As the girls walked along they stopped now and then to look in the shop windows. Whenever Greta saw a window full of beautiful silverware or china she wanted to stop and buy a gift for her mother. This china, decorated with figures in a soft blue color, was called Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, and it was famous all over the world. The silverware was designed by a Danish artist named Georg Jensen, and it was also very famous.
"You will have lots of time to buy a gift for your mother, Greta. Don't stop now. I hope you aren't tired, for we have a hard climb ahead of us."
"A climb? Why, there isn't a hill in all Copenhagen."
"Do you see that church with the dome-shaped roof that's all green and shiny? Well, that's what we are going to climb."
"Oh, Anna, how can we? Why, it's taller than any of the other buildings in Copenhagen." Greta looked around her at the four- and five-story buildings. The shiny green dome of the church rose far above them.
"It is usually called the Marble Church," explained Anna, "because it is built of marble. Its real name is Frederick's Church, because it was built by King Frederick the Fifth."
"That shiny green dome isn't made of marble, is it?" asked Greta.
"Oh, no," laughed Anna. "The church cost a great deal to build, and when they had gotten as far as the dome, there was no money left. So all the housewives in Copenhagen gave their copper kettles to be melted up and used to make the dome of the church."
Inside the church it was cool and quiet. The girls started up the stairs and climbed for quite a while without saying a word. Greta began to think that they would never reach the top.
