Fortifications of Copenhagen (17th century)
Encyclopedia
The fortifications of Copenhagen underwent a comprehensive modernization and expansion in the 17th century. The project was commenced and largely masterplanned by Christian IV
in the early 17th century but continued and completed by his successors. The new fortifications relied on the existing, medieval fortifications of the city but the fortified area was extended and a definsive ring around the city completed particularly with new edifices towards the sea. The ring fortification consisted of four bastion
ed rampart
s and an annexed citadel
as well as various outwork
s.
Though largely developed to a final form in the 17th century, the fortifications remained in use until the second half of the 19th century, when they finally, a long time overdue, were decommissioned. Today only the Christianshavn Rampart
and the citadel Kastellet
remain intact, while the rest of the fortifications were dismantled in the years after its denise. The grounds were to a large extent laid out as parks, forming a green band around the city centre still known as the Fortification Ring
, as well as for construction of a number of public buildings, including the new Copenhagen City Hall
as well as a number of museums.
was now incorporated into the complex. A large bastion in masonry was constructed on its southwestern tip and connected to Vestervold by a vault
ed dam
known as Løngangen. In the same time, Østervold was taken around parts of Bremerholm
to meet the sea.
A total of 12 bastions were constructed and just outside the entire fortification a moat
was dug. Due to topographical variations in the terrain, it was constructed as a series of basins, separated by dams, to solve the problem of variations in the terrain. The uppermost basin was fed by water from Peblingesøen. Vesterport and Nørreport were also renovated and given tall spire
s and a new Østerport was built.
From 1618-23 Christianshavn
was laid out as a privileged merchant's town. Strategically situated in the middle of a shallow-watered, marshy area north of Amager
, the town was fortified with low earthworks facing Amager
. The rampart was constructed with four and a half bastions and a gate, known as Amagerport.
To guard the northern entrance to the port, a blockhouse
was constructed on the shallow-watered Refshaleø in 1624. On the Zealand side of the harbour, north of the city, an advanced post, named Sankt Annæ Skanse (English: St. Anne's Redoubt) was constructed, on the site later to become Kastellet. This work was begun in 1627.
. The new Østervold would be a direct extension of Nørrevold, connecting it to Sankt Annæ Skanse, thereby more than doubling the area of the fortified city. However, the 1630s was a time of economic crisis and both Sankt Annæ Skanse and the new course of Østervold was delayed with no major work going on during that decade. After both Jutland
and Scania
had been occupied by enermy forces in the first half of the 1640s and the Kingdom's very existence had been threatened, work on the fortifications was resumed.
The new Østervold was constructed and a new project for the citadel at Sankt Annæ Skanse, with the layout of a bastioned pentagram
, was completed in 1661.
in 1807 made it clear that the city's fortifications were outdated but during the years of economic constraints that followed, no action was taken. In 1840 Christian VIII
appointed a national defense commission which two years later recommended that the existing fortifications be decommissioned.
At the outbreak of the First Schleswig War in 1848, nothing had happened and considerable work was carried out to strengthen the ramparts around the city gates in the event of a German attack. In 1852, the Line of Demarcation was partially disabandoned but work to maintain and improve the ramparts were carried out as late as 1856-57.
In 1868 a law finally provided for the official abolishment of the demarcation statutes and the disabandonment of the fortifications proper. In 1856-58 the city gates were dismantled. These provisions did not apply to fortifications at Christianshavn and Kastellet. Christianshavn's ramparts were extended as late as 1868-1870 with a rampart along the east coast of the newly reclaimed Refshaleø, which only a few years later was rented out to the shipyard
Burmeister & Wain
. The fortifications at Christianshavn remained in use into the 20th century. Some areas were opened up in the late 1910s, and the last areas were not made public until 1961.
with a ditch
in front of it.
