The Round Tower

The Round Tower

The Round Tower (Rundetårn) is a 17th-century tower located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Round Tower is part of the Trinity Church complex, built to provide scholars of the time with an observatory, a student church, and a university library.

The Round Tower was designed by architect Hans Steenwinckel the Younger at the request of King Christian IV. Its foundation stone was laid on July 7, 1637, and it was completed in 1642. In addition to stairs, a unique 7.5-turn spiral corridor also leads to the tower top, which stands 34.8 meters above the street. There, you’ll find an observatory and a small planetarium. The corridor also provides access to the church and the library. This design was necessary to allow horses and carriages to reach the library for book deliveries.

The Round Tower is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. It was used by the University of Copenhagen until 1861. Today, the observatory is still open to the public on clear nights, where visitors can climb to the top of the Round Tower to stargaze using one of Europe’s oldest surviving observatories. During the day, the observatory is closed, but visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Copenhagen’s cityscape from the rooftop terrace. Maps indicating distant buildings are hung in various directions on the viewing platform.

Rundetårn

Must-visit reason: Europe’s oldest observatory

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Denmark[Denmark]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Capital Region of Denmark [Capital Region of Denmark]

City where the attraction is located: Copenhagen [Copenhagen]