The Marble Church

Frederik's Church was begun in 1749 as the centrepiece of the new Frederiksstaden quarter, aligned so that the dome closes the view from Amalienborg palace square. Norwegian marble proved ruinously expensive, work stopped in 1770, and the half-built shell stood as a picturesque ruin for nearly a century and a half until the financier Carl Frederik Tietgen bought the site and had it completed in cheaper Danish limestone, opening in 1894. The dome spans about thirty-one metres, one of the largest in northern Europe, resting on twelve piers, with a painted interior and a ring of statues of Danish church figures outside. In summer the dome can be climbed by a stair between the inner and outer shells, coming out on a gallery with a view over the harbour and the city.

What you actually see

• A thirty-one-metre dome - among the largest church domes in northern Europe.
• The climb between the shells - a stair to the external gallery in summer.
• The Amalienborg axis - the dome closing the view from the palace square.
• Statues of Danish church figures - a ring around the exterior.

When to go

Year round for the church; the dome climb runs daily in summer and at weekends only for much of the rest of the year. One hour. Services close the nave to visitors on Sunday mornings.

Honest expectations

Dome climb times are limited and tickets go on the door, so it is easy to miss. The stair is narrow and steep with no lift. The interior is impressive but plain compared with the exterior. It is a working church and can be closed for weddings.

Nearby

Amalienborg is across the square; the Designmuseum and Kastellet are a short walk.