St. Peter's Church (Danish: St. Petri Kirke, German: St.-Petri-Kirche) is the parish church of the German-speaking community in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is situated at the corner of Nørregade and Sankt Peders Stræde in the city's Latin Quarter. Built as a single-nave church in the mid-15th century, it is the oldest building in central Copenhagen. It is also notable for its extensive complex of sepulchral chapels.
St. Peter's Church was in the Middle Ages one out of four Catholic parish churches in Copenhagen.[1] It is first mentioned in 1304 but was most likely founded in the 12th century. The first church burnt down in 1380 but was rebuilt shortly thereafter.
After the ReformationEdit
After the Reformation the church building was for a while used as a canon and bell foundry.[2]
German churchEdit
In 1585, Frederick II presented St. Peter's Church to his German-speaking subjects. The building was renovated by Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder who also added a gablet upper floor to the uncompleted tower, which was however replaced by a spire in the 17th century. The church became a centre for Copenhagen's political, economic, cultural and military elite, which, like the Royal Court, relied on German for everyday use.
The rapidly growing congregation made it necessary to expand the church in several stages. Christian IV added a northern transept in 1631 and a southern transept in 1634.[3] Just 60 years later, Christian V extended the north transept with a further three severies. The distinctive sepulchral chapels arose between 1648 and 1740.
St. Peter's Church was severely damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728. The interior was lost to the flames but the outer walls were left intact and the church could fairly easily be rebuilt by Johan Cornelius Krieger. The church was first given a short lantern spire which was replaced by the current copper-clad spire in 1756-57. The spire survived the British bombardment during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807.
St. Peter's Church
With the increasing tensions between Denmark and Germany in the middle of the 18th century, culminating in the First Schleswig War from 1848 to 1850, the church lost its special position and therefore members, prestige and financial support.
As time passed, it became an impossible task for the congregation to maintain the large building complex, and in 1994 the state took over the church back into its care. It was transferred to the Palaces and Properties Agency, which in the late 90s carried out extensive restoration and partial restructuring under the direction of architect and professor Hans Munk Hansen.[4]
ArchitectureEdit
St. Peter's Church was originally built as a single-nave church but with Christian IV's addition of the northern and southern transepts, it received the cruciform layout which characterizes it today. Most of the church, including the nave, the choir and the lower part of the tower, dates back to the middle of the 15th century.[5] The main entrance is located in the southern transept and is marked by a richly carved Baroque portal from 1731, carved by the sculptor Diderik Gercken. The spire from 1756 to 1757 is built in the Rococo style to the design of carpenter
Sepulchral chapelsEdit
Interior of the chapel
The church has an extensive complex of sepulchral chapels which was commenced in 1643 and not completed until 1681-83 when Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest completed a three wing chapel towards Larslejstræde. The complex contains numerous tombs and epitaphs of important German families in Denmark. Beneath the tombs contain the sarcofages of the most distinguished family members while other coffins are placed in three to four layers in underground crypts.[6]
Many of the chapels are made by Johannes Wiedewelt and Andreas Weidenhaupt. Amongst the chapels lies the idyllic 'herb garden' (Danish: urtegården).[7]
The church is today owned by the Danish Palaces and Properties Agency but on a day-to-day basis the church is still used actively by the German-speaking Evangelical-Lutheran congregation with 900 members as part of the Danish National Church. The congregation arranges guided tours, concerts and other cultural events in the historic building. Together with the St. Peter's School (Danish: St. Petri Skole) and the St. Peter's Cultural Center (Danish: St. Petri Kulturcentrum), both of which are located on the church's premises, it forms a centre for German culture in Copenhagen.
