Copenhagen Castle ( da, Københavns Slot) was a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

on the islet of

Slotsholmen Slotsholmen (English: The Castle Islet) is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. The name is taken from the successive castles and palaces located on the island since Bishop Absalon constructed the c ...

in central

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. It was built in the late 14th century and was located at the site of the current

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Suprem ...

History

In 1167, Bishop

Absalon Absalon (21 March 1201) was a Danish statesman and prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and church father of Denm ...

(c. 1128–1201) founded a fortress on the islet of

in the harbour of Copenhagen. It consisted of a courtyard with several buildings and surrounded by a wall for protection. During the years after the demolition of Bishop Absalon's Castle by the

Hansa League The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label=Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German t ...

in 1369, the ruins on the island were covered with earthworks, on which the new stronghold, Copenhagen Castle, was built. In 1343 King

Valdemar Atterdag Valdemar IV Atterdag (the epithet meaning "Return of the Day"), or Waldemar (132024 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance w ...

took over Absalon's castle, but upon his death in 1375 the right to the property returned to the Diocese of Roskilde. The castle had a curtain wall and was surrounded by a moat which had an inner diameter of about 50 meters and with a large, solid tower as an entrance gate. The castle was still the property of the

Bishop of Roskilde The former Diocese of Roskilde () was a diocese within the Roman-Catholic Church which was established in Denmark some time before 1022. The diocese was dissolved with the Reformation of Denmark and replaced by the Protestant Diocese of Zealand ...

until King Eric of Pomerania usurped the rights to the castle in 1417. The

Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League (; gml, Hanse, , ; german: label= Modern German, Deutsche Hanse) was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German to ...

attacked the castle and in the Bombardment of Copenhagen during the Dano-Hanseatic War (1426–1435). The attack was fought back by in 1428 by

Queen Philippa Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted as regent in 1346,Strickla ...

, who led the defense from Copenhagen Castle. From the middle of the 15th century, the castle served as the Danish monarch's main residence and center of government. The castle was expanded and rebuilt several times. King

Christian IV Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...

, added a spire to the large entrance tower, which under the name of the Blue Tower gained a reputation as a prison. In 1556 an

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

was built for the castle's chapel by Hermann Rodensteen; one of the major organ builders of the 16th century. In the 1720s, King

Frederik IV Frederick IV (Danish: ''Frederik''; 11 October 1671 – 12 October 1730) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of Christian V of Denmark-Norway and his wife Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel. Early life ...

entirely rebuilt the castle, but it became so heavy that the walls began to give way and to crack. It became therefore evident to King

Christian VI Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

, Frederik IV's successor, immediately after his accession to the throne in 1730, that an entirely new castle had to be built. The demolition of the overextended and antiquated Copenhagen Castle was commenced in 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.

References

Other sources

*Frydendal, Flemming (red) (2005) ''Ruinerne under Christiansborg'' (København: Slots- og Ejendomsstyrelsen) *Hvidt, Kristian; Ellehøj, Svend; Norn, Otto (1975) ''Christiansborg Slot I-II. Udgivet af Folketingets præsidium'' (København: Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck)

External links

Official website of Christiansborg Palace
{{Authority control 14th-century fortifications Buildings and structures demolished in 1731 14th-century establishments in Denmark 1731 disestablishments in Denmark Castles in Denmark Former buildings and structures in Copenhagen History of Copenhagen Demolished buildings and structures in Denmark Slotsholmen