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Monday, September 17, 2012

Copenhagen! Vor Frelsers Kirke!

Copenhagen! Church of our Saviors!

Baroque style church in Copenhagen located on Christianshavn that is most famous for its corkscrew spire with an external winding staircase that can be climbed to the top! Kevin and I had no idea what we got into when we payed to climb to the top! We just climbed and climbed with no real direction or guided tour then we made it to the exterior spiral! It was very cool to see the entire city! But we almost blew away up there the wind was so strong! It was also under construction!


When Christian IV planned Christianshavn in 1617, it was intended as an independent merchant's town on the island of Amager and it therefore needed a church. There is a long-lived urban legend stating that the architect killed himself by jumping from the top of the spire, when he realised that the spiral turns the wrong way anticlockwise around. 


I absolutely loved the windows!


The church is built in a Dutch baroque style and its basic layout is a Greek cross. The walls rest on a granite foundation and are made of red and yellow tiles but in a random pattern unlike what is seen in Christian IV's buildings where they are generally systematically arranged. The facade is segmented by pilasters in the palladian giant order, that is they continue in the building's entire height. The pilasters are of the Tuscan order with bases and capitals in sandstone. The cornice is also in sandstone but with a frieze in tiles. Between the pilasters are tall round-arched windows with clear glass and iron dividers.


Such detailed drawings! Awesome!



The church is also noted for its carillon (bells), which is the largest in northern Europe and play melodies every hour from 8 AM to Midnight!


Climbing through the bell tower!


The first window we saw to outside with a great view of Copenhagen!


We made it outside! Now check out the view! It was pretty cool to be above everything in the city!




They had signs of what you were looking at! Pretty cool!






The harbor of Copenhagen and the ocean!


Going all the way to the top!
The black and golden spire reaches a height of 90 metres and the external staircase turns four times anticlockwise around it. Inspiration for the design came from the spiral lantern of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, which turns the same way around. There is a total number of 400 steps to the top of the spire, the last 150 being outside. 



Very tired and thought the wind was gonna blow us away!!



Beautiful Church! Can't believe we were just up there! 

Swedish Words of the Day:
Kyrka (pronounced "chir-ka") meaning Church
Klocka (pronounced "klow-cka") meaning Bell
Steg (pronounced "stay-g") meaning Step

Danish Words of the Day:

Kirke (pronounced "key-irk-a") meaning Church
Klokke (pronounced "kloka") meaning Bell
Trin (pronounced "(togue roll)-trin") meaning Step

PEACE & LOVE,
Kevin & Amanda

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