As part of the improvements, numerous bastions were constructed along their course. In 1781, after extensive work on the fortifications in the preceding years, the bastions were given official names according to group: The bastions in Copenhagen were named for officers of note from the siege or other events of the early absolute era, the bastions at Christianshavn were named for powerful animals and at Kastellet. Since 1669, the bastions at Kastellet had been named for members of the Royal family and the King's lands.
to a site just east of Nørreport, at the junction of today's Gothersgade and Øster Voldgade.
After the expansion of the fortified city in the 1650s, Østervold continued Nørrevold in a straight north-eastern direction, connecting the fortifications to the north side of Kastellet.
. From 1682-92 Christianshavns Vold was extended once more, this time northwards, to guard the entrance to the harbour and protect the new base for the Royal Fleet at what was to become known as Nyholm
. The extension included 7 new bastions, named for current members of the Royal family. The last extension of Christianshavns Vold was constructed as late as 1878-82, when a rampart was constructed along the eastern margin of the newly reclaimed Refshaleø.
lies today. When the fortified city was expanded in the late 17th century to make room for the new Royal square and the district Saint Anne's Town, Østerport was dismantled and a new gate built at a site close to present day Østerport station
. While the original East Gate faced east, the new gate was very close the northernmost point of the city.
It is uncertain when the new Østerport was built but it may have been as early as 1647. It was also referred to as the Elsinore Gate. Its original design is unknown but in 1708 it was rebuilt by Frederick VIII
to a fairly modest design. The gate was dismantled in 1857.
lies today. Nørregade, which led to the original gate, is named for it. Due to its location, it was the gate used by travellers from Norway
and Sweden
, arriving via Elsinore, as well as Northern Zealand. Since the Royals often resided at Frederiksborg Palace
during the summer, arriving and departing through Nørreport, the street immediately inside the new gate was named Frederiksborggade. In 1671, during the reign of Christian V
, an older gate was replaced by a new one, built to the design of Lambert van Haven
. It was the tallest and finest of the city's gates with ornamentation in sandstone
. It was dismantled in 1857.
s used as column
s to support the main cornice
. The gate was renovated in 1722 by Fredecrik IV
. Vesterport was the most fortified of the city's gates. It was the gate most used for transportation of goods from Zealand. Opening to the main road which led to Korsør
, it was also through this gate that travellers from Jutland
and Funen
would normally arrive.
known as Kastellet
, constructed in connection with the ramparts in the form of a pentagram
. Construction began in 1626 with the building of an entrenchment in the northern part of the defense wall of the city. The original plans included construction of a castle at the site for the King to seek haven in the event of siege, but this part of the plan was dropped on account of economic constraints. Construction continued with his successor King Christian III
. After the Swedish
siege on Copenhagen (1658–1660) the Dutch
engineer Henrik Rüse
was called in to help rebuild and extend the construction. The fortification was named Citadellet Frederikshavn ("The Frederikshavn Citadel"), but it is better known as Kastellet ("the citadel").
was introduced in 1661 after the Assault on Copenhagen.
used to be located just outside the fortifications, running along Nørrevold as well as parts of Østervold and Vestervold. They originate in a need for dam
med water for watermill
s, leading to the creation of the first lake, but after a siege of Copenhagen in 1523, it was decided to extend the entrenchments for strategic purposes, incorporating them into the defence of the city as an extra barrier. The levee
at Peblinge Sø was expanded and another dam was constructed, which resulted in the creation of Sortedams Sø. In the beginning of the 17th century, Sankt Jørgens Sø was created, as a result of further damming. As a results of these efforts, it was now possible to flood the banks and lakes in case of an attack on the city.
s were located in the fortifications
After his appointment as Naval Building Master at Holmen
, Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest
was responsible for the construction of two gunpowder magazine
s at the Christianshavn Rampart
. Construction of the first magazine, located at Vilhelms Bastion, was commenced in 1688, while the second one, built to a similar design at Carls Bastion, began two years later.
The gunpowder magazine at the Eastern Rampart exploded on two occasions. The first time was on 16 December 1658, during the Swedish siege of Copenhagen in the Second Northern War
. On 31 March 1779 it exploded again. Seven people were killed and 47 were injured. It was subsequently rebuilt and not decommissioned until 1872.
and rolled groat
s, in the event of siege
. In 1800, a total of 16 windmills were found on the ramparts of Copenhagen.
