Ravelinen
In the capital city of Copenhagen we have Ravelinen, located by the Ramparts at the outskirts of Christianshavn. Also, we have the small gardens in Frederiksberg – below Frederiksberg Palace – unique eateries with history and atmosphere and both outdoor as well as indoor serving.
Ravelinen was built in 1728 and is, of course, protected today. Originally founded as a type of tollhouse and military guardhouse, where guards stopped passersby to ensure that they had paid toll when crossing from the countryside to the city. Amager was open farmland, and Christianshavn was seen from here as the beginning of the big city.
The name "Ravelin" is French and means "angled outwork between two bastions." Translated into more modern language, it means a kind of advanced fortification between two of Christianshavn's rampart bastions – "The Elephant's Bastion" towards the SAS hotel and "The Lion's Bastion" towards Christiania and Holmen. King Christian IV had the rampart system around Christianshavn constructed to protect the city from this side as well. Today, the rampart system is the most intact and unspoiled of all Copenhagen’s outer defense structures. This is where people, amongst other things, take a walk on the evening before Great Prayer Day.
The system consisted of a series of bastions, and in between them, even more advanced fortifications – slender ravelins – like here at Ravelinen. There it lay, a small artificial island out in the moat, which is hard to understand today as the road between Amager and Christianshavn has grown large and wide and pushes through the moat. Before, there was a small narrow road from Amager to Ravelinen and further from Ravelinen a wooden bridge to Christianshavn.
In 1856, the city completely dismantled the fortress and thus Amager Gate, but Ravelinen, the small artificial island, remained, and so did the house Ravelinen. The toll payment arrangement only just ceased in 1915.
In 1941, the building opened as a restaurant and eatery with a magnificent view over the moat. Since then, some additions have been made.
Peter Olesen, journalist and writer
The Accise Booth
The Accise Booth on Christianshavn Rampart is located a bit further in towards Torvegade than Ravelinen – on the same side and on the edge of the rampart. It’s the very beautiful little yellow building with the elegantly shaped roof – and the somewhat less charming barrack-style toilets at the back.
The house dates from 1718–1720 and is – despite its name – not actually an accise booth. It was built as a gatekeeper’s or guard’s residence, while the real Accise Booth was located further out on Amager, where Amagerbrogade and Markmandsgade meet at Christmas Møllers Plads. Accise is French and means “domestic tax.” So an accise booth was a kind of customs booth within the city. Accise – or “zise”, as it was also called – was a tax. Later, it was referred to as consumption tax, and today it’s known as VAT, paid directly at the point of purchase – not when passing through the city gate.
When farmers came to the city with goods, they had to pay a tax, which took place at the accise booth located further out by Markmandsgade.
Further into the city, there was a checkpoint at Ravelinen, where guards ensured that the tax had indeed been paid for the goods being brought in. Deeper into the city, we find the fine yellow house we now call “The Acisse Booth”, which in fact was only a kind of gatekeeper’s residence.
The booth used to be located further out along the road, but when the road was expanded in the 1930s, it was skillfully moved 10 meters back along the rampart. The actual accise booth at Markmandsgade dated from the 1820s. It was later demolished in 1913, but the building we now call The Acisse Booth is fortunately protected.
Amagerport
Vesterport, Østerport, and Nørreport are names we still use in everyday life in Copenhagen. But Amagerport (Amager Gate in Danish) is mentioned less frequently. Copenhagen once had four city gates that people had to pass through when entering or leaving the city. These gates were also where tolls were collected. The gates were physical structures, but today only the names remain – in Vesterport Station, Østerport Station, and Nørreport Station. Since there is no station on Amager, the name Amagerport has almost disappeared from everyday language.
Amagerport was located where Torvegade cuts through the ramparts. The first gate was built in 1668. The next one came in 1724 and was quite ornate – especially on the Amager-facing side, which featured sandstone decorations. Amagerport was the least significant of the city’s four checkpoints, as it didn’t lead to the open countryside, but only to the island of Amager – and only the Amager farmers needed to pass through it.
In 1856, Copenhagen decommissioned its fortifications. This meant abandoning the ramparts and defense structures surrounding the city, which in turn made way for the beautiful parks we enjoy today, such as Christianshavn Rampart, which, however, didn’t open as a recreational area until around the turn of the century.
Other former ramparts include Østre Anlæg, the Botanical Garden, Ørstedsparken, and Tivoli, which together formed another major line of defense around the city, along with the three other city gates. One can still experience such a city gate in Stege, where it has been preserved – even though it’s somewhat of an obstacle to modern traffic.
In 1920, Copenhagen’s road authorities erected milestone markers where the four city gates once stood. Here in Christianshavn, the stone stands exactly where the gate used to be. The stones were designed by architect P.V. Jensen Klint (father of furniture designer Kaare Klint), who also designed Grundtvig’s Church and the beautiful public toilet building known as “The Soup Tureen” in the middle of Trianglen.
The Old Mill
Up on the rampart lie the remains of an old mill: Lille Mølle (“Little Mill” in Danish). You can see it from Ravelinen – at least when the trees aren’t too full of leaves. The mill was built around 1800, but before that, a post mill stood on the same site.
Back then, the ramparts were surrounded by open air, as there were no tall buildings on Christianshavn. Nor were there trees growing on the ramparts as we see today. That made it ideal to exploit the wind power from the elevated position.
The mill last operated in 1890, and in 1897 its sails were removed. Unfortunately, the cap was also taken down, and the mill was given a flatter roof instead. That marked the end of its milling days, but fortunately, the remains of the mill and the miller’s house were left standing.
Until 1918, the mill was briefly used as a military straw depot. In 1918, however, the enterprising engineer from Southern Jutland, E.F. Bundgaard, took over the building and converted it into a residence and a factory for instruments and apparatus. Upon the death of the engineer and his wife, the entire property – including the complete interior of Bundgaard’s home – was handed over to the National Museum of Denmark.
The home and its rooms are still awaiting their opening as an intimate museum, similar to the National Museum’s historic “Victorian Apartment” in central Copenhagen. Today, the mill and the miller’s house are protected buildings and owned by the National Museum. In fact, the miller’s house now serves as the official residence of the Chief Antiquarian – the head of the National Museum.
In 1889, the mill had a larger neighbor – the Christianshavn Gasworks. It featured a beautiful gas holder, similar to the one now used as a theater building in Østerbro. It was designed by architect Ludvig Fenger but was unfortunately demolished in 