Didn’t the garbage from Copenhagen’s streets help build Nyholm? In 1680, a plan emerged. It aimed to relocate the Danish Fleet. Previously, the fleet resided at Bremerholm. The growing city made this location impractical. Timber ships posed a significant hazard. Sailors dumped garbage into the harbor creating a sanitary problem. Admiral Niels Juel received responsibility for the relocation plan.
From 1682 to 1692, Christianshavns Vold extended north. It protected the area chosen for the fleet. The extension included seven bastions named after royalty. Carls and Wilhems Bastion housed black powder depots. These depots built in 1688 and 1690 are Nyholm’s oldest structures. Charlotte Amalies Bastion was the northernmost. North of it stood two cannon batteries. “Batteriet Quintus” and “Batteriet Neptunus” were established there. Neptunus got its name from a sunken ship. It formed the battery’s foundation. Later, it became “Christiani Sixti Batteri” or “Christian VI’s Battery”. Today, it is known as “Batteriet Sixtus” or simply “Sixtus”.
The sinking of ships continued. These ships carried mud and trash. The trash came from Copenhagen’s streets. Some streets had over one meter of trash. This effort gradually created an island named Nyholm. The naval shipyard relocated to this new island. The first ship launched here was the first Dannebrog in 1692. Afterward, large ship construction moved to Nyholm. Bremerholm now Gammelholm only built smaller vessels.
After 1692, Nyholm saw the construction of several ships. In 1750, King Frederik V wore a naval uniform. He did this for the naming of a new ship. In 1807, the English destroyed three ships at the shipyard during the Second Battle of Copenhagen. However, ship construction continued at Nyholm until 1918. Then, ship construction and other operations moved to Frederiksholm. The shipyard separated from the Navy. It became a civilian operation with its own director.
Nyholm remains a military area. Access is restricted. The public can enter from sunrise not before 8 am to sunset. A cannon shot from Sixtus Battery marks sunset. The Royal Danish Naval Academy is located at Nyholm. The pier extends south from Nyholm’s northern tip. It sits next to the Central Guardhouse. The pier is named Elefanten or The Elephant. It is named after the naval vessel Elephanten. The vessel was scuttled to create the pier. The royal family crosses the harbor on the royal barge. It moors at Nordre Toldbod near Amalienborg Palace.
Several historic ships are berthed at the pier. These decommissioned naval ships from the Cold War serve as museum ships. Visitors can explore FDMS Peder Skram. It is a Peder Skram class frigate. Tours are available for HDMS Sælen a submarine and HDMS Sehested a Willemoes-class missile boat. Georg Stage is also at Holmen. It is a three-masted sailing ship. It serves as a training platform for Danish sailors. Georg Stage is moored in the canal between Nyholm and Frederiksholm.
Nyholm Central Guardhouse is another notable structure. Built in 1745, it is a design by Philip de Lange. It features a clock tower with a crown. For years, it was called “Under Uret” or “Beneath the Clock”. The crown influenced the spire design for Christiansborg Palace.
From 1690 to 1993, Holmen served as the Royal Danish Navy’s main base. Today, Marinestation København remains on Nyholm.