Church of our Lady – Copenhagen main church

The main church of Copenhagen is Vor Frue Kirke or Church of our Lady. It is located in the center of Copenhagen and there has been a church at this location since 1187.

Colomns at the entrance to Church of our Lady

Over the years the old church has suffered a lot of different forms of destruction. There was the destruction of all the Old Catholic statues during the reformation where Denmark changed from Catholicism to the protestant version of Christianity. Later the church was struck by lightning and burned. The final blow to the church came during the British bombardment in 1807 where the British navy used the church towers of the city as their target during the bombardment.

Painting of the church with the spire which has never been build

So the present church is actually fairly new in the form it got – the church was finished in 1829 – the church was supposed to have a spire but in the wake of the Napoleon wars of Europe the Danish government had insufficient funds to build the spire – and till this day the church has not gotten the planned spire.

The church is one of the most important churches in Denmark and several royal events in the form of christenings and weddings have taken place inside the church.

The inside of the church has some splendid decorations for a Lutheran church in the form of a series of sculptures made by Thorvaldsen who is the most famous Danish sculptor of all times who also made several sculptures for the pope in Rome. You can see more of this famous sculptor in Thorvaldsen Museum dedicated solely to his works – the museum is free on Wednesday.

The church also got a little museum about the church and church history of Denmark which is free to visit.

The church is located right next to the large square called Vor Frue Plads – square of Our Lady. On the other side of the square you have the main building of the Copenhagen University which currently only houses the administration of the university and the students are located on several other locations around Copenhagen. In front of the university you have several busts with important Danish scholars.