Holmens Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Holmens Cemetery is the oldest cemetery still in use in Copenhagen
, Denmark
. It was first located next to the naval
Church of Holmen
in the city centre but relocated to its current site on Dag Hammarskjölds Allé in the Østerbro
district in 1666. The cemetery originally served as a burial site for indigent sailors in royal service and their families, complementing the military Garnisons Cemetery
, from 1711 located on a neighbouring site.
was converted into a naval church by Christian IV
in 1619, a churchyard was laid out next to it. It remained in use until 1651 but was then, following an extension of the church between 1641 and 1649, relocated to a site outside the Bastioned Fortifications
, next to the main road leading in and out of the Eastern City Gate. The grounds had already been in use as a cemetery since 1662 but was inaugurated as the new Holmens Cemetery in 1666.
The existing layout of the cemetery was created by sær F.C. Schmidt in 1798.
. He favoured the Historicist styles
and in Copenhagen he had already designed St. James' Church (1876–78) in a Gothic Revival style
and St. Mathew's Cgurch (1878–80) in a Romanesque Revival style
. In his design of the chapel at Holmens Cemetery he relied on traditional Nordic stave church
es for inspiration.
The chapel is an adapted stave church, lacking the tall, tower-like appearance which is normally seen in such churches, but the shingled
slate roof, the tar
red timber and the carved animal heads are characteristic features.
topped by an obelisk
designed by Johannes Wiedewelt
.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It was first located next to the naval
Royal Danish Navy
The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters...
Church of Holmen
Church of Holmen
The Church of Holmen is a church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark,...
in the city centre but relocated to its current site on Dag Hammarskjölds Allé in the Østerbro
Østerbro
Østerbro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of the city centre, outside the old city gate Østerport which, after it was moved around 1700, used to be located close to present-day Østerport Station...
district in 1666. The cemetery originally served as a burial site for indigent sailors in royal service and their families, complementing the military Garnisons Cemetery
Garnisons Cemetery
Garnisons Cemetery is a cemetery in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was inaugurated in 1671 on a site just outside the Eastern City Gate, as a military cemetery complementing the naval Holmens Cemetery which had been inaugurated a few years earlier on a neighbouring site...
, from 1711 located on a neighbouring site.
History
When the anchor forge at BremerholmGammelholm
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...
was converted into a naval church by Christian IV
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 1619, a churchyard was laid out next to it. It remained in use until 1651 but was then, following an extension of the church between 1641 and 1649, relocated to a site outside the Bastioned Fortifications
Fortifications of Copenhagen (17th century)
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...
, next to the main road leading in and out of the Eastern City Gate. The grounds had already been in use as a cemetery since 1662 but was inaugurated as the new Holmens Cemetery in 1666.
The existing layout of the cemetery was created by sær F.C. Schmidt in 1798.
Chapel
The chapel at Holmens Cemetery was built in 1902 to the design of architect and professor Ludvig FengerLudvig Fenger
Ludvig Peter Fenger was a Danish architect. He was a proponent of the Historicist style and from 1886 to 1904 he was City Architect in Copenhagen....
. He favoured the Historicist styles
Historicism (art)
Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
and in Copenhagen he had already designed St. James' Church (1876–78) in a Gothic Revival style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
and St. Mathew's Cgurch (1878–80) in a Romanesque Revival style
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
. In his design of the chapel at Holmens Cemetery he relied on traditional Nordic stave church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
es for inspiration.
The chapel is an adapted stave church, lacking the tall, tower-like appearance which is normally seen in such churches, but the shingled
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
slate roof, the tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
red timber and the carved animal heads are characteristic features.
Battle of Copenhagen Memorial
There is a memorial for naval personnel killed in the Battle of Copenhagen from 1802. It consists of a tumulusTumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
topped by an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
designed by Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt , Danish neoclassical sculptor, was born in Copenhagen to royal sculptor to the Danish Court, Just Wiedewelt, and his wife Birgitte Lauridsdatter...
.
Internents
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