Christian IV's Brewhouse
Encyclopedia
Christian IV's Brewhouse (Danish
: Christian IV's Bryghus) is a building in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, dating from 1608. In spite of the name under which it is known today, the building was not originally built for the purpose of brewing beer. It is located on Slotsholmen
by the harbourfront and was constructed for military purposes as a corner bastion
, part of Christian IV's fortification of the city.
established a brewery at Copenhagen Castle
. It was called Kongens Bryghus (English
: The King's Brewhouse), and supplied beer for the king's own household and the Royal Court. Production was expanded with another brewery, located at the end of Østergade, which burned down in 1540. A new Brewhose was built at Slotsholmen, supplying beer until yet another fire devastated the building.
Christian IV's Brewhouse was built for defensive purposes, part of his fortification of the city. Already eight years later, the building had lost its military significance due to the construction of the artificial island Christianshavn
with its extensive system of rampart
s and bastions. Upon royal order, the building was then taken into use by Kongens Bryghus. For this purpose the building was capped with a high shale
roof with steep gables
over the massive walls.
In 1632, the Brewhouse was hit by a fire. The extent of the damages is not known but the house was rebuilt in 1635–36. During the following years the Brewhouse developed into a fully equipped brewery with copper kettle
s, bottling and hop wessels, and cobbled floors.
The Brewhouse briefly regained its military significance under Sweden
's siege
of Copenhagen. One of the assault on Copenhagen
took place at the Brewhouse in 1658–60. With its imposing walls and strategic location right by Christian IV's naval harbour that was located where the Royal Library Garden lies today, the building once again played an important part in the city's defence. The night between 7 and 8 May 1767, the Brewhouse was once again devastated by a fire and this sat an end to its life as a brewery. During the following years the building was rebuilt and then served as a depot both for the brewery guild, various public bodies and the Tøjhus Museum
. Since then the house has been empty.
After the 1767 fire, Kongens Bryghus moved to the neighbouring site, located on the other side of Frederiksholm Canal
. The site was given to the Copenhagen Brewers Guild, on provision they would establish a new brewery there at their own expense. An extensive brewery complex was built with storage facilities, grain lofts, workshops, horse stables and offices. It supplied beer of an in Copenhagen hitherto unknown quality, which was not to be surpassed until Carlsberg-founder J. C. Jacobsen a hundred years later moved his brewery to the Valby site
and introduced industrialised and scientific production methods.
In 1923, Jongens Bryghus moved to new premises, while the old buildings were used as a warehouse until 1960 when it burned down. The site, located next to Christian IV's Brewhose, is still known as Bryghusgrunden (English: The Brewhouse Site). It has remained undeveloped, though the Realdania Foundation has plans to build a mixed-use property designed by Rem Koolhaas
on the lot.
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
: Christian IV's Bryghus) is a building in Copenhagen
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...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, dating from 1608. In spite of the name under which it is known today, the building was not originally built for the purpose of brewing beer. It is located on Slotsholmen
Slotsholmen
Slotsholmen is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. Bishop Absalon constructed the city's first castle on the island in 1166-67 at the site where Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament lies today...
by the harbourfront and was constructed for military purposes as a corner bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
, part of Christian IV's fortification of the city.
History
In 1443, Christopher of BavariaChristopher of Bavaria
Christopher of Bavaria or Christopher the Bavarian; as king named Christopher ; Danish and Norwegian: Christoffer af/av Bayern; Swedish Kristofer av Bayern was union king of Denmark , Sweden and Norway .-Biography:He was probably born at Neumarkt in...
established a brewery at Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle was a castle on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, Denmark, built in the late 14th century at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace....
. It was called Kongens Bryghus (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: The King's Brewhouse), and supplied beer for the king's own household and the Royal Court. Production was expanded with another brewery, located at the end of Østergade, which burned down in 1540. A new Brewhose was built at Slotsholmen, supplying beer until yet another fire devastated the building.
Christian IV's Brewhouse was built for defensive purposes, part of his fortification of the city. Already eight years later, the building had lost its military significance due to the construction of the artificial island 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...
with its extensive system of rampart
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s and bastions. Upon royal order, the building was then taken into use by Kongens Bryghus. For this purpose the building was capped with a high shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
roof with steep gables
Gables
Gables may refer to:* Gables, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs* Ken Gables , Major League Baseball pitcher* Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States...
over the massive walls.
In 1632, the Brewhouse was hit by a fire. The extent of the damages is not known but the house was rebuilt in 1635–36. During the following years the Brewhouse developed into a fully equipped brewery with copper kettle
Kettle
A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a small kitchen appliance used for boiling water. Kettles can be heated either by placing on a stove, or by their own electric heating element.- Stovetop kettles :...
s, bottling and hop wessels, and cobbled floors.
The Brewhouse briefly regained its military significance under Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Copenhagen. One of the assault on Copenhagen
The assault on Copenhagen
The assault on Copenhagen 11 February 1659 was a major battle during the Second Northern War, taking place during the siege of Copenhagen by the Swedish army.- Background :...
took place at the Brewhouse in 1658–60. With its imposing walls and strategic location right by Christian IV's naval harbour that was located where the Royal Library Garden lies today, the building once again played an important part in the city's defence. The night between 7 and 8 May 1767, the Brewhouse was once again devastated by a fire and this sat an end to its life as a brewery. During the following years the building was rebuilt and then served as a depot both for the brewery guild, various public bodies and the Tøjhus Museum
Tøjhus Museum
The Tøjhus Museum is a museum of military history and arms on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located in Christian IVs arsenal Tøjhuset , from which it takes its name.-History:...
. Since then the house has been empty.
After the 1767 fire, Kongens Bryghus moved to the neighbouring site, located on the other side of Frederiksholm Canal
Slotsholmen
Slotsholmen is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. Bishop Absalon constructed the city's first castle on the island in 1166-67 at the site where Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament lies today...
. The site was given to the Copenhagen Brewers Guild, on provision they would establish a new brewery there at their own expense. An extensive brewery complex was built with storage facilities, grain lofts, workshops, horse stables and offices. It supplied beer of an in Copenhagen hitherto unknown quality, which was not to be surpassed until Carlsberg-founder J. C. Jacobsen a hundred years later moved his brewery to the Valby site
Carlsberg (district)
Carlsberg is an area straddling the border of Valby and Vesterbro districts in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It covers an area of 33 hectares and is the former industrial site of the Carlsberg Breweries, which decommissioned their Valby brewery at the end of 2008, concentrating their production of...
and introduced industrialised and scientific production methods.
In 1923, Jongens Bryghus moved to new premises, while the old buildings were used as a warehouse until 1960 when it burned down. The site, located next to Christian IV's Brewhose, is still known as Bryghusgrunden (English: The Brewhouse Site). It has remained undeveloped, though the Realdania Foundation has plans to build a mixed-use property designed by Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
on the lot.