Jesus Church, Copenhagen
| Company type | Church |
|---|---|
| Industry | Religious building |
| Founded | November 15, 1891 in Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Founder | Carl Jacobsen |
| Headquarters | Valby, Copenhagen , Denmark |
The Jesus Church (Danish: Jesuskirken) is situated just off Valby Langgade within the Valby neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. Commissioned by Carl Jacobsen, a second-generation brewer from the Carlsberg family, and crafted by architect Vilhelm Dahlerup, the church is celebrated for its elaborate decoration and artistic elements, distinguishing it as one of Denmark’s most unique ecclesiastical structures. Constructed as a mausoleum for Carl Jacobsen and his relatives, it is located close to their former home and the historic Carlsberg brewery grounds. The family’s sarcophagi are housed in the crypt, with numerous decorative features and inscriptions throughout the building commemorating their heritage.
History
Upon the death of J. C. Jacobsen, Carl Jacobsen’s father, the Gammel Carlsberg estate was entrusted to the Carlsberg Foundation. Carl Jacobsen inherited 1,000,000 Danish kroner, which he and his wife Ottilia divided in 1883 into four equal parts known as the "Ny Carlsberg Grants." The first of these, called the "Ny Carlsberg Church Grant," was allocated specifically to finance a new church in Valby within a decade.[1]
Having purchased land in 1879, Carl Jacobsen enlisted Vilhelm Dahlerup in 1882 to design a church that would "outshine every other church in Copenhagen in terms of beauty," drawing inspiration from early Christian basilica architecture found in Italy and France.
Although the initial financial plan was inadequate, Carl Jacobsen placed artistic ambition above budget constraints. Ultimately, the construction costs were four times higher than initially projected.[1]
Groundbreaking took place in 1884, with the church being consecrated on 15 November 1891. The campanile was constructed later between 1894 and 1895 as a birthday present from his mother.
The building
Vilhelm Dahlerup, renowned for his work within the historistic architectural movement in Denmark, designed the structure following classical precedents.[2] Carl Jacobsen provided extensive guidance for the design process, including photographs of churches and artworks from Ravenna, Italy. Dahlerup also incorporated elements inspired by Notre-Dame la Grande in Poitiers, France, as well as the synagogue in Toledo, Spain.[3]
The church adopts an early basilica architectural form combined with a separate campanile tower. Its lavish decorative style was unusual for the Danish Lutheran tradition and generated some controversy. Due to his departure from prevailing religious norms, Carl Jacobsen was even branded a freethinker.[1]
Exterior
The church is distinctively aligned along a north–south direction, with the altar positioned at the southern extremity. Designed as a basilica featuring a triangular chancel, it boasts a nine-sided dome crowned by a pyramidal spire. The campanile tower is situated near the north-east corner of the structure.
Dominating the main facade are three expansive arches supported by two robust granite columns, each topped with twin capitals that lead into the portico. Above this, the pediment is richly decorated and showcases the symbols of the four Evangelists: Matthew’s angel at the lower left, Mark’s lion in the upper left, John’s eagle on the upper right, and Luke’s ox at the lower right. Centrally placed in the pediment is a nude figure of Jesus reclining against a cross. The facade’s highlight is a rose window measuring 4.5 meters in diameter—the largest in Denmark—constructed from cathedral glass in shades of yellow, red, and green and held together by lead cames.
The clock face, cast in bronze, has a diameter of 1.7 meters and weighs 261 kilograms. It is encircled by a star formed from two overlapping triangles crafted from heavy wrought iron bars weighing 900 kilograms.
At the southern rear facade, two columns support an arch embellished with Zodiac signs resting atop representations of the Green Man and the Horned God. The apex of this arch features a cross opposite a pentagram symbolizing the "Brewer Star," linked to Carlsberg Breweries. This section also contains a niche with a bronze sculpture depicting the Good Shepherd.
Interior
The nave is bordered by two aisles with galleries upheld by eleven pillars on each side, while five pillars support arches above. Behind these galleries, windows are adorned with stained glass artworks created by C. N. Overgaard.
The altar prominently features a pentagram design. Beneath the ceiling of the altar chamber, a frieze illustrates Templar motifs including Godfrey of Bouillon alongside John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene during the crucifixion scene. The church houses twelve glass mosaics, one notably portraying a horned Moses. An inscription reading "You are Christ" is prominently painted on the archway leading into the altar chamber.
The chancel is structured in three levels: ground-level columns uphold a gallery decorated with a frieze by Stephan Sinding that depicts Christ among martyrs, church fathers, and reformers; above this, windows and sculpted angels embellish the dome.
Within the gallery resides an organ crafted by famed French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. The baptismal font, designed by Jerichau, resembles a shell with water flowing between angels symbolizing Faith and Hope.
Also located in the chancel is the Jacobsen family memorial titled The Angels of Life and Death, sculpted by Pietro Tenerani based on Thorvaldsen’s design, alongside a plaque commemorating founder Carl Jacobsen and his wife Ottilia.
The pulpit currently in use was created by Mogens Bøggild as a replacement and installed in 1934.
The crypt
The church was originally built to serve as a mausoleum for Carl Jacobsen and his relatives. Within its crypt lie the sarcophagi of his family members. The campanile pays tribute to the Jacobsen family through its four bells, each named after one of Carl’s children who passed away during infancy: Alf, Beatrice, Thorvald, and Erland.
The crucifix and the troll
In front of the church stands Jens Adolf Jerichau's crucifix, which serves as a replacement for a replica of Michelangelo's Moses that originally belonged to San Pietro in Vincoli and is now housed at the Carlsberg Glyptotek. Close by, Jacobsen installed the sculpture Troll that smells Christian blood, portraying an aggressive troll reaching toward the crucifix. Due to objections from the parish, the piece was relocated to the Glyptotek's garden. In 2002, following unsuccessful efforts to reclaim the original, a replica was created and positioned in front of the church.
Cultural references
- The Jesus Church is featured as the wedding venue for characters Børge and Fie in the 1978 Olsen-banden film titled The Olsen Gang Sees Red.
- It also makes an appearance in the 1989 movie Retfærdighedens rytter.
- The church's interior serves as the setting for a funeral scene in an episode of the DR television series Borgen.
See also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedjesuskirken - ↑ Vilhelm Dahlerup. From Det moderne gennembrud. Archived 2008-12-06 at the Wayback Machine In Danish. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
- ↑ Operaen-diskussion ikke den første. Published by Jyllands Posten on 13 January 2005 Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. In Danish. Retrieved 27 January 2010.