Rundetaarn

The famous Rundetaarn is located five hundred meters (a five to six minutes walk) northeast of Vor Frue Cathedral. It is one of the most remarkable structures in Denmark. The Round Tower was built by Christian IV between 1637 and 1642. It was the first part of the Trinitatis Complex, which combined the church, library, and observatory in a single building.

If one can say that deserved the credit for the Round Tower’s existence then that someone is King Christian IV (1577-1648). It was he who, as early as February 1637, less than half a year before the foundation stone of the tower was laid, had agreed with a citizen in the important Northern German Reformation city of Emden, to deliver shiploads of brick for its construction. And it was he who, five years later, in July 1642, sat down at Rosenborg Castle and drew a plan of the upper platform of “the tower at Regensen”.

Rundetaarn had been built by then but had not yet been named and therefore had to be established by referring to the King’s dormitory building Regensen just opposite the Round Tower. Christian IV was not slow to acknowledge the paternity of the tower on the surface of the building itself. The pious prayer, which shines golden on the facade in the form of a rebus, thus contains his crowned monogram, which is also included in several places on Caspar Fincke’s (1584-1655) intricate lattice railing at the top and added in 1643… More

The Library was once the home of the entire University book collection. Situated halfway up the Round Tower, the Library opened in 1657. It housed approximately 10,000 books, which had previously been spread around old university buildings in the city. At one end of the hall was an exhibition of Old Norse artifacts, which would grow and become known as the National Museum.

By 1861, the book collection had grown so big that it was moved to the new premises on Fiolstræde. The old Library was later used as a studio by theatre painter Carl Lund, and as a depot for the Zoological Museum. The Library was restored in 1987 and now serves as a popular gallery and concert venue.

Some of the most notable features of the round tower in a summary are The unique architecture, especially its winding, spiral ramp instead of stairs. The two original privies were restored and re-opened in their original form. The Bell Loft, above the gallery and concert venue.

The hollow core is in the center of the structure. The reconstructed in the form of the 17th original planetarium and of course the viewing platform on the top of the tower, offering great views of the historic center. All descriptions are taken Official website of the Round Tower.