Copenhagen Round Tower

The round tower and church, built in 1642, are famous buildings from the reign of Christian IV of Denmark. The original plan was to build them in Regensen Dormitory, the second oldest student dormitory at the University of Copenhagen, which has provided a unique living environment for 100 students for hundreds of years. The plan changed the following year, and the street corner opposite the dormitory was designated as the location of the church (between Landemærket and Købmagergade). The church was expected to be included in the construction plan of the library and observatory, combining the church, library, and observatory into one complex, showing the world the king's support for science and the exploration of creation as astronomy flourished in the 17th century. In Christianity, it refers to the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is generally the origin of the name "Trinity Church". Because of the combination of church, observatory and library, this place is also considered to have another meaning of "Trinity". The entire building is about 50m long, 20m wide and 18m high. There is a student church in the attic (the foundation stone of the church was laid in 1637). In 1642, a 209m long spiral corridor and a 34m high round tower were completed for scholars at that time to conduct astronomical observations. Next is the attic library, which was completed the latest in 1656. It covers an area of ​​nearly 800m2 and was originally the place where the University of Copenhagen stored its books, with up to 10,000 volumes of books. In order to protect the books, special book wheels were made to open the books. It continued to be the university's collection for 200 years. It was not until 1861 that it was relocated due to lack of space. It has since served as a studio for theater painters and a storage room for zoo museums and publishing companies. Now, we drink coffee, buy souvenirs, and appreciate works of art in this space that reopened in 1987. Art exhibitions, concerts and exhibition spaces are often held here. Climb up the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower, which is 35 meters high, about 7.5 turns and 15 meters in diameter. The quaint and solemn atmosphere along the way and the solid floor tiles that fit closely to the edge of the ground allow the royal family and nobles to climb to the top of the tower on horseback or in a carriage. The way leads to the church, library and exhibition hall. More importantly, it allows carriages to reach the library to deliver books, alleviating the trouble of transporting astronomical instruments to the top of the tower. In addition to the niches on the wall for lighting with torches or candles, there are also holes in the wall that you may come across occasionally. When you explore, you will find that they are hollow troughs that go directly to the bottom and run through the center of the round tower. In the holes on the fifth and tenth floors, you will find ancient toilets connected to the septic tank in the basement with conduits. Now the observatory and a small planetarium are still open to the public. The Round Tower is the oldest observatory in Europe. In the past, astronomers from the University of Copenhagen could gaze at the night view of the city and the stars in the sky. For centuries, it has been the center of Danish astronomy and also played a role in meteorological observation and measurement. Even though the work of astronomical observation has been moved to other places, it is still operational and can be visited. The top of the tower has clear instructions facing different directions, marking an important site in Copenhagen. There is a small retro-style dome on the top of the tower, and there was also a past for selling tea and postcards. The railing style records the beauty and delicacy of the old times. This is the best viewing point to appreciate the old town of Copenhagen. Imagine the Russian Tsar Peter the Great riding a horse, with the queen following in a carriage behind, going up the tower to enjoy the scenery.