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St Peter s Church Danish St Petri Kirke German St Petri Kirche is the parish church of the German speaking community in Copenhagen Denmark It is situated at the corner of Norregade and Sankt Peders Straede in the city s Latin Quarter Built as a single nave church in the mid 15th century it is the oldest building in central Copenhagen It is also notable for its extensive complex of sepulchral chapels St Peter s ChurchSt Petri KirkeLocationLarslejsstraede 11 CopenhagenCountryDenmarkDenominationChurch of DenmarkPrevious denominationRoman CatholicWebsitewww wbr sankt petri wbr dkHistoryStatusParish churchArchitectureStyleGothic with Baroque featuresRococo spires CompletedChurch 15th centurySpire 1757SpecificationsNumber of spires1Spire height78 metres 256 ft ClergySenior pastor s Rajah ScheepersLaityOrganist s Mark Baumann Contents 1 History 1 1 Medieval parish church 1 2 After the Reformation 1 3 German church 1 4 After the Fire of 1728 2 Architecture 3 Sepulchral chapels 3 1 Interments 3 2 Churchyard 4 St Peter s Church today 5 In popular culture 6 See also 7 ReferencesHistory EditMedieval parish church Edit St Peter s Church was in the Middle Ages one out of four Catholic parish churches in Copenhagen 1 It is first mentioned in 1304 but was most likely founded in the 12th century The first church burnt down in 1380 but was rebuilt shortly thereafter After the Reformation Edit After the Reformation the church building was for a while used as a canon and bell foundry 2 German church Edit In 1585 Frederick II presented St Peter s Church to his German speaking subjects The building was renovated by Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder who also added a gablet upper floor to the uncompleted tower which was however replaced by a spire in the 17th century The church became a centre for Copenhagen s political economic cultural and military elite which like the Royal Court relied on German for everyday use The rapidly growing congregation made it necessary to expand the church in several stages Christian IV added a northern transept in 1631 and a southern transept in 1634 3 Just 60 years later Christian V extended the north transept with a further three severies The distinctive sepulchral chapels arose between 1648 and 1740 After the Fire of 1728 Edit nbsp St Peter s Church depicted in de Thurag s Hafnia HodiernaSt Peter s Church was severely damaged in the Copenhagen Fire of 1728 The interior was lost to the flames but the outer walls were left intact and the church could fairly easily be rebuilt by Johan Cornelius Krieger The church was first given a short lantern spire which was replaced by the current copper clad spire in 1756 57 The spire survived the British bombardment during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807 nbsp St Peter s ChurchWith the increasing tensions between Denmark and Germany in the middle of the 18th century culminating in the First Schleswig War from 1848 to 1850 the church lost its special position and therefore members prestige and financial support As time passed it became an impossible task for the congregation to maintain the large building complex and in 1994 the state took over the church back into its care It was transferred to the Palaces and Properties Agency which in the late 90s carried out extensive restoration and partial restructuring under the direction of architect and professor Hans Munk Hansen 4 Architecture EditSt Peter s Church was originally built as a single nave church but with Christian IV s addition of the northern and southern transepts it received the cruciform layout which characterizes it today Most of the church including the nave the choir and the lower part of the tower dates back to the middle of the 15th century 5 The main entrance is located in the southern transept and is marked by a richly carved Baroque portal from 1731 carved by the sculptor Diderik Gercken The spire from 1756 to 1757 is built in the Rococo style to the design of carpenterSepulchral chapels Edit nbsp Interior of the chapelThe church has an extensive complex of sepulchral chapels which was commenced in 1643 and not completed until 1681 83 when Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest completed a three wing chapel towards Larslejstraede The complex contains numerous tombs and epitaphs of important German families in Denmark Beneath the tombs contain the sarcofages of the most distinguished family members while other coffins are placed in three to four layers in underground crypts 6 Many of the chapels are made by Johannes Wiedewelt and Andreas Weidenhaupt Amongst the chapels lies the idyllic herb garden Danish urtegarden 7 Interments Edit The interments include Gottfried Becker 1767 1845 royal pharmacist Charlotte Dorothea Biehl 1731 1788 playwright Conrad Biermann von Ehrenschild 1629 1698 civil servant Christian Brandt Peter Brandt and Abigael Marie Brandt nee von Stocken Robert Colnet Peter Cramer 1726 1782 painter Friederich Ehbisch 1672 1748 sculptor Valentin von Eickstedt 1669 1718 officer Christoffer Gabel 1617 1673 statesman Friedrich Carl von Gram Christian Gyldenlove moved 1734 from Vor Frue Kirke Wolfgang Haffner Nicolaj Helt Catharine Marie von Holstein Hans Friedrich von Holstein Johan Georg Holstein Albrecht Itzen Johan Boye Junge Kristian Kongstad Abraham Lehn Christian Lente Theodor Lente Niels Banner Matthisen Reinhold Meier Wigand Michelbecker Gerhard Morell Carl von Muller Otto Frederik Muller Bernhard Mollmann Christian Nerger Abraham Pelt Christian Siegfried von Plessen Carl Adolph von Plessen Marcus Gerhard Rosencrone Ernst Schimmelmann Johan Sigismund Schulin Henrik Stampe possibly Johann Friedrich Struensee since the 1920s Sir Walter Titley britisk ambassador i Danmark Lorenz Tuxen Hans von Voscamp Georg Wilhelm Wahl Jorgen Walter died 1670 military officer Andreas Weyse Daniel Benjamin Weyse Just Wiedewelt 1677 1757 sculptorChurchyard Edit Ernst Henrich Berling 1708 1750 printer and publisher Christian van Bracht c 1637 1720 court artist Johan van Bracht died 1710 court artist Frederik Christian van Bracht 1720 1759 painter Constantin Brun 1746 1836 businessman Friederike Brun 1765 1835 writer and salonist Johannes Gottlieb de Botticher 1676 1762 physician Nicolai Eigtved 1701 1754 architect Christian Ulrik Foltmar c 1716 1794 wallpaper weaver painter of miniatures and organist Heinrich Egidius Gercken died 1774 court gardener Jonas Haas 1720 1775 printmaker Johann Christopher Heimbrod 1724 1733 sculptor stone carver and stucco artist Johann Friedrich Hannel c 1710 1761 sculptor Juliane Marie Jessen 1760 1832 author and translator Martin Lehmann 1775 1856 civil servant Ernst Heinrich Loffler 1723 1796 painter Balthasar Munter 1735 1793 priest Friederich Munter 1761 1830 scholar professor of theology Carl Probsthayn 1770 1818 painter Johan Henrich Schonheyder Johan Martin Schonheyder Johan Adam Sturmberg Johan Christopher Sturmberg Martin Zumpe c 1697 1753 master builderSt Peter s Church today EditThe church is today owned by the Danish Palaces and Properties Agency but on a day to day basis the church is still used actively by the German speaking Evangelical Lutheran congregation with 900 members as part of the Danish National Church The congregation arranges guided tours concerts and other cultural events in the historic building Together with the St Peter s School Danish St Petri Skole and the St Peter s Cultural Center Danish St Petri Kulturcentrum both of which are located on the church s premises it forms a centre for German culture in Copenhagen In popular culture EditThe church is used as a location in the 1991 drama film Drengene fra Sankt Petri 8 See also Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sankt Petri Kirke Christian s Church Reformed Church CopenhagenReferences Edit St Petri St Petri Church Retrieved 2009 12 11 Gjethuset Selskabet for Kobenhavns Historie Archived from the original on 2007 10 07 Retrieved 2009 12 11 St Petri St Petri Church Retrieved 2009 12 11 Sankt Petri Kirke Gyldendal Retrieved 2009 12 11 St Petri St Petri Church Retrieved 2009 12 11 Gravkapellerne Sankt Petri Kirke AOK Retrieved 2009 12 11 St Petri Kirke Selskabet for Kobenhavns Historie Retrieved 2009 12 11 Sankt Petri Kirke danskefilm dk in Danish Retrieved 16 March 2017 55 40 48 N 12 34 14 E 55 68000 N 12 57056 E 55 68000 12 57056 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Peter 27s Church Copenhagen amp oldid 1142758562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
