Grundtvig’s church

Grundtvig’s Church is a lutheran church often unknown and unfortunately not discussed as much as it should be. But its beauty is, we believe, a must-see in Copenhagen, the city where design rules. The architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen Klint worked on this church for many years up until his son, Kaare Klint, took over. The construction began on September 8th 1921, the birthday of pastor Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig for whom the church was built. Kaare’s son, Esben Klint, added the final touches to the building for its completion in 1940.

Proportion and architecture style

The monumentality of Grundtvig’s Church reminds us of the tall European cathedrals. From the outside, the church rises up to 49 meters (161 feet) from the ground and extends itself 76 meters (249 feet) in length and 35 meters (115 feet) in width. Inside, the vaults of the lateral naves are 14 meters (46 feet) tall, and the central nave rises up to 22 meters (72 feet) from the ground. Grundtvig’s Church is inspired by gothic architecture. By rising vertically toward the sky, the building gets symbolically closer to the divine, an important methaphor in gothic architecture. The verticality of the building is partly possible thanks to the ribbed vaults, creating space on the ground for the laterals and central naves. This crossing of pointed arches lightens the walls and amplifies their height, providing this effect of grandeur to the church. The verticality of the building is further amplified by the long vertical windows on the outskirts of the lateral naves and at the end of the central nave. The plan and the composition of the facade of the church, both symmetrical, are also inspired by gothic architecture.

Materials

The church was built with close to 5 million yellowish bricks made by hand, sourced from Zealand, a Danish island where the capital, Copenhagen, is located. It is without a doubt considered a Danish masonry masterpiece due to the almost exclusive use of this material and the incredible, yet humble, beauty of the final result. Indeed, the modest presence of ornamentation inside accentuates the grand architecture of the church and the craftsmanship of Danish masons. It also echoes the minimalistic architecture and design of Scandinavian countries. The doors and other woodwork of the church, especially the woodwork of both organs, are made of oak. The roof is covered with red tiles, also sourced locally.

Furniture and lighting

The 750 chairs placed in the central nave are Kirkestolen chairs, designed by Kaare Klint. This type of chair in beech wood with a wicker seat became, after its creation, a typical piece of Danish furniture. With its lightweight design, the Kirkestolen chairs are ideal for creating an effect of lightness and letting the natural light shine through, unlike typical church benches. This aspect is particularly advantageous during special occasions when the seating number can climb up to 1,300. Kaare Klint also designed the brick altar and the brass candelabra based on his father’s original sketches. The 20 chandeliers installed in 1960, illuminating the lateral naves, were designed by Kaare’s son, Esben Klint. The ship model suspended at the entrance of the right lateral nave is an ancient symbol of protection, symbolizing the Christ’s guidance over the turbulent sea. We can find these votive boats in many others churches established in regions close to the sea.

The simplicity of the materials used for the construction of the Grundtvig’s Church combined with its precise execution makes this church a grandiose masterpiece of Danish architecture. It is a prefect representation of the beauty that can be born from simplicity and Danish craftsmanship.

Disclaimer

The information in this text is sourced from Grundtvig’s Church’s website, as well as from observations made during a personal visit of the church.