In 1669–70 windmills were constructed on both of the bastions flanking Amager City Gate in Christianshavns Rampart, then known as the Mill Bastion (now the Elephant's Bastion) and the Bastion at the Church (now the Lion's Bastion). Breslaus Mølle on the Mill Bastion was demolished in 1842. Little Mill on the Lion's Bastion was originally a post mill
but it was destroyed in a storm and replaced by a smock mill
in 1783. It remained in use til the late 19th century, from 1832 supplemented by a steam mill which remained in use until 1909.
Also in 1669, the miller Hans Hansen obtained permission to build a mill on Gyldenløves Bastion, just south of the Western City Gate. Whether it later burned or was never built is uunknown, but in 1697 Jürgen Gosbruch, another miller, received permission to build a windmill on the same site. It was known as Luciemølle or Lusse Møllen. Some time during the 1790s, another windmill, known as Store Kongens Mølle (English: Large King's Mill), was built on Shacks Bastion on the other side of the Wastern City Gate. in 1692 a windmill was also built at Gothersgade
, on the old Eastern Rampart.
Dronningens Mølle (English:Queen's Mill) was located on Rosenkrantz' Bastion in the Eastern Rampart. It was completely destroyed when the gunpowder magazine at the Eastern Rampart exploded on 31 March 1779. It was rebuilt but torn down in 1805.
When the British besieged Copenhagen in 1807, it was feared that they would destroy the mills on the fortifications. Therefore two extra mills were constructed on less exposed locations, one at Sølvgade and one on Nyholm
.
(Danish: Fæstningsringen). From the ramparts were first disabandonned and purchased by the City of Copenhagen, their grounds have been dominated by parks and other recreational uses. It is still municipal policy that the Fortication Ring is maintained and developed as a green band within the urban area of the city.
Parks located within the Fortification Ring include Østre Anlæg, University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden
and Ørstedsparken
. The preserved parts of the fortifications at Christianshavn and Kastellet are also green and serve as parks. This also applies for Freetown Christiania
which is partially located on the northern part of the Christianshavn Ramparts. The area also houses a number of museums, including the National Gallery
, The Hirschsprung Collection
and Lille Mølle
.
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
in the early 17th century but continued and completed by his successors. The new fortifications relied on the existing, medieval fortifications of the city but the fortified area was extended and a definsive ring around the city completed particularly with new edifices towards the sea. The ring fortification consisted of four bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
ed rampart
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s and an annexed citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
as well as various outwork
Outwork
An outwork is a minor defense, fortification, built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached. Outworks were developed in the 16th century, such as ravelins, lunettes , caponiers to shield bastions and fortification curtains from direct battery...
s.
Though largely developed to a final form in the 17th century, the fortifications remained in use until the second half of the 19th century, when they finally, a long time overdue, were decommissioned. Today only the Christianshavn Rampart
Christianshavns Vold
Christianshavns Vold is a former rampart which was part of the bastioned fortification ring which used to surround Copenhagen, Denmark. Running along the full south-eastern perimeter of Christianshavn and Holmen, it used to form a protective barrier towards the island of Amager...
and the citadel Kastellet
Kastellet, Copenhagen
Kastellet, located in Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe. It is constructed in the form of a pentagram with bastions at its corners...
remain intact, while the rest of the fortifications were dismantled in the years after its denise. The grounds were to a large extent laid out as parks, forming a green band around the city centre still known as the Fortification Ring
Fortification Ring, Copenhagen
The Fortification Ring in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a collective name used to refer to the grounds where the city's old 17th century fortifications used to lie, now surrounding the City Centre...
, as well as for construction of a number of public buildings, including the new Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the Municipal Council as well as the Lord mayor of the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen....
as well as a number of museums.
