Beyond the red brick walls of Hans Egedes Kirke lies a story of faith. It is a story of Greenland and a man who dared to dream of converting its people. This is Hans Egedes Kirke.
Hans Egedes Kirke stands in Vardegade on Østerbro in Copenhagen. The church is named in memory of Hans Egede. It marks the 200th anniversary of his arrival in Greenland in 1721.
Construction of Hans Egedes Kirke began in 1923. It started with the community center and residences for the pastor and gravedigger. The community hall served as a temporary church until construction finished in 1930. The Church Foundation financed the building. Arthur Wittmaack and Vilhelm Hvalsøe were the architects.
In 1995, Hans Egedes Kirke was renovated. The gravedigger’s residence was removed. The church interior was also renovated in autumn 2006.
Hans Egedes Kirke is built in a simple style. It features red brick, corner pilasters, and smooth gables. The east gable is decorated with tall narrow blind arches. They extend almost the entire height of the building. The windows in the church are tall and arched. They reflect the Baroque style of the 1700s. The roof has a slightly flared ridge covered with black tiles. A copper-covered roof turret sits above the church. It has a lantern and spire. The church bells reside here. The west gable entrance has a limestone portal. A memorial plaque crowns it. It honors Hans Egede. An angel stands on each side.
Inside Hans Egedes Kirke the church room divides into a nave and two narrow aisles. The nave has a barrel vault. Whitewashed ceilings and walls dominate the space. The brown shades of the treated woodwork add warmth. An organ gallery sits above the entrance. Narrow galleries without chairs line the aisles. Strong brick pillars with arched openings support them.
The choir is raised by three steps. A short wooden choir rail stands on the north side. Windows on both sides light the choir. The nave receives light mainly from the west gable window. Additional light comes from windows on each side of the organ gallery.
Currently the altar in Hans Egedes Kirke stands without an altarpiece. Previously it featured a painting after Murillo. It depicted Christ crucified in a carved baroque frame. Twisted columns and a segmented arch topped it. An older altarpiece hangs over the south gallery. It depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds or Nativity. Walther Meinhardt created it in 1920 or 1922. The image is a sketch for an altarpiece for Uhre Church. That altarpiece has since been replaced.
The pulpit is a simple piece of joinery. It is in the classicist style. Both the basket and canopy are hexagonal. Like most of the woodwork in Hans Egedes Kirke it is stained. A small crucifix hangs on the back panel.
Originally Hans Egedes Kirke had a font in the classicist style. It was made of wood. It came from Sankt Michaelis Church in Fredericia. The current font is from 1955. It is made of Greenlandic marble.
The organ in Hans Egedes Kirke was originally built by Th. Frobenius in 1949. Gunnar Fabricius Husted rebuilt it around 1984. The instrument has an unusual appearance. It is designed for its location. It does not block light into the church. Transparent materials are used. The pipes are visible. Even the swell is made of transparent material. Light shines through.
Previously a model of a three-masted motor ship named Hans Egede hung in the church. It hung over the center aisle. It was between the two front chandeliers. This model is no longer present. Now a model hangs over the south gallery. It is a three-masted sailing ship. It bears the name Elisabeth.
Hans Egedes Kirke stands as a reminder. It is a testament to faith and cultural exchange. It links Copenhagen to Greenland’s history.