Church of Our Saviour

A corkscrew-shaped tower stretches from the top of this church. Climb to the tip, and you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Copenhagen.

At the beginning of the 17th century, King Christian IV launched an effort to expand Copenhagen by building several fortifications and canals southward on the island of Amager. The newly occupied area needed a church, so construction on the Church of Our Savior began in 1695.

The tower of the church, which was designed by Lambert Van Haven, did not have a spire. Decades later, Lauritz de Thurah designed a spire, drawing inspiration from the spiral shape of Rome’s Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza. It was inaugurated on August 28, 1752, by King Frederik V.

The copper-clad wooden spire stands on an octagonal base and features semicircular arches and round windows with gilded frames. Four statues guard its base. The stairs—150 in total—twist counterclockwise, looping around the tower four times. A plinth holding a gilded globe and a sculpture of Jesus stands at the end.