Christian IV's modernization project
Christian IV's modernization of the fortifications of Copenhagen commenced in 1606 and would take 20 years to complete. The course of the medieval fortifications was kept but SlotsholmenSlotsholmen
Slotsholmen is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. Bishop Absalon constructed the city's first castle on the island in 1166-67 at the site where Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament lies today...
was now incorporated into the complex. A large bastion in masonry was constructed on its southwestern tip and connected to Vestervold by a vault
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
ed dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
known as Løngangen. In the same time, Østervold was taken around parts of Bremerholm
Gammelholm
Gammelholm is a predominantly residential neighbourhood in the city centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is bounded by the Nyhavn canal, Kongens Nytorv, Holmens Kanal, Niels Juels Gade and the waterfront along Havnegade...
to meet the sea.
A total of 12 bastions were constructed and just outside the entire fortification a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
was dug. Due to topographical variations in the terrain, it was constructed as a series of basins, separated by dams, to solve the problem of variations in the terrain. The uppermost basin was fed by water from Peblingesøen. Vesterport and Nørreport were also renovated and given tall spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
s and a new Østerport was built.
From 1618-23 Christianshavn
Christianshavn
Christianshavn is an artificial island neighbourhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in the early 17th century by Christian IV as part of his extension of the fortifications of Copenhagen. Originally it was laid out as an independent privileged merchant's town with inspiration from...
was laid out as a privileged merchant's town. Strategically situated in the middle of a shallow-watered, marshy area north of Amager
Amager
Amager is a Danish island in the Øresund. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, is partly situated on Amager, which is connected to the much larger island of Zealand by five bridges.-History:...
, the town was fortified with low earthworks facing Amager
Amager
Amager is a Danish island in the Øresund. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, is partly situated on Amager, which is connected to the much larger island of Zealand by five bridges.-History:...
. The rampart was constructed with four and a half bastions and a gate, known as Amagerport.
To guard the northern entrance to the port, a blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
was constructed on the shallow-watered Refshaleø in 1624. On the Zealand side of the harbour, north of the city, an advanced post, named Sankt Annæ Skanse (English: St. Anne's Redoubt) was constructed, on the site later to become Kastellet. This work was begun in 1627.
Extension of the fortified city
As part of his aspirations to strengthen Copenhagen as a regional centre, Christian IV decided to expand the area of the fortified city towards the north. Already in 1606, when his modernization of the fortifications began, he had purchased 200 hectares of land outside the Eastern City Gate. His intention was to redevelop this area into a new district referred to as Ny København (English: New Copenhagen) or Sankt Annæ By (Saint Ann's Town). The plan was to change the course of Østervold, which at that time made a bend and ran along what is today Gothersgade and Kongens NytorvKongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The finest and largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with a major extension of the fortified city, and has an equestrian statue of...
. The new Østervold would be a direct extension of Nørrevold, connecting it to Sankt Annæ Skanse, thereby more than doubling the area of the fortified city. However, the 1630s was a time of economic crisis and both Sankt Annæ Skanse and the new course of Østervold was delayed with no major work going on during that decade. After both Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
and Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
had been occupied by enermy forces in the first half of the 1640s and the Kingdom's very existence had been threatened, work on the fortifications was resumed.
The new Østervold was constructed and a new project for the citadel at Sankt Annæ Skanse, with the layout of a bastioned pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
, was completed in 1661.
Decommissioning of the fortifications
The British bombing of Copenhagen during the Battle of CopenhagenBattle of Copenhagen (1807)
The Second Battle of Copenhagen was a British preemptive attack on Copenhagen, targeting the civilian population in order to seize the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in turn originate the term to Copenhagenize.-Background:Despite the defeat and loss of many ships in the first Battle of Copenhagen in...
in 1807 made it clear that the city's fortifications were outdated but during the years of economic constraints that followed, no action was taken. In 1840 Christian VIII
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
appointed a national defense commission which two years later recommended that the existing fortifications be decommissioned.
