Vor Frelser Kirke - Our Saviour’s Church, Copenhagen

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Vor Frelsers Kirke (The Church of our Saviour) is located at Christianshavn and was built in the years 1682 to 1696. The church is 32 metres high and is built in a Dutch baroque style and its basic layout is a Greek cross. Inside the church, the altarpiece of Nicodemus Tessins is considered a masterpiece, but the organ with Christian V’s gilded monogram from 1698-1700 is also worth a closer look.

However, the highlight of Vor Frelsers Kirke is the golden spire, raising 90 metres above the city. The spire is open for visitors and there is a fantastic view of Copenhagen from the top… Well, that’s at least what I have heard… I’m a little afraid of heights and have only climbed the inside staircase to the platform where the spiral staircase starts, but the view from the platform is also quite nice.

The tower is closed every year between November and March - and may be closed for safety reasons if there are strong winds or heavy rain.

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If your boots are made for walking, after visiting of Christiania you may climb the stairs to the top of the tower of the Church of Our Saviour for a great view. It is unique in that the spiral staircase is on the outside of the spire. Even the Øresund bridge can be seen from here. Above you, as you stand on the highest and narrowest point of the stairs is a gilded globe on which stands a flag-bearing figure. A popular legend says that the architect committed suicide by jumping off the tower when he realized the staircase wound to the right instead of the left. A good story but not true of course.

Update: The tower of Our Saviour's is closed till April 2009 due to major renovations of the church and tower entrance.

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Located in Christianshavn, Our Savior's Church is famous for its golden staircase spiraling up the outside of the steeple. This famous building in Christianshavn was completed in 1696 in honor of the ruling monarchy. The steeple and staircase were not built until about 50 years later.

You may visit the church for free. Admission to the tower costs about US$3.

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Unfortunately, the church was closed for extensive interior restorations during my visit (March 2008) and it was not possible to see the interior. However, its wonderful spire, was still visible and looked beautiful against a grey Spring sky.

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I visited Vor Frelsers Kirke during a trip to Copenhagen in August 2007.

This impressive church (The Church of Our Saviour) is located in the Christianshavn area of the city, close to the Free State of Christiania. It can be recognised by its striking tower that features a gold staircase around the outer edge of a black spire.

Entrance fees to the church are as follows:

Adults: 25Kr (approx. 2.50GBP)
Children: 10Kr (approx. 1.00GBP)

This enables you to climb to the top of the church’s 95 metre high spire and appreciate the great views over Christianshavn (including its picturesque canal) and the wider Copenhagen cityscape.

The first part of the climb to the summit is inside the church, up a steep, narrow wooden staircase. The journey then takes a frightening twist as you reach a winding external staircase that takes you around the outer edge of the spire. I’ve climbed many church towers and other such structures in the past, but this was the most terrifying of them all. It was a very windy day and there were large crowds of visitors trying to pass each other on their way up and down the staircase, and I didn’t feel altogether safe!

Excellent views over Copenhagen – but not for sufferers of claustrophobia or vertigo!

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This is a beautiful building has inside a organ which has 4000 pipes. There are steps up on to the church Spire and from here you can get a great view of the city. The Spire itself is made up of copper and gold and look magnificent.

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The distinctive spire of Vor Frelsers Kirke is one of Copenhagen's landmarks. The church dates from the 17th century though its spire wasn't added until over a century later. It's located on the island of Christianshavn in the east of the city.

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It’s quite a climb to get to the top of Vor Frelsers Kirke but it’s well worth it for the excellent views of Copenhagen and of the island of Christianshavn in particular. You get a bird’s eye view of the famous “free-city” of Christiania from here as well and on a clear day in the distance you can see the Oresund bridge connecting enmark to Sweden.

A narrow stairway, on the outside of the spire, takes you even higher than the first viewing platform and it gets a little bit scary at the top as the stairway narrows so much that there’s only room for one person at the very top. On a windy day you won’t want to stay too long.

The Church of the Redeemer (built 1682-1969) is located in Christianshavn. There are over 400 steps up the tower - and over one third of those on the external spiral staircase. A golden globe adorns the very top with a 3m tall figure of Christ.

We did not have the energy or the time to visit this church but you can get a good view of Copenhagen from the top of the twisting spiral staircase. It is 400 steps to the top which are slanted & slippery when wet, & no doubt you get very dizzy whilst climbing them. On the top of the spire is a golden globe on top of which is blanaced a 3 metre tall figure of Christ holding a victory banner
Access to the spire is DKK20 & DKK10 for children whilst entrance into the church is free.

Rumour has it that the builder fell off the spire & died
The baroque church was erected during 1680's