Holmens Kanal
Encyclopedia
Holmens Kanal is a short street in central Copenhagen
. Part of the main thoroughfare of the city centre
, it extends from Kongens Nytorv
for one block to a junction with a statue of Niels Juel
where it turns right towards Holmens Bro while the through traffic continues straight along Niels Juels Gade. The street was originally a canal, hence the name, but was filled in the 1860s. Today it is dominated by bank and government buildings.
, King Christian IV
extended the city's East Rampart, taking it straight through Bremerholm
, the royal naval shipyard, to the beach. The moat
in front of the rampart was dug in 1606 and became known as Holmens Kanal after it was expanded to serve as a new harbour for the Royal Fleet
after its shops had become too large to enter the Arsenal Harbour further south.
, a newly reclaimed area north of Christianshavn
on the other side of the harbour. Holmens Kanal deterioated into an open sewer fed by the city's extensive system of gutter
s and a notorious nesting ground for rats which were a menace to the adjacent Royal Theatre
and other prominent buildings in the area.
The severe cholera outbreak which hit Copenhagen in the summer of 1953 made it clear that the canal posed a hazard to the health of the population. When the Navy decommissioned their last opeations in the area in 1859, it was decided to fill the canal in connection with the redevelopment of the Gammelholm
neighbourhood, converting it into a street.
A new building for the National Bank of Denmark
designed by Johan Daniel Herholdt was built in the street between 1865 and 1870.
The large statue of Niels Juel
was installed in 1881 to conmemorate his achievements in the Battle of Køge Bay
in 1677. It was designed by the sculptor Theobald Stein
and cast in bronze. In 2002 the City Council decided to move the statue to a new siteon the waterfront to make way for a more efficient distribution of the traffic at its busy junction. This decision was met with severe criticism, including protests from the Royal Naval Museum
, and in 20303 the Danish Heritage Agency decided to stop the move.
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...
. Part of the main thoroughfare of the city centre
Indre By
Indre By , also known as Copenhagen Center or K or Downtown Copenhagen or City, is one of the 15 administrative, statistical, and tax city districts comprising the municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark...
, it extends from Kongens Nytorv
Kongens 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...
for one block to a junction with a statue of Niels Juel
Niels Juel
Niels Juel was a Dano–Norwegian admiral. He was the brother of the diplomat Jens Juel.-Biography:Niels Juel was born the son of Erik Juel and Sophie Clausdatter Sehested, both were descendant of Danish nobility, who lived in Jutland where the father had a career as a local functionary and judge...
where it turns right towards Holmens Bro while the through traffic continues straight along Niels Juels Gade. The street was originally a canal, hence the name, but was filled in the 1860s. Today it is dominated by bank and government buildings.
The canal
As part of his upgrade of the fortifications of CopenhagenFortifications 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...
, King 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...
extended the city's East Rampart, taking it straight through 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...
, the royal naval shipyard, to the beach. The 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...
in front of the rampart was dug in 1606 and became known as Holmens Kanal after it was expanded to serve as a new harbour for the Royal Fleet
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...
after its shops had become too large to enter the Arsenal Harbour further south.
Conversion into a street
The canal lost its practical use after the naval fleet relocated to NyholmHolmen, 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....
, a newly reclaimed area north of 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...
on the other side of the harbour. Holmens Kanal deterioated into an open sewer fed by the city's extensive system of gutter
Street gutter
A street gutter is a depression running parallel to a road designed to collect rainwater flowing along the street and divert it into a storm drain. Where a curbstone is present, a gutter may simply be formed by the convergence of the road surface and the vertical face of the sidewalk; otherwise, a...
s and a notorious nesting ground for rats which were a menace to the adjacent Royal Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
and other prominent buildings in the area.
The severe cholera outbreak which hit Copenhagen in the summer of 1953 made it clear that the canal posed a hazard to the health of the population. When the Navy decommissioned their last opeations in the area in 1859, it was decided to fill the canal in connection with the redevelopment of the Gammelholm
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...
neighbourhood, converting it into a street.
The street
The new street was inaugurated in 1864. It was the first street in Copenhagen to be installed with pavements and individually numbered houses.A new building for the National Bank of Denmark
Danmarks Nationalbank
Danmarks Nationalbank is the central bank of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is a non-eurozone member of the European System of Central Banks . The bank issues the Danish currency, the krone....
designed by Johan Daniel Herholdt was built in the street between 1865 and 1870.
Buildings
- No. 2: Erichsen's Mansion
- No 7: Grøns Varehus
- No. 22: Church of HolmenChurch of HolmenThe 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,...
Niels Juel statue
Niels Juel
Niels Juel was a Dano–Norwegian admiral. He was the brother of the diplomat Jens Juel.-Biography:Niels Juel was born the son of Erik Juel and Sophie Clausdatter Sehested, both were descendant of Danish nobility, who lived in Jutland where the father had a career as a local functionary and judge...
was installed in 1881 to conmemorate his achievements in the Battle of Køge Bay
Battle of Køge Bay
The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark-Norway and Sweden that took place in the bay of Køge 1–2 July 1677, during the Scanian War, while Christian V was king of Denmark. It resulted in what may be Denmark's greatest naval victory....
in 1677. It was designed by the sculptor Theobald Stein
Theobald Stein
Theobald Stein was a Danish sculptor. He was a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and served as its director from 1883 to 1886....
and cast in bronze. In 2002 the City Council decided to move the statue to a new siteon the waterfront to make way for a more efficient distribution of the traffic at its busy junction. This decision was met with severe criticism, including protests from the Royal Naval Museum
Royal Danish Naval Museum
The Royal Danish Naval Museum is a maritime museum in Copenhagen, Denmark.-External links:*...
, and in 20303 the Danish Heritage Agency decided to stop the move.