At the outbreak of the First Schleswig War in 1848, nothing had happened and considerable work was carried out to strengthen the ramparts around the city gates in the event of a German attack. In 1852, the Line of Demarcation was partially disabandoned but work to maintain and improve the ramparts were carried out as late as 1856-57.
In 1868 a law finally provided for the official abolishment of the demarcation statutes and the disabandonment of the fortifications proper. In 1856-58 the city gates were dismantled. These provisions did not apply to fortifications at Christianshavn and Kastellet. Christianshavn's ramparts were extended as late as 1868-1870 with a rampart along the east coast of the newly reclaimed Refshaleø, which only a few years later was rented out to the shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
Burmeister & Wain
MAN B&W Diesel
MAN Diesel SE was a provider of large-bore diesel engines for marine propulsion systems and power plant applications. MAN Diesel employs over 7,700 staff, primarily in Germany, Denmark, France, the Czech Republic, India and China...
. The fortifications at Christianshavn remained in use into the 20th century. Some areas were opened up in the late 1910s, and the last areas were not made public until 1961.
Ramparts
The ramparts generally consisted of large earthworksEarthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
with a ditch
Ditch
A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel water.In Anglo-Saxon, the word dïc already existed and was pronounced 'deek' in northern England and 'deetch' in the south. The origins of the word lie in digging a trench and forming the upcast soil into a bank...
in front of it.
As part of the improvements, numerous bastions were constructed along their course. In 1781, after extensive work on the fortifications in the preceding years, the bastions were given official names according to group: The bastions in Copenhagen were named for officers of note from the siege or other events of the early absolute era, the bastions at Christianshavn were named for powerful animals and at Kastellet. Since 1669, the bastions at Kastellet had been named for members of the Royal family and the King's lands.
Nørrevold
Nørrevold ran from Jarmers TowerJarmers Tower
Jarmer's Tower is an old ruined tower in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was once part of the Copenhagen moat. Jarmers Tower represents the remains of the original eleven towers which were once joined together as a part of the city’s medieval fortification....
to a site just east of Nørreport, at the junction of today's Gothersgade and Øster Voldgade.
Vestervold
In connection with a modernisation of Vestervold in the 1660s, the ramparts were extended towards the south from Vesterport all the way to the coastline and into the water on reclaimed seabed. The extension included three new bastions, two of which were located on reclaimed land.Østervold
Originally Østervold ran from a location just east of Nørreport along today's Gothersgade to Østerport's original location at the end of Østergade. As result of Christian IV's efforts to modernize the fortifications, the southern end of Østervold was continued around parts of Bremerholm.After the expansion of the fortified city in the 1650s, Østervold continued Nørrevold in a straight north-eastern direction, connecting the fortifications to the north side of Kastellet.
Christianshavns Vold
The first Christianshavns Vold, constructed around 1620, had 4 and a half bastions. In the 1670s, when Vestervold was extended to reach the sea, Christiansvold was moved and extended to match the new course of Vestervold. The new Christianshavns Vold had 5 very large bastions. Around the entire complex was a moat with a protecting counterscarpCounterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides of a ditch used in fortifications. In permanent fortifications the scarp and counterscarp may be encased in stone...
. From 1682-92 Christianshavns Vold was extended once more, this time northwards, to guard the entrance to the harbour and protect the new base for the Royal Fleet at what was to become known as Nyholm
Holmen, Copenhagen
Holmen is an area in central Copenhagen, Denmark. In spite of its name, deceptively in singular, Holmen is a congregation of small islands, forming a north-eastern extension of Christianshavn between Zealand and the northern tip of Amager....
. The extension included 7 new bastions, named for current members of the Royal family. The last extension of Christianshavns Vold was constructed as late as 1878-82, when a rampart was constructed along the eastern margin of the newly reclaimed Refshaleø.
