenhagen in September 1807, was a British attack on the civilian population of Copenhagen, with over 14,000 rounds fired in three days. More than 2000 civilians were killed and 30% of the buildings were destroyed.

Painting by C. W. Eckersberg showing the spire of the Cathedral on fire during the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807. The Round Tower and the Trinitatis church complex to the left - survived the daily attacks on the city.

The newly built Cathedral in 1840, with the University building on the left and the Round Tower from 1642 at the back. The University was ruined by fire in 1801 and rebuilt in 1836.

The imposing and prestigious pediment from 1862 supported by columns is created by the architect C. F. Hansen in neoclassical style, and the Pantheon Temple in Rome was used as a model.

The present tower building is 60 m high and houses the four church bells that weighs over 4 tons, which are the largest bells in Denmark. The smallest bell in the tower is the oldest bell in the country, dating from 1490.

The present fronton from 1862 outside of the main entrance of Copenhagen's Cathedral. Many buildings around the town were attached with pediments, which was the neoclassical style in the middle of the 1900 century.

Consecrated in 1829
After the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807, where most of the Cathedral was destroyed and after being a ruin for almost ten years - King Frederik VI (1768-1839) – ruled Denmark 1808-1839 and Norway 1808-1814) laid the foundation stone of the present Cathedral in 1817, and the Cathedral was consecrated on Whitsun Day in 1829, after being under construction and rebuilding for nearly twelve years. It was the architect C. F. Hansen who was given the task to design the new modern Cathedral in a neo-classical style with a dome – a colonnade and a prestigious fronton (pediment) supported by columns.

Bertel Thorvaldsen's sculptures of the Apostles Jacob (James, son of Zebedee) and Paulus (Paul of Tarsus) are being set up in 1834 alongside the nave of the church. Painting by Niels Simonsen.

All twelve Apostles are placed as decorative monuments on either side of the nave in the Cathedral and each statue represents a symbol that is associated with each apostle.

The interior and decoration
The famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen was assigned to decorate the interior of the Cathedral by creating the sculptures of Christ and the twelve Apostles together with the font. The statue of Christ above the altar captures the attention and creates a peaceful atmosphere for the entire church with its gentle welcoming gesture. The twelve apostles are placed in the nave and each statue represents a symbol that is associated with each apostle. In front of the altar is the beautiful baptismal font made of Italian marble and shaped like a guardian angel that holds the font. The font and the rest of the marble works in the church was Bertel Thorvaldsen's personal gift to the church.

In the aisles a bronze bust of Bertel Thorvaldsen, modelled by H.W.Bissen, is on display along with many portraits of the Cathedrals bishops and deans.

There is over 25 m from floor to ceiling and the nave is 60 m long - here with the twelve Apostles and the statue of Christ at the altar. The Cathedral can seat 1500 congregants.

King Christian IV - also known as the architect of Copenhagen was crowned in 1596 in the Cathedral. The King was the builder of Rosenborg Castle - Round Tower, Old Stock Exchange - etc.

King Frederik III - founder of the absolute monarchy in 1665 was crowned in 1648 in the Cathedral. The King had a passion for collecting books and created the Royal Library in 1648.

The funeral of sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen took place at the Cathedral in 1844. Bertel Thorvaldsen was assigned to decorate the interior of the entire Cathedral.

1363 - The wedding of Margaret I of Denmark (1353-1412 – ruled Denmark, Norway and Sweden 1375-1412) and Haakon VI Magnusson of Norway - Margaret I is buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
1449, October 28 - The crowning and marriage of King Christian I of Denmark (1426-1481 – ruled Denmark, Norway and Sweden 1448-1481) and Queen Dorothea of Brandenburg – King Christian I is buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
1536 - The crowning of King Christian III of Denmark (1503-1559 – ruled Denmark and Norway 1534-1459) - Buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
1559 - The crowning of King Frederik II of Denmark (1534-1588 – ruled Denmark and Norway 1559-1588) - Buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
1596 - August 17 - The crowning of King Christian IV of Denmark (1577-1648 – ruled Denmark and Norway 1588-1548) - Buried in Roskilde Cathedral.

