Reformed Church, Copenhagen
Encyclopedia
Reformed Church in Gothersgade
, opposite Rosenborg Castle
, is a church building used by the reformed
congregations in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. Consecrated in 1689, the church was instigated by Queen Charlotte Amalie, consort of King Christian V
, who was herself a German Calvinist
. The church is noted for its fine Baroque
interiors which date from 1730 when it was restored after being damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728
.
in 1667, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel had requested, and had been granted for herself and her court, the right to profess freely her Reformed
faith.
In 1685, encouraged by his queen, Christian V licenced the formation of a reformed congregation among German, Dutch and French immigrants. Mainly refuges, many members of the congregation held prominent positions in society, typically as merchants, craftsmen, often with new trades, or military officers. After a few years the congregation split into a German Reformed Church and a French Reformed Church.
Charlotte Amelia also personally financed the erection of the church building on a prominent site in Gothersgade
, opposite Rosenborg Castle
. The architect was Hendrik Brokhamm, a Dutch sculptor who had recently arrived in Denmark and later worked with Lambert van Haven
, for instance on the Church of Our Saviour at Christianshavn
where he executed the main portal.
Charlotte Amalie placed the foundation stone on 20 April 1688, and the building was consecrated on 10 November 1689
. The German and French reformed churches shared the new church. The complex also included a rectory, with residences for four priests, a school, an old age assulum, and an orphanage.
The church was badly damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728
but was subsequently rebuilt with new furnishings attributed the sculptor Friederich Ehbisch (c. 1672-1748).
In 1886 the architect Ludvig Knudsen
built a community house for the congregation (menighedshus) and a multi-storey building and in 1880 he conducted a restoration of the church.
. It has a rectangular floor plan with a slightly progressing median risalit
on the facde toward Gothersgadeand which is decorated with Ionic
pilaster
s and a triangular pediment
. Above the entrance there is a cartouche
with the monograms of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie and an inscription from Isaiah
2.3.
The hipped roof
with black tiles is topped by a copper
-clad flèche
with two lanterns which rises 13.5 metres above the roof. It was added in 1731 in connection with the rebuilding after the fire.
The organ front was originally from Copenhagen Castle
and dates from 1724. It was transferred to the church in 1730 when the castle was demolished to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace
. The current organ was made by the organ manufacturer Köhne and is from 1878.
The church's closed boxes were reserved for noble families and later the wealthy merchants of the congregation.
the son of Dutch immigrants, who was one of the Danish commanders in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Other internents include the Danish Court Painter Jacques d'Agar
who immigrated from France, and C. de Cormaillon, commander of Kastellet
.
n congregation. Along with a fourth congregation in Fredericia
, Jutland
, they form the Reformed Synod of Denmark
which is a member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches
.
The church and churchyard is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 to 15:30 from spring to autumn.
Gothersgade
Gothersgade is a major street in the City Centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. It extends from Kongens Nytorv to Sortedam Lake, passing Rosenborg Castle and Gardens, Nørreport Station and Copenhagen Botanic Gardens on the way....
, opposite Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle is a renaissance castle located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV's many architectural projects...
, is a church building used by the reformed
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
congregations in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Consecrated in 1689, the church was instigated by Queen Charlotte Amalie, consort of King Christian V
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, who was herself a German Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
. The church is noted for its fine Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
interiors which date from 1730 when it was restored after being damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728
Copenhagen Fire of 1728
The Copenhagen Fire of 1728 was the largest fire in the history of Copenhagen, Denmark. It began on the evening of October 20, 1728, and continued to burn until the morning of October 23. It destroyed approximately 28% of the city , left 20% of the population homeless, and the reconstruction lasted...
.
History
Prior to her marriage to King Christian V of DenmarkChristian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
in 1667, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel had requested, and had been granted for herself and her court, the right to profess freely her Reformed
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
faith.
In 1685, encouraged by his queen, Christian V licenced the formation of a reformed congregation among German, Dutch and French immigrants. Mainly refuges, many members of the congregation held prominent positions in society, typically as merchants, craftsmen, often with new trades, or military officers. After a few years the congregation split into a German Reformed Church and a French Reformed Church.
Charlotte Amelia also personally financed the erection of the church building on a prominent site in Gothersgade
Gothersgade
Gothersgade is a major street in the City Centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. It extends from Kongens Nytorv to Sortedam Lake, passing Rosenborg Castle and Gardens, Nørreport Station and Copenhagen Botanic Gardens on the way....
, opposite Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle is a renaissance castle located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV's many architectural projects...
. The architect was Hendrik Brokhamm, a Dutch sculptor who had recently arrived in Denmark and later worked with Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven was a Danish architect, master builder and painter. He was born in Bergen, the son of the artist Solomon van Haven who had already succeeded in winning the favour of the Danish monarchy....
, for instance on the Church of Our Saviour at Christianshavn
Christianshavn
Christianshavn is an artificial island neighbourhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in the early 17th century by Christian IV as part of his extension of the fortifications of Copenhagen. Originally it was laid out as an independent privileged merchant's town with inspiration from...
where he executed the main portal.
