Grundtvig's Church

Grundtvig's Church (Danish: Grundtvigs Kirke) is located in the Bispebjerg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a rare example of expressionist church architecture. Due to its unusual appearance, it is one of the best known churches in the city.

History

The commission for the construction of a church to be named after the Danish philosopher and hymn writer N. F. S. Grundtvig was decided through a competition, won by Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint in 1913. The foundation of the new church was only laid after World War I, on 8 September 1921, Grundtvig's birthday. Building took place mainly from 1921 to 1926 when the tower section was completed, leading to the initial inauguration of the so-called Tower Church in 1927. Further work on the interior and on adjacent buildings continued until 1940 and was completed by Klint's son Kaare Klint after his father's death in 1930. The church stands at the centre of a residential development (1924–36), also in yellow brick, designed by Jensen-Klint in harmony with the church.

Architecture

Jensen-Klint's design for Grundtvig's Church is a synthesis of architectural styles. In preparation for the project, the architect studied many Danish village churches, particularly those on the island of Zealand with stepped gables. Their traditional building techniques, materials and decoration inspired his design. Klint merged the modern geometric forms of Brick Expressionism with the classical vertical of Gothic architecture.

The most striking feature of the building is its west facade, reminiscent of a westwork or of the exterior of a church organ. It includes the 49 m (160 ft) tall bell tower. The imposing facade with its strong verticality guides one's eyes towards the sky. The bottom half of the tower is simple brick while the upper reaches present the appearance of one solid, rippling surface.

Klint decorated the nave with a version of the stepped gables common on Danish churches, but reinterpreted by doubling the apex. The nave was designed with generous dimensions: the triple-aisled hall church is 76 m (259 ft) long in total and 35 m (115 ft)...