English Church – St. Alban

As Copenhagen became the centre for commerce during the 1800’s, an English Congregation was developing in Copenhagen. It was possible for the English congregation in rented rooms at Store Kongensgade to have religious services in Copenhagen protected by a certain Kings Law until freedom of worship was granted by the Danish Constitution of 5 June 1849.

Princess Alexandra and the Church
In need to build the congregations own church, the Danish Princess Alexandra, who later became Queen of England and married to King Edward VII, took the first initiative to raise funds for the English Church at Langelinie beside the Gefion fountain. The foundation stone of St Alban's English Church was laid on September 19th 1885 by H.R.H. the Princess of Wales in the presence of many royal persons and members of the Church Building Committee.

St. Alban's foundation stone was laid in 1885 in the presence of the Princess of Wales - Alexandra - and other members of the royal family.

Picture from 1902 of the Queen of England and former Danish Princess Alexandra - who took the initiative to raise funds for the English church.

Consecrated in September 1887
The church was consecrated on 17 September 1887. The church is a typical English church in Early English style, designed by the Victorian church architect Sir Arthur Blomfield, and executed by the Danish architect Professor L. Fenger. As far as possible it is built as it would be in England with a beautiful altar piece and decorative glass mosaics.

Prominent Guests at the opening
Present on the opening day of St. Albans Church were the Prince and Princess of Wales, the King and Queen of Denmark, The Czar and Czarina of Russia, the King and Queen of Greece, the Danish Crown prince and Princess Marie of Denmark, and many other members of foreign Royal Houses, besides the entire Diplomatic Corps, Ministers and representative from Army and Navy, Church Officials, as well as Greek, Russian and Roman Catholic Priests. Following the consecration, the Prince and Princess of Wales on board the royal ship Osborne were hosting a lunch, to which all those who had been closely connected with the realisation of the church were invited.

The Altar in St. Albans Church from 1887, without a baptismal font. In contrast to the Danish churches where the font is placed near the altar, the baptismal font is placed to the left just inside the entrance to the chapel. The reason is, that a child does not belong to the church until it has been baptised and therefore is not allowed into the church until the baptism ceremony has taken place.

Saint Alban
The Church was named after Saint Alban, the first martyr of England, murdered on the 22nd of June in the year 303 A.D. and buried in Ely in Cambridgeshire in eastern England and the church bells were not installed in the tower until November 1887. Since the church was consecrated it has functioned without interruption.

St. Alban's is under the patronage of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.

Location
The English Church St. Alban is located beside the Gefion Fountain - Resistance Museum - Churchill Parken - The Little Mermaid - The Old Citadel.