Islands of time, this is Hjortholm Voldsted. It stands as a silent witness to centuries of Danish history. We are at the southeastern end of Furesøen near Frederiksdal. This is Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality. What remains is the old castle bank from the Middle Ages. Later it became property of the Roskilde bishops.
Let’s journey back to around 1250. Bishop Jacob Erlandsen likely ordered its construction. He had conflicts with the royal house. Hjortholm Voldsted first appears in written records in 1275. Bishop Peder Bang issued a letter of privilege to Copenhagen’s citizens. The bishop often stayed at the castle. It became an important administration center in the 1300s. It managed Roskilde Church’s large land holdings north of Copenhagen.
Imagine Hjortholm Voldsted in its prime. It was a formidable fortress. It was made of brick with a surrounding wall and corner towers. The area covered about 65×40 meters. It was a very important fortress.
The Reformation marked the end of the castle. During the Count’s Feud in 1535 Count Christoffer attacked the Roskilde bishop’s castles. Roskilde Gjorslev and Dragsholm fell first. Next was Hjortholm apparently the strongest fortress. The siege began in February. Peder Godske the bishop’s commander surrendered in May. The entire wall with towers had been destroyed. The Count’s army plundered the castle. Sixty wagons were needed to carry away the loot.
The castle was never rebuilt. The Crown seized the church’s land during the Reformation. About 100 years later Frederik III built Frederiksdal. It was a model farm. It was located higher up the slope east of Furesøen.
Today Hjortholm Voldsted is a protected site. The remains include a bank measuring about 60 x 70 meters. Furesøen borders it to the west. A low 15-meter-wide moat surrounds it to the north and east. The area has suffered damage. Canal construction and agricultural activity contributed to this. The lake erodes the castle bank.
Hjortholm Voldsted appears as a castle site surrounded by water on three sides. However, it became a quarry for locals. They used the stones for buildings in North Zealand. Even in 1841 significant parts of the masonry remained.
Consider the name Hjortholm. It means islet with deer. This place connects us to the past. Bishops once ruled here. Armies clashed here. Now nature reclaims this ground. Take a moment to appreciate the history beneath your feet.