City gates
The gates that once guarded the entrances to the City of Copenhagen through the City Ramparts were stone buildings that had a single archway through the middle for traffic, protected by gates and portcullises. There were four gates affording access to the city.Østerport
Østerport was originally located at the end of Østergade, where Kongens NytorvKongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The finest and largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with a major extension of the fortified city, and has an equestrian statue of...
lies today. When the fortified city was expanded in the late 17th century to make room for the new Royal square and the district Saint Anne's Town, Østerport was dismantled and a new gate built at a site close to present day Østerport station
Østerport station
Østerport station is a railway station in Østerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is served by most S-trains, Kystbanen and other regional trains, as well as some InterCity trains.The station is used by approximately 30,000 passengers each day.-History:...
. While the original East Gate faced east, the new gate was very close the northernmost point of the city.
It is uncertain when the new Østerport was built but it may have been as early as 1647. It was also referred to as the Elsinore Gate. Its original design is unknown but in 1708 it was rebuilt by Frederick VIII
Frederick VIII of Denmark
Frederick VIII was King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.-Early life:Frederick was born on 3 June 1843 in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen as Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior male line of the House of Oldenburg descended from Christian III of Denmark and who had...
to a fairly modest design. The gate was dismantled in 1857.
Nørreport
Nørreport was located at a site where Nørreport stationNørreport station
Nørreport Station is a mainline railway, S-train and Copenhagen Metro station located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the busiest train station in the country, serving 300,000 people daily, including passengers not stepping off. There are 165.000 leaving or entering trains including the metro...
lies today. Nørregade, which led to the original gate, is named for it. Due to its location, it was the gate used by travellers from Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, arriving via Elsinore, as well as Northern Zealand. Since the Royals often resided at Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg castle is a castle in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. The current building replaced a previous castle erected by Frederick II, and is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia...
during the summer, arriving and departing through Nørreport, the street immediately inside the new gate was named Frederiksborggade. In 1671, during the reign of Christian V
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, an older gate was replaced by a new one, built to the design of Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven was a Danish architect, master builder and painter. He was born in Bergen, the son of the artist Solomon van Haven who had already succeeded in winning the favour of the Danish monarchy....
. It was the tallest and finest of the city's gates with ornamentation in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It was dismantled in 1857.
Vesterport
The first Vesterport was erected in 1588 and later rebuilt in stone by Frederik III in 1668. The new gate was almost 4 metres wide and 4½ metres tall and as an architectural curiosity, with canon barrelGun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
s used as column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s to support the main cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The gate was renovated in 1722 by Fredecrik IV
Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
. Vesterport was the most fortified of the city's gates. It was the gate most used for transportation of goods from Zealand. Opening to the main road which led to Korsør
Korsør
Korsør is a Danish town and port. It is out on the Great Belt, on the Zealand side, just south of where the Great Belt Bridge lands. It was the site of the municipal council of Korsør municipality - today it is part of Slagelse municipality...
, it was also through this gate that travellers from Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
and Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
would normally arrive.
Citadel
As part of Cristian IV's endeavour to improve the fortification, he planned and commenced the construction of a citadelCitadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
known as Kastellet
Kastellet, Copenhagen
Kastellet, located in Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe. It is constructed in the form of a pentagram with bastions at its corners...
, constructed in connection with the ramparts in the form of a pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
. Construction began in 1626 with the building of an entrenchment in the northern part of the defense wall of the city. The original plans included construction of a castle at the site for the King to seek haven in the event of siege, but this part of the plan was dropped on account of economic constraints. Construction continued with his successor King Christian III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
. After the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
siege on Copenhagen (1658–1660) the Dutch
Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territory in Western Europe and in the Caribbean. The four parts of the Kingdom—Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten—are referred to as "countries", and participate on a basis of equality...
engineer Henrik Rüse
Henrik Ruse
Henrik Ruse , later Baron Henrik Rysensteen , was a Dutch officer and fortification engineer...
was called in to help rebuild and extend the construction. The fortification was named Citadellet Frederikshavn ("The Frederikshavn Citadel"), but it is better known as Kastellet ("the citadel").
