Rundetårn

The Round Tower (Danish for Round Tower ) is a tower in the center of Copenhagen. King Christian IV had it built from 1637 to 1642 after plans by the architect Hans van Steenwinckel this year. He served until 1861 as an observatory of the University of Copenhagen ( Københavns Universitet see Astronomisk Observatory ) and houses today the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. It is connected to the old university library and the Holy Trinity Church, built in the decades after the Tower. The Round Tower is now a famous tourist attraction and its roof a much-visited viewpoint.

The circular tower has a diameter of about 15 m and a height of 34.8 m. He is climbed, apart from the last few meters from the viewing area to the observatory, not stairs, but over a 209 m long, helical gear, which winds in seven and a half full rotations around the center tower. This riding stairs made ​​it possible to deliver the like books, instruments and by horse and carriage. Hans van Steenwinckel this year was with this design principle from the Varberg Fortress ( casemates transition, so-called " Kockenborg gang" ) familiar.

The iron railing on the observation deck was manufactured in 1643 by Caspar Fincke. It contains several places the letters RFP, an abbreviation of the motto of King Christian IV: Regna Firmat Pietas - Piety strengthens the kingdoms.

On the facade of the tower is a picture puzzle is attached. The handwritten draft of King Christian IV is preserved in the National Archives. One interpretation is:

Trivia

Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale describes in The Lighter ( 1835) the circular, threatening staring eyes of a demonic dog with a comparison ' eyes as big as the Round Tower " ( oine saa store som Rundetaarn ). In Julius Reuschers classical translation, however, provides only " eyes as big as a tower ," which the reference for the most charming, ever imaginable round object of the city can be incomprehensible.

Because of the round tower for centuries had set new standards in the truest sense, he served in Denmark often as a benchmark when specifying large ( building ) height.

The tower contains two latrines, one halfway up behind the access to the library hall, the other directly under the roof. The pit to accommodate the human excrement is below the ground floor and was so large that they only had to be emptied every 50 years approximately. Recently this happened in 1921. Since 1902, the building complex is connected to the sewer.

The asteroid 5505 Rundetårn is named after the tower.

View towards Rosenborg Castle, residence of Christian IV