I tried to pack a lot into my 5 days, 4 nights in Copenhagen. as I’ve been covering in my series of posts. You may know that I usually start with first making a custom Google Map for myself of all the places I want to eat, then picking a place to stay that easily situates myself to those food destinations, I also need to fill my time with things between my meals. Visiting Church of Our Savior and Tivoli were those types of activities where I wanted to get a lot of walking in between meals. I don’t normally go out of my way for a panoramic view of a city, or an amusement park, but I had some time so I put them in my plan as possibilities, and the timing ended up working out.
Visiting Church of Our Savior
Also known as Vor Frelsers Kirke, the Church of Our Savior is located in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen, and the other well known attraction/area here is Freetown Christiania, a bohemian counterculture community with its own governing council. Church of Our Savior is one of two locations in Copenhagen known for its panoramic views – the other being The Round Tower.
Church of Our Savior is iconic to Copenhagen for its spire, built in 1752, accessible via series of stairs (some steep enough to be ladders…) inside the tower and then the stairs continue outside as part of the spire itself. The tower is also known as the “Heavenly Ladder” and Christ is at the top with a victory banner.
After paying your small admission fee after climbing some stairs, then it is climbing more stairs from down here to up there… 
The stairs can be pretty narrow, at many points only enough to fit one person on a step at a time so be prepared for a little traffic as groups take turns going up and down certain turns. Some stair areas are steep enough to practically be a ladder. I went when the Tower first opened so had a few times I was by myself so took a few photos, though it does not show the steepest parts!
There are a few landing areas though with a little room to stand to let people by or at some points take a break to catch your breathing needed. One of the earlier landings included a room that played a short film talking about the history of the church – it alternates between languages and I highly recommend it as it is pretty humorous and you learn interesting trivia, like how this tower was a target during wars but obviously and fortunately got missed.
As part of your ascent you will also pass by the tower clock made in 1699 where the works you see still continue to control the hands of the inside and outside faces of the clock and the ringing at the quarters and hours.
Supposedly I think it is some 400 steps each way, and the spire outside is not enclosed so you better have a good head for heights 90 m (295 feet) up. All you’ve gotten between you and the edge is an iron grill.
These last 150 steps and the spiral itself turn counter clockwise, which is unusual.
It was definitely worth it to burn some calories and get such great views of central Copenhagen from above. You can see how the canals and moats shape the city.
Visiting the interior church (built in 1696) unlike the tower is free. I thought it was unusual that the pews were enclosed box seats here.
The organ and the altar are indeed impressive. The three story organ dates back to 1698 with 4000 pipes supported by two elephants. Elephants are a symbol of the absolute monarchy and the Order of the Elephant, the highest order in Denmark, and altogether there are 40 elephants in the church.
The Baroque altar with angels was inaugurated in 1732 and the subject is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The six angels in front are the archangels, from right to left Raphael with a gilded sword symbolizing the Guardian of the Tree of Life, Gabriel with an olive branch symbol of Life, Uriel with a lamp symbol of Vigilance, Michael with a helmet and trombone symbolizing the Head of the Heavenly Host, Jeremiel with the Book of Life, and a cherub with a gilded sword and open book symbolizing the Guardian of the Garden of Eden.
Visiting Tivoli
Tivoli is the oldest amusement park in Europe, opened in 1843, and you can see how it inspired Walt Disney and his vision of the Disney parks. Similar to a mash up of Magic Kingdom and Epcot, it is both an amusement park offering rides and also a cultural venue with nods to other cultures in the world and offering multiple themed restaurants and food stalls. Tivoli is right in the middle of downtown Copenhagen, and includes gardens during the day and lots of pretty lights in the evening.
If you enter from HC Boulevard you’ll find a famous statue of the fairtytale author looking towards the park.
Since my visit was in early October, Tivoli was also decorated all out for Halloween with pumpkins and scarecrows.
Even on a weekday it was busy because my visit also coincided with a week long break from school for most of the children. I didn’t see the gigantic long lines and waits like you see at Disney World or Disney Land, though I also didn’t go on any of the rides either. Unlike Disney where you pay one inclusive price, at Tivoli there is an initial admission price, and then the rides cost a variety of different additional tickets depending on the ride unless you buy a one day admission with unlimited rides, or alternately, monthly or annual pass.
Sadly, I was still so full from my lunch at Geranium earlier in the day that I never got hungry again so did not sample any of the food or drink in Tivoli, but there were lots to choose from. My goal this visit was to just walk around the park and watch the transformation from day to night.
How cute are these two drop rides – an actual scary drop for adults, and one that you is a slower, rope pull ones for the young ones.
Some day to night transformations: here’s the Arabian Nights-inspired Concert Hall by fountains where for Halloween they also had a display of a competition of largest pumpkin
Pantomimeteatret, a Chinese style theater by a carousel
The Star Flyer is the high swing carousel ride in the back right, and the the Swing Carousel to the left from 1907 used at Halloween and Christmas
The Japanese pagoda and The Demon roller coaster
The Japanese pagoda is a later addition to Tivoli added to be an illumination tower in the evening
I could definitely see this park being a great draw of an attraction beyond families because of picturesque it is with the lights and food available for a date night, and they have various shows including pantomime, dance, and concerts.
I have not had a chance to cover all the things I saw and did and ate and drank on my blog – if you are ever curious on what I’m doing no my travels I recommend following my stories on my Instagram handle @pechluck as I will post more in the moment and show more details there, of which only some will eventually appear here in the blog.
Have you ever been to Copenhagen? What would you recommend seeing if I went again, was there anything I missed?
Other Adventures in Copenhagen
- Restaurant Krebsegaarden
- Lunch at Restaurant Palaegade
- Free things to do in Copenhagen
- Lunch at Geranium
- Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek versus Thorvaldsen’s Museum
- The food market of Reffen
- Visiting Rosenborg Castle
- Visiting Church of our Savior and Tivoli
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