Demarcation line
Immediately outside the ramparts, there was a no-build zone, known as the Line of Demarcation (Danish: Demarkeringslinjen). The demarcation lineDemarcation line
A demarcation line means simply a boundary around a specific area, but is commonly used to denote a temporary geopolitical border, often agreed upon as part of an armistice or ceasefire.See the following examples:...
was introduced in 1661 after the Assault on Copenhagen.
The Lakes
The row of lakes today known as SøerneThe Lakes
The Lakes may refer to:Places* The Lakes, Visalia, California* Lake District National Park in England* The Lakes, Las Vegas, United States, a planned community* The Lakes, Western Australia** The Lakes Important Bird Area* The Lakes, Copenhagen, Denmark...
used to be located just outside the fortifications, running along Nørrevold as well as parts of Østervold and Vestervold. They originate in a need for dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
med water for watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s, leading to the creation of the first lake, but after a siege of Copenhagen in 1523, it was decided to extend the entrenchments for strategic purposes, incorporating them into the defence of the city as an extra barrier. The levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
at Peblinge Sø was expanded and another dam was constructed, which resulted in the creation of Sortedams Sø. In the beginning of the 17th century, Sankt Jørgens Sø was created, as a result of further damming. As a results of these efforts, it was now possible to flood the banks and lakes in case of an attack on the city.
Gunpowder magazines
Many gunpowder magazineGunpowder magazine
A gunpowder magazine is a magazine designed to store the explosive gunpowder in wooden barrels for safety. Gunpowder, until superseded, was a universal explosive used in the military and for civil engineering: both applications required storage magazines...
s were located in the fortifications
After his appointment as Naval Building Master at Holmen
Holmen naval base
Naval Station Holmen is one of several naval stations of the Royal Danish Navy, supplementing the two Danish naval bases in Frederikshavn and Korsør....
, Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest
Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest
Hans van Steenwinckel the Youngest was a Danish architect and sculptor, son of Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger and grandson of Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder. Following in the footsteps of his farther and grand farther, be became a Royal Building Master in 1669...
was responsible for the construction of two gunpowder magazine
Gunpowder magazine
A gunpowder magazine is a magazine designed to store the explosive gunpowder in wooden barrels for safety. Gunpowder, until superseded, was a universal explosive used in the military and for civil engineering: both applications required storage magazines...
s at the Christianshavn Rampart
Christianshavns Vold
Christianshavns Vold is a former rampart which was part of the bastioned fortification ring which used to surround Copenhagen, Denmark. Running along the full south-eastern perimeter of Christianshavn and Holmen, it used to form a protective barrier towards the island of Amager...
. Construction of the first magazine, located at Vilhelms Bastion, was commenced in 1688, while the second one, built to a similar design at Carls Bastion, began two years later.
The gunpowder magazine at the Eastern Rampart exploded on two occasions. The first time was on 16 December 1658, during the Swedish siege of Copenhagen in the Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
. On 31 March 1779 it exploded again. Seven people were killed and 47 were injured. It was subsequently rebuilt and not decommissioned until 1872.
Windmills
Many of the bastions were used for the construction of wind mills. Due to their height they offered particularly good wind conditions. In the same time, a fortified city needed secure supplies, including supplies of flourFlour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
and rolled groat
Rolled oats
Rolled oats are traditionally oat groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers and then steamed and lightly toasted. The oat, like the other cereals, has a hard, inedible outer husk that must be removed before the grain can be eaten. After the outer husk has been removed from...
s, in the event of siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
. In 1800, a total of 16 windmills were found on the ramparts of Copenhagen.
In 1669–70 windmills were constructed on both of the bastions flanking Amager City Gate in Christianshavns Rampart, then known as the Mill Bastion (now the Elephant's Bastion) and the Bastion at the Church (now the Lion's Bastion). Breslaus Mølle on the Mill Bastion was demolished in 1842. Little Mill on the Lion's Bastion was originally a post mill
Post mill
The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
but it was destroyed in a storm and replaced by a smock mill
Smock mill
The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind...
in 1783. It remained in use til the late 19th century, from 1832 supplemented by a steam mill which remained in use until 1909.