Charlotte Amalie placed the foundation stone on 20 April 1688, and the building was consecrated on 10 November 1689
1689 in Denmark
-Events:* April 19 – Sophie Amalienborg burns down when a stage decoration catches fire during an opera performance in connection with the king's birthsday a few days earlier. 170 people are killed, including many prominent citizens....
. The German and French reformed churches shared the new church. The complex also included a rectory, with residences for four priests, a school, an old age assulum, and an orphanage.
The church was badly damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728
Copenhagen Fire of 1728
The Copenhagen Fire of 1728 was the largest fire in the history of Copenhagen, Denmark. It began on the evening of October 20, 1728, and continued to burn until the morning of October 23. It destroyed approximately 28% of the city , left 20% of the population homeless, and the reconstruction lasted...
but was subsequently rebuilt with new furnishings attributed the sculptor Friederich Ehbisch (c. 1672-1748).
In 1886 the architect Ludvig Knudsen
Ludvig Knudsen
Ludvig Harald Knudsen was a Historicist Danish architect. He mainly designed churches, including St. Stephen's Church in Copenhagen's Nørrebro district.-Biography:Ludvig Knudsen was born on 18 August 1843 in Copenhagen...
built a community house for the congregation (menighedshus) and a multi-storey building and in 1880 he conducted a restoration of the church.
Architecture
The church is built in red brick and designed in the Dutch Baroque styleBaroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
. It has a rectangular floor plan with a slightly progressing median risalit
Risalit
A risalit, from the Italian risalto for "projection", is a German term which refers to a part of a building that juts out, usually over the full height of the building. In English the French term avant-corps is sometimes used. It is common in façades in the baroque period.A corner risalit is where...
on the facde toward Gothersgadeand which is decorated with Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s and a triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. Above the entrance there is a cartouche
Cartouche
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an ellipse with a horizontal line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty under Pharaoh Sneferu, replacing the earlier serekh...
with the monograms of Christian V and Charlotte Amalie and an inscription from Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
2.3.
The hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
with black tiles is topped by a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-clad flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
with two lanterns which rises 13.5 metres above the roof. It was added in 1731 in connection with the rebuilding after the fire.
Interior
The church room is oriented along the short axis of the building and is dominated by beautifully carved wooden features. Typical of reformed but unusual for Danish churches, it has a centrally placed pulpit set dramatically high above the altar table.The organ front was originally from Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle was a castle on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, Denmark, built in the late 14th century at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace....
and dates from 1724. It was transferred to the church in 1730 when the castle was demolished to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace (1st)
The first Christiansborg Palace was built in Copenhagen by Christian VI of Denmark as a new main residence for the Danish monarch to replace the antiquated Copenhagen Castle which had assumed a monstrous appearance and started to crumble after several extensions...
. The current organ was made by the organ manufacturer Köhne and is from 1878.
The church's closed boxes were reserved for noble families and later the wealthy merchants of the congregation.
Churchyard
The churchyard next to the church has been decommissioned. The original German section to the left of the entrance has no graves left but the French section to the right still has 18 graves and the shared churchyard to the rear also has a number of gravestones, including that of Vice Admiral Olfert FischerOlfert Fischer
Johan Olfert Fischer was a Danish officer in the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy. He commanded the Dano-Norwegian fleet against British forces under Lord Nelson during the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801.-Life and career:...
the son of Dutch immigrants, who was one of the Danish commanders in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Other internents include the Danish Court Painter Jacques d'Agar
Jacques d'Agar
Jacques d'Agar was a French portrait painter born in Paris. He was a scholar of Ferdinand Vouet, and began life as an historical painter, but...
who immigrated from France, and C. de Cormaillon, commander of Kastellet
Kastellet, Copenhagen
Kastellet, located in Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe. It is constructed in the form of a pentagram with bastions at its corners...
.
Reformed Church today
The church is still used by the German and French Reformed Churches in Copenhagen and since 1990 also by a KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n congregation. Along with a fourth congregation in Fredericia
Fredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
, Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
, they form the Reformed Synod of Denmark
Reformed Synod of Denmark
The Reformed Synod of Denmark is a synod of four Reformed free church congregations in Denmark. A member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, it has approximately 700 members.The current Moderator is Sabine Hofmeister...
which is a member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches is a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin...
.
The church and churchyard is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 to 15:30 from spring to autumn.
See also
- St. Peter's Church, CopenhagenSt. Peter's Church, CopenhagenSt. Peter's Church is the parish church of the German-speaking community in Copenhagen, Denmark. Built as a single-nave church in the mid-15th century, it is the oldest building in central Copenhagen. It is also notable for its extensive complex of sepulchral chapels.-History:St...
- Christian's Church, CopenhagenChristian's Church, CopenhagenChristian's Church is a magnificent Rococo church in the Christianshavn district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Designed by Nicolai Eigtved, it was built 1754–59....
External links
- Official website of the French Reformed Church (in Danish)