Frederik's Church
Encyclopedia
Frederick's Church popularly known as The Marble Church is a church in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. It is located just north of Amalienborg Palace
.
The church was designed by the architect Nicolai Eigtved
in 1740 and was along with the rest of Frederiksstaden
, a district of Copenhagen, intended to commemorate the 300 years jubilee of the first coronation
of a member of the House of Oldenburg
.
Frederick's Church has the largest church dome
in Scandinavia
with a span of 31m, though there are three larger domes elsewhere in Europe. The dome rests on 12 columns. The inspiration was probably St. Peter's Basilica
in Rome
.
The foundation stone was set by king Frederick V
on October 31, 1749, but the construction was slowed by budget cuts and the death of Eigtved in 1754. In 1770, the original plans for the church were discarded by Johann Friedrich Struensee
. The church was left incomplete and, in spite of several initiatives to complete it, stood as a ruin for nearly 150 years. A further consequence of this lapse was that the original plans for the church to be built almost entirely from marble had to be discarded and instead construction was completed mostly with limestone.
The present version of the church was designed by Ferdinand Meldahl and financed by Carl Frederik Tietgen
. It was opened August 19, 1894.
Above the columns is inscribed: HERRENS ORD BLIVER EVINDELIG (Danish: "the word of the Lord endureth for ever." - 1 Peter
1:25, KJV).
A series of statues of prominent theologians and ecclesiastical figures, including one of the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard (who incidentally was very critical of the established church
by the end of his life), encircles the grounds of the building.
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...
. It is located just north of Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's...
.
The church was designed by the architect Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved, , Danish architect, introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo style in Danish architecture during the 1730s-1740s. He designed and built some of the most prominent buildings of his time, a number of which still stand to this day...
in 1740 and was along with the rest of Frederiksstaden
Frederiksstaden
Frederiksstaden is a district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Constructed during the reign of Frederick V in the second half of the 18th century and it is considered to be one of the most important rococo complexes in Europe....
, a district of Copenhagen, intended to commemorate the 300 years jubilee of the first coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of a member of the House of Oldenburg
House of Oldenburg
The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden...
.
Frederick's Church has the largest church dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
with a span of 31m, though there are three larger domes elsewhere in Europe. The dome rests on 12 columns. The inspiration was probably St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
The foundation stone was set by king Frederick V
Frederick V of Denmark
Frederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
on October 31, 1749, but the construction was slowed by budget cuts and the death of Eigtved in 1754. In 1770, the original plans for the church were discarded by Johann Friedrich Struensee
Johann Friedrich Struensee
Count Johann Friedrich Struensee was a German doctor. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish government. He rose in power to a position of “de facto” regent of the country, where he tried to carry out widespread reforms...
. The church was left incomplete and, in spite of several initiatives to complete it, stood as a ruin for nearly 150 years. A further consequence of this lapse was that the original plans for the church to be built almost entirely from marble had to be discarded and instead construction was completed mostly with limestone.
The present version of the church was designed by Ferdinand Meldahl and financed by Carl Frederik Tietgen
Carl Frederik Tietgen
Carl Frederik Tietgen was a Danish financier and industrialist. The founder of numerous prominent Danish companies, many of which are still in operation today, he played an important role in the industrialisation of Denmark...
. It was opened August 19, 1894.
Above the columns is inscribed: HERRENS ORD BLIVER EVINDELIG (Danish: "the word of the Lord endureth for ever." - 1 Peter
First Epistle of Peter
The First Epistle of Peter, usually referred to simply as First Peter and often written 1 Peter, is a book of the New Testament. The author claims to be Saint Peter the apostle, and the epistle was traditionally held to have been written during his time as bishop of Rome or Bishop of Antioch,...
1:25, KJV).
A series of statues of prominent theologians and ecclesiastical figures, including one of the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard (who incidentally was very critical of the established church
Church of Denmark
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, Church of Denmark or Danish National Church, is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland...
by the end of his life), encircles the grounds of the building.