Also in 1669, the miller Hans Hansen obtained permission to build a mill on Gyldenløves Bastion, just south of the Western City Gate. Whether it later burned or was never built is uunknown, but in 1697 Jürgen Gosbruch, another miller, received permission to build a windmill on the same site. It was known as Luciemølle or Lusse Møllen. Some time during the 1790s, another windmill, known as Store Kongens Mølle (English: Large King's Mill), was built on Shacks Bastion on the other side of the Wastern City Gate. in 1692 a windmill was also built at Gothersgade
Gothersgade
Gothersgade is a major street in the City Centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. It extends from Kongens Nytorv to Sortedam Lake, passing Rosenborg Castle and Gardens, Nørreport Station and Copenhagen Botanic Gardens on the way....
, on the old Eastern Rampart.
Dronningens Mølle (English:Queen's Mill) was located on Rosenkrantz' Bastion in the Eastern Rampart. It was completely destroyed when the gunpowder magazine at the Eastern Rampart exploded on 31 March 1779. It was rebuilt but torn down in 1805.
When the British besieged Copenhagen in 1807, it was feared that they would destroy the mills on the fortifications. Therefore two extra mills were constructed on less exposed locations, one at Sølvgade and one on Nyholm
Holmen, Copenhagen
Holmen is an area in central Copenhagen, Denmark. In spite of its name, deceptively in singular, Holmen is a congregation of small islands, forming a north-eastern extension of Christianshavn between Zealand and the northern tip of Amager....
.
Fortification Ring
The grounds which used to be occupied by the fortifications are still known as the Fortification RingFortification Ring, Copenhagen
The Fortification Ring in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a collective name used to refer to the grounds where the city's old 17th century fortifications used to lie, now surrounding the City Centre...
(Danish: Fæstningsringen). From the ramparts were first disabandonned and purchased by the City of Copenhagen, their grounds have been dominated by parks and other recreational uses. It is still municipal policy that the Fortication Ring is maintained and developed as a green band within the urban area of the city.
Parks located within the Fortification Ring include Østre Anlæg, University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden
University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden
The University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden , usually referred to simply as Copenhagen Botanical Garden, is a botanical garden located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark...
and Ørstedsparken
Ørstedsparken
Ørstedsparken is a public park in central Copenhagen, Denmark. One in a series of parks which were laid out on the grounds of the old fortification ring after it was decommissioned in the 1870s, the park still retains elements from the old fortifications in its topography—a section of the...
. The preserved parts of the fortifications at Christianshavn and Kastellet are also green and serve as parks. This also applies for Freetown Christiania
Freetown Christiania
Not to be confused with Christiania, Norway, another name for Oslo.Christiania, also known as Freetown Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents, covering 34 hectares in the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen...
which is partially located on the northern part of the Christianshavn Ramparts. The area also houses a number of museums, including the National Gallery
Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst is the Danish national gallery located in Copenhagen....
, The Hirschsprung Collection
The Hirschsprung Collection
The Hirschsprung Collection is an art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located in a parkland setting in Østre Anlæg, near the Danish National Gallery, and houses a large collection of Danish art from the 19th and early 20th century...
and Lille Mølle
Lille Mølle
Lille Mølle is a historic house museum in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a former wind mill that was turned into a private home in 1916...
.
Remains of the fortifications
- KastelletKastellet, CopenhagenKastellet, located in Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe. It is constructed in the form of a pentagram with bastions at its corners...
- Christianshavn RampartChristianshavns VoldChristianshavns Vold is a former rampart which was part of the bastioned fortification ring which used to surround Copenhagen, Denmark. Running along the full south-eastern perimeter of Christianshavn and Holmen, it used to form a protective barrier towards the island of Amager...
- Jarmers TowerJarmers TowerJarmer's Tower is an old ruined tower in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was once part of the Copenhagen moat. Jarmers Tower represents the remains of the original eleven towers which were once joined together as a part of the city’s medieval fortification....