After a few months off (that turned into almost four years), I've got back into the swing of things....
After a few months off (that turned into almost four years), I've got back into the swing of things... concentrating mostly on travel reviews this time around.
Member since:28.07.2000
Reviews:155
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When Copenhagen is mentioned as a travel destination, what is generally the first thing that leaps to mind? In my experience, it's normally the Little Mermaid, sometimes followed by a joke (or a close appromixation of one) about bacon or the Lurpak butter advert… once you get past such initial stereotypes about Denmark's capital city, however, there a host of attractions that are deserving of your attention. And quite apart from that, the mermaid statue is quite possibly one of the most disappointingly nondescript 'sights' that I've ever visited.
Anyway, the Round Tower (Rundetaarn) is certainly one of the less well-known monuments in the city - I certainly had no idea about it when I visited Copenhagen a decade ago but a colleague mentioned it to me before my recent return. Whilst exploring the city centre on foot, I noticed it marked on the free map I'd picked up at the hotel and decided to take a look. The tower is easy to find, being very centrally located directly on Købmagergade, one of the main thoroughfares in the heart of Copenhagen.
The tower was built on the instructions of King Christian IV, who wanted to establish a new astronomical observatory in his nation's capital to cement the proud tradition of astronomy in Denmark (although a small country, it has produced such heavyweights in this field as Tyco Brahe and Ole Rømer). It was the first part of the Trinitatis complex, which consisted of the observatory, a student church and a university library. Construction began in 1637, taking five years to reach completion, and the Round Tower is still architecturally unique in Europe. The central core of the tower is hollow, and instead of the space within the tower walls being divided into floors, connected by staircases as one might expect, the whole interior forms a spiral ramp that winds around the central core and measures 209 metres in length. According to various accounts, the king was fond of driving up the ramp with his horse-drawn carriage to visit the observatory. While he was involved in astronomical studies, servants would back the carriage down to the street, turn it around and then back it all the way up to the top so that the king could then drive down the ramp when leaving the tower.
The top of the tower is used as a viewing platform, and from this vantage point almost 35 metres above the street it is possible to get a view into the heart of the old town, while you can also look beyond the boundaries of Copenhagen and see the recently-constructed bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden. The observatory atop the tower is still fully functioning (the oldest working observatory in Europe, in fact) and after centuries of use as the university observatory it is now open to the public for anyone who wants to take a closer look at the night sky during the winter months.
The great library hall is situated about three quarters of the way up the tower ramp and accessed by a couple of the very few stairs in the whole building. The hall was used for its original purpose until the mid-19th century and has now been converted into a light, expansive exhibition space for the display of historical, cultural and scientific artefacts - when I visited, it was being used to display a selection of sculptures and religious artwork. It is also used regularly for classical concerts and charitable events, so has taken on an important role in the cultural life of Copenhagen.
The Round Tower is open all year round (barring Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day) and the entrance fee is a very reasonable 25 kroner (about 2.50GBP), or 5 kroner for children between 5 and 15 years of age. The opening times vary with the seasons (closing at 5pm in winter and 8pm in summer), and the observatory is open to all those of an astronomical bent on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in winter from 7-10pm. For more information about group visits and opening times, see the website (www.rundetaarn.dk). This website also provides plenty of information about upcoming exhibitions and concerts, as well as a lot of historical background to the tower itself and the important role of astronomy in Danish history.
Pictures of Round Tower (Rundetarn), Copenhagen
The Round Tower
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