Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen

Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen

Holmens Kirke is located close to the harbour in Copenhagen. This 17th century Renaissance church was originally constructed by Peter de Duncker, a Dutch builder in 1563 to serve as an anchor forge.

In 1619, under the orders of King Christian IV, the forge was converted to a navy church. In 1870s, the church was renovated. As a part of the renovation, a sepulchral chapel was designed and constructed to the right of Holmens Kirke by Johan Conrad Ernst, the court architect.

Since its extension in 1640, the church has been restored and painted a few times. The walls were built in red cement in 1872 and the interior was decorated in baroque style popular at that time. The galleries, running around the church, were built during the 1872 restoration.

You will find a votive ship hanging in the nave. Inspired by a drawing of Admiral Niels Juel’s 1697 flagship, the model of this ship was made in 1904. Votive ships are a common feature in most of the Danish churches.

Abel Schroder built the altar and pulpit in 1661. You will find biblical scenes with apostles on either side on the pulpit. Flanked by evangelists, scenes of the last supper, resurrection and last judgment are painted on the altarpiece.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Copenhagen. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Holmens Kirke on Map

Sight Name: Holmens Kirke
Sight Location: Copenhagen, Denmark (See walking tours in Copenhagen)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Copenhagen, Denmark

Create Your Own Walk in Copenhagen

Create Your Own Walk in Copenhagen

Creating your own self-guided walk in Copenhagen is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Latin Quarter Walking Tour

Latin Quarter Walking Tour

One of the most interesting, young-spirited neighborhoods of Denmark's capital, the Latin Quarter is well known for its hangout spots, alternative shopping, and 18th-century architecture.

Back in the Middle Ages, the area surrounding Our Lady's Square (“Frue Plads” in Danish), right in the heart of it, was considered a “ray of light” in the overall darkness of those times. A...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Castle Island (Slotsholmen) Walking Tour

Castle Island (Slotsholmen) Walking Tour

Traditionally seen as the birthplace of Copenhagen, Castle Island (Slotsholmen) gave rise to the Danish capital with a small fortress built on it in the 12th century AD. Since the Middle Ages, this area, also known as the "Island of Power," has been the center of Denmark's government. It houses several prominent landmarks that played significant roles in the country's history.
...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Little Mermaid Walking Tour

Little Mermaid Walking Tour

Back in the 18th century, Denmark was in the throes of an economic boom. Constructed during the reign of King Frederick V (hence the name), the district of Frederiksstaden attests to that with its beautiful architecture, measuring up to the projects from the same period in Berlin, Paris, and Vienna. This tour will guide you through the area's broad streets lined by bourgeois houses, mansions,...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Hans Christian Andersen's Copenhagen

Hans Christian Andersen's Copenhagen

Above the numerous plays, novels, and poems, the 19th-century Danish author Hans Christian Andersen is primarily renowned internationally as the man who wrote "The Little Mermaid," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Ugly Duckling" and many other fairy tales we know since childhood.

Born in Odense (central Denmark) a poor shoemaker's son, Andersen spent...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Copenhagen Introduction Walking Tour

Copenhagen Introduction Walking Tour

A fairy tale of a city, full of peculiarities, Denmark's capital Copenhagen has a fairly straightforward etymology. It derives from Kopmannahafn, which roughly translates to “merchant's harbor”, and reflects the city's origin as a place of commerce by the harbor. Originally a Viking fishing village called Havn (port), established in the 10th century near today's Gammel...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Copenhagen Shopping: 16 Distinctively Denmark Things to Buy

Copenhagen Shopping: 16 Distinctively Denmark Things to Buy

Denmark is renowned for simple, industrial and functional design, as well as bohemian and everyday fashion-wear for the individual urban living. The capital Copenhagen, home to Copenhagen Fashion Week twice a year and biannual INDEX: Design to Improve Life - the world’s biggest design awards, is...