Hear that faint whisper on the wind? It carries tales of sieges and soldiers within Kastellet. Welcome to Kastellet. This is one of Northern Europe’s best-preserved star fortresses. Kastellet stands as a testament to Copenhagen’s resilience.
Kastellet’s story begins in 1626. King Christian IV initiated its construction. He wanted to guard the entrance to the port. Later, King Frederick III continued the work. After the Swedish siege of Copenhagen from 1658 to 1660, the Dutch engineer Henrik Rüse was called in. He rebuilt and expanded the construction.
Look around. Notice the pentagon shape with bastions at its corners. This design was continuous with the ring of ramparts that once encircled Copenhagen. Now, let’s step inside. We will explore the buildings and stories within Kastellet.
The two gates of Kastellet tell their own stories. The King’s Gate faces the city. The Norway Gate faces the countryside. Both date back to 1663. They are built in the Dutch Baroque style. Notice the guardhouses flanking their interior sides. The Norway Gate has a simpler design. It once faced open countryside.
Over there stands the Commander’s House. It served as the residence for the commander of Kastellet. Elias Häuser built it in 1725. He used the Baroque style.
See those rows of two-story terraces? These are the Rows. Henrik Rüse originally built them as barracks for soldiers. The dorms were small. They contained two triple beds, a small table, and two benches.
Let’s talk about the storehouses. The Citadel’s foundation also includes two storehouses. They stored everything needed in case of a siege. When full, they could feed the 1,800 men of the garrison, personnel, and their families for four years. The Southern Storehouse served as an arsenal. The Northern Storehouse contained a granary.
At the Queen’s Bastion, notice the Powder House. It stored black powder. It is the only survivor of two identical powder houses. Domenico Pelli built them in 1712. In 1779, a powder house at the East Rampart exploded. So, they decided it was too dangerous to store explosives there. The powder houses at Kastellet became jailhouses instead.
The Church at the Citadel was built in 1704. It was during the reign of King Frederik IV. It is in heavy Baroque style. A prison complex was built on the rear side of the church in 1725. Eye holes in the wall connected the church and prison cells. This allowed the prisoners to follow the church services.
On the King’s Bastion stands a windmill. It was built in 1847. It replaced another mill from 1718 that was destroyed by a storm. The original mill was a post mill. The current mill is of the Dutch type. Fortified cities needed secure supplies including flour. So, windmills were constructed on the bastions. In 1800, Copenhagen had 16 windmills on its ramparts. The mill at Kastellet is the last one still working.
Russian Empress Consort Maria Feodorovna, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark, got her rye flour from the mill at Kastellet. The Army’s Bread Factory sent it to the Imperial Court in Saint Petersburg. She was served “øllebrød” every morning. It is a dish made of rye bread, sugar, and non-alcoholic beer.
Just inside the King’s Gate, you will see the Central Guard House. It was built from 1873 to 1874. It has an attached jailhouse.
Kastellet is still an active military area. The Danish Defence Ministry owns it. The Chief of Staff, the Danish Home Guard, Military Intelligence, the Judge Advocate Corps, and the Royal Garrison Library use it.
Despite the military presence, Kastellet serves as a public park. It is also a cultural-historical monument. It is located close to Langelinie with The Little Mermaid and the Gefion Fountain.
Take a moment to appreciate the peaceful atmosphere. Imagine soldiers marching, windmills grinding, and the city standing strong. Kastellet embodies Copenhagen’s past and present. It is a place where history and serenity meet.