One of the many ceremonial events at the Cathedral was the crowning of King Christian IV in 1596. The coronation procession started at Copenhagen Castle and went through the city to Copenhagen's Cathedral where the crowning ceremony took place. The royal event was later painted by Otto Bache in 1887.

At the Royal wedding in May 2004 of Crown prince Frederik and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson - a marvellous floral decoration at the Alter and Chancel steps of the Cathedral was masterly created by royal floral designer Erik Buch in close collaboration with the mother of the groom Queen Margrethe II.

1648 - The crowning of King Frederik III of Denmark (1609-1670 – ruled Denmark and Norway 1648-1670) - Buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
1844, 30 March – Funeral of Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844) – Sculptor and the master of decorating Copenhagen’s Cathedral – Buried in a tomb in the inner courtyard of his museum.
1855, November 18 - Funeral of Søren A. Kierkegaard (1813-1855) – World known Danish philosopher and theologian - Buried at Assistens Cemetery in Copenhagen.
1875, 11 August – Funeral of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) – World known writer – Buried at Assistens Cemetery in Copenhagen.
1931 – Funeral of Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) - International Danish composer and national hymn writer. Buried at Vestre Cementary in Copenhagen.
2004, May 14 - The Royal wedding of Crown Prince Frederik (XI) of Denmark and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, Australia – later Crown Princess Mary.

The funeral of philosopher and theologian Søren A. Kierkegaard took place at the Cathedral in 1855. Best known for his work about existential psychology.

The funeral of world famous writer and poet Hans Christian Andersen took place at the Cathedral in 1875. Best known for his many fairy tales.

The wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson - later Crown Princess Mary - took place at the Cathedral in 2004.

The Organ
The great Cathedral organ with 87 stops and 5 manuals and pedal, was inaugurated on Easter Sunday 9 April 1995, with a choir organ added in 2002. The entire organ unit is build by the world’s oldest organ-builders Marcussen & Son, who are based in south Jutland – Denmark. The company was founded in 1806 by Jürgen Marcussen (1781-1860) in Aabenraa and the firm has during the years achieved international reputation, with a reference of 1125 organs built and supplied worldwide.

The Cathedral is located in the heart of the city and in the Latin Quarters of Copenhagen - next to the University.

The great organ in the Cathedral was inaugurated in 1995 and is built by a Danish company and the world’s oldest organ-builders Marcussen & Son.

Brief History - The National Church of Denmark
The Danes became Christians more than 1000 years ago, when the Danish King Harald Bluetooth raised the runic stones at Jelling around 965 in Jutland stating that Christianity had come to Denmark. The runic stones at Jelling are recognised as a national symbol and the Danish kingdom's birth certificate has the inscription that praises King Harald for making all Danes Christians. The stones are also strongly identified with the creation of Denmark as a nation state.

The big runic stone at Jelling in Jutland was raised by King Harald Bluetooth in 965 stating that the Christian religion had come to Denmark and was rooted among the Danes. The stone has a figure of Christ on one side and on another side a serpent wrapped around a lion and inscription using the runic alphabets.

The inscription of the big runic stone pronounces that “King Harald made this monument in memory of his father Gorm, and in memory of his mother Thyra. The Harald who won the entire Denmark and Norway and made all the Danes Christian." The runic stones are great tourist attractions.

State and National Church
Since the Danish Constitution was introduced in 1849, the Danish Church became a state church and belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, officially supported by the state and is an outcome from the Lutheran Reformation in 1536. The Danish parliament ("Folketinget") is the supreme legislative authority for the church.

Today 87 % of all Danes are Protestants and members of the National Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, called Folkekirken (The Peoples Church).

Many Lutheran churches with great historical and cultural importance are placed in Copenhagen, and open to tourists 7 days a week. All visitors are welcome to participate in the church service and take part of the Holy Communion.

Numerous churches belonging to other denominations are located around the city where tourists also can attend services.

Location
The Cathedral is located in the heart of the old Latin Quarters and beside Copenhagen’s University – St. Petri Church and the pedestrian Street “Strøget”.

Copenhagen's Cathedral - The Church of Our Lady Address: Copenhagen’s Cathedral - Vor Frue Kirke Nørregade 8 1165 Copenhagen K Busses: 1A - 6A - 350S Trains - Nørreport Station Metro - Nørreport Station