Background

St. Anne's Church, Copenhagen

A striking Art Nouveau Catholic sanctuary serving Copenhagen's diverse international faith community since 1938.

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St. Anne's Church is a striking Art Nouveau Catholic church in Copenhagen's Amager Vest district, designed by architect Emil Jørgensen and completed in 1938. Built in Bremer sandstone with a distinctive two-towered basilica-style facade, the church serves as the spiritual center for Copenhagen's Catholic community. Its interior features ornate religious artwork, including a beautiful nine-panelled wooden structure depicting St. Anne's history and a side altar dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help with carvings by sculptor Axel Thielman.

A brief summary to St. Anne's Church

  • Dronning Elisabeths Allé 3, Copenhagen, Amager Vest, 2300, DK
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 1.5 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Indoor
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5

Local tips

  • Visit during Sunday Mass to experience the church's full liturgical atmosphere and meet the international Catholic community that gathers here.
  • Allow time to study the nine-panelled wooden structure depicting St. Anne's history and the gilded altar panels—these are masterworks of religious art and craftsmanship.
  • The church is located in the Amager Vest district; note that September through November brings Copenhagen's rainy season, so plan indoor visits accordingly.
  • The English-language parish makes this an accessible and welcoming space for international visitors and expatriates seeking Catholic worship in Copenhagen.
  • Observe the distinctive two-towered basilica-style facade from the street—the Bremer sandstone construction and Art Nouveau details are best appreciated from the exterior approach.
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Getting There

  • Metro and Local Bus

    From Copenhagen Central Station, take the M1 or M2 metro line toward Vestamager and exit at Amagerbro Station (approximately 12 minutes). From there, local bus routes 2A or 12 provide direct service to Dronning Elisabeths Allé, with the journey taking 8–12 minutes depending on traffic. Total travel time from city centre is approximately 25–35 minutes. Single tickets cost around 24 DKK (approximately 3.20 EUR). The church is a short walk from the bus stop.

  • Bicycle

    Copenhagen is highly bike-friendly with extensive cycle paths. From Nyhavn or the city centre, the journey to St. Anne's Church on Amager takes approximately 20–30 minutes depending on your starting point. Follow the marked cycle routes toward Amager; the church is located on a main avenue with dedicated bike lanes. Bike rental is widely available throughout Copenhagen at approximately 60–80 DKK per day (8–11 EUR). This is a popular and practical option for visitors.

  • Taxi or Rideshare

    Taxis and rideshare services (Uber, Bolt) operate throughout Copenhagen. From the city centre or Nyhavn, expect a journey of 15–20 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Fares typically range from 120–180 DKK (16–24 EUR) for a city centre journey. This option is most convenient during evening hours or if carrying luggage, though it is more expensive than public transport.

  • Walking from Nearby Attractions

    If you are visiting other sites in the Amager district or southern Copenhagen, St. Anne's Church is accessible on foot from the Amagerbro neighbourhood. The walk from Amagertorv (Amager Square) takes approximately 12–15 minutes along local streets. The area is residential and relatively quiet, offering a genuine neighbourhood experience. Terrain is flat and suitable for most mobility levels.

St. Anne's Church location weather suitability

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Discover more about St. Anne's Church

A Modern Catholic Sanctuary in Lutheran Denmark

St. Anne's Church stands as a remarkable testament to religious resilience in Denmark, a nation historically dominated by Lutheranism since the Reformation of 1536. The Catholic community in Denmark remained small and largely suppressed until the Constitution of 1849 restored religious freedom for Catholicism. St. Anne's Church, completed in 1938, represents the flourishing of Catholic faith in the modern era and serves as the primary place of worship for Copenhagen's international Catholic population, including Filipino, Polish, and other immigrant communities. The church's architectural journey began in 1897 when a house on Christian II's Street was converted into a small chapel. This modest beginning evolved into the first dedicated St. Anne's Church building in 1903, before the current magnificent structure was constructed in 1938. This progression reflects the growing strength and visibility of the Catholic Church in Copenhagen over four decades.

Architectural Distinction and Design Excellence

Designed by architect Emil Jørgensen, St. Anne's Church exemplifies Art Nouveau principles applied to religious architecture. The building's most striking feature is its distinctive two-towered facade rendered in antique basilica style, constructed from Bremer sandstone. This architectural choice gives the church a commanding presence on Dronning Elisabeths Allé, distinguishing it from the surrounding residential and urban landscape of the Amager Vest district. The basilica-style design reflects Catholic liturgical traditions, with its proportions and layout designed to enhance the spiritual experience of the faithful. The use of Bremer sandstone, a durable and aesthetically refined material, ensures both longevity and visual elegance. The two towers frame the entrance and create a sense of vertical aspiration characteristic of religious architecture.

Interior Artistry and Sacred Symbolism

The interior of St. Anne's Church is a gallery of religious art and craftsmanship. A particularly notable feature is a beautiful nine-panelled wooden structure with St. Anne as the centrepiece, which serves as a visual chronicle of the church's own history. This artistic installation uniquely documents the building's evolution from chapel to church to its current form, creating a tangible connection between the physical space and its spiritual journey. A side altar dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a traditional focus of Redemptorist devotion, features exquisite carvings created by sculptor Axel Thielman in 1846. Four large altar panels, backed in gold leaf, depict pivotal moments in Christian theology: the Birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Pieta, and the Ascension of Christ. These gilded panels create a luminous focal point that draws the eye toward the sanctuary and emphasizes the sacred nature of the space.

Community and Spiritual Mission

St. Anne's Church functions as an English-language Catholic parish, making it a welcoming space for Copenhagen's diverse international community. The Redemptorist order, which operates the church, has a long tradition of missionary work and pastoral care. The parish serves Filipinos, expatriates, tourists, and local Danish Catholics, creating a genuinely multicultural congregation that reflects Copenhagen's increasingly cosmopolitan character. The church's role extends beyond Sunday worship to include baptisms, marriages, and other sacramental celebrations. The attached monastery, built over a century ago, provides housing for the Redemptorist community and serves as a center for pastoral ministry. The church hall, though occasionally subject to Copenhagen's notorious autumn and winter flooding, remains an important venue for community gatherings and religious education.

Historical Significance in Danish Catholicism

The existence and prominence of St. Anne's Church represents a remarkable reversal of historical circumstances. For centuries after the Lutheran Reformation, Catholics faced legal restrictions and social marginalization in Denmark. The gradual restoration of religious freedom, culminating in the 1849 Constitution, allowed the Catholic Church to establish visible institutions. St. Anne's Church, with its prominent location and architectural distinction, symbolizes the normalization and acceptance of Catholicism in modern Danish society, standing as a beacon of faith in a predominantly Lutheran nation.

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