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Construction on Kastellet ("the Citadel") began in 1606 under the reign of Denmark's King Christian IV. The fortress was originally intended to protect a castle that was to be built nearby, but budget constraints mitigated royal castlelessness. Instead, Kastellet became the main bastion in a ring of defences around Copenhagen, including gorgeous earthworks that are still visible today.
Kastellet was designed to be completely self-sufficient, and boasts its own windmill, the first of which was built in 1716. By 1800 there were a total of 16 windmills integrated in the ramparts of Copenhagen, churning out a regular supply of scrumptious rolled groats.
Kastellet took severe damage during the Swedish Siege of Copenhagen (1658-1660), but was repaired swiftly thereafter, leaving it ready to resist a British attack during the Napoleanic Wars. Kastellet became the nazis' headquarters in Denmark during the Second World War.
Today Kastellet is mostly an administrative center for the Danish Army and the city's Home Guard, as well as being a public park. |
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