9 Best Sights in Denmark

Officially the Frederiks Kirke, this ponderous Baroque sanctuary of precious Norwegian marble was begun in 1749 and remained untouched from 1770 to 1874 due to budget constraints. It was finally completed and consecrated in 1894. Around the exterior are 16 statues of various religious leaders from Moses to Luther, and below them stand sculptures of outstanding Danish ministers and bishops. You can can scale 273 steps to the outdoor balcony on the top of the church for great views of the queen's palace and the Opera, across the canal. Afterward, continue along Bredgade to the exotic gilded onion domes of the Russisk Ortodoks Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church).

Construction began on Roskilde Cathedral around 1170 on the site of a church erected 200 years earlier by the Viking hero Harald Bluetooth. It was made possible by the introduction of brickmaking to Denmark—it is made up of more than 3 million bricks—and a commission by the powerful Bishop Absalon, who's also considered one of the founders of Copenhagen. The cathedral made the city one of the spiritual capitals of northern Europe. These days, its best known as the mausoleum of the royals: 38 Danish monarchs are entombed here, including the first Queen Margrethe (1353–1412), and there's reason to believe that Queen Margrethe II will ultimately find her resting place in or near the cathedral, like her father, Frederik IX. Don't miss the 16th-century clock depicting St. George charging a dragon, whose hisses and howls throughout the church cause Peter Døver, "the Deafener," to sound the hour. A squeamish Kirsten Kiemer, "the Chimer," shakes her head in fright but manages to strike the quarter hours.

The site of Denmark's main cathedral, the Church of Our Lady, has drawn worshippers since the 13th century, when Bishop Absalon built a chapel here. The previous church, consecrated in 1738, was burned to the ground in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite the country's poverty after the defeat, the city built a new place of worship, in the then-modern neoclassical style. Inside you can see sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen's marble sculptures depicting Christ and the 12 apostles, and Moses and David cast in bronze. The funerals of both Søren Kierkegaard and Hans Christian Andersen were held here.

Rising gracefully over the center of town, the Aarhus Cathedral was originally built in 1201 in a Romanesque style but was expanded and redesigned into a Gothic cathedral in the 15th century. Its soaring, whitewashed nave is one of the country's longest. The cathedral's highlights include its chalk frescoes in shades of lavender, yellow, red, and black, which grace the high arches and towering walls. Dating from the Middle Ages, they depict biblical scenes and the valiant St. George slaying a dragon and saving a maiden princess in distress. Also illustrated is the martyrdom of St. Clement, who was drowned with an anchor tied around his neck. He became a patron saint of sailors. Climb the tower for bird's-eye views of the rooftops and streets of Aarhus.

Ribe Cathedral stands on the site of one of Denmark's earliest churches, built around AD 860. The present structure, which dates from the 12th century, is built of a volcanic tufa stone, transported by boats from quarries in Cologne, France. Note the Cat Head Door, said to be for the exclusive use of the devil. The 14th-century brick bell tower once clanged out flood and fire warnings to Ribe's citizens and today affords sweeping views of the town's red-slate rooftops and surrounding marshes. A museum dedicated to the story of the church, as well as to religious life in the area before and after the Reformation, is part of the church.

Constructed between the 13th and 15th century, this is Denmark's only purely Gothic cathedral. The intricate wooden altar covered with gold leaf was carved by German sculptor Claus Berg. Beneath the sepulcher are the bones of St. (King) Knud, killed during a farmers' uprising in 1086, and his brother.

On the corner of Stengade and Sankt Annægade near the harbor is Sankt Olai Kirke, worth a peek for its elaborately carved wooden altar. Also in downtown are whole streets of medieval-era merchants' and ferrymen's houses—they're now modern shops.

It's fitting that the first building most people see when arriving by ship is dedicated to the patron saint of seafarers. Dominating the skyline, the Lutheran St. Nikolai Church dates back to the 12th century, but has been extensively remodeled and refurbished over the centuries. 

With one of the most beautiful spires puncturing the sky over Copenhagen, Our Savior Church is one of the city’s most beloved landmarks. It’s possible to scale the 398 steps leading up to the top of the spire, which has stunning views over Copenhagen’s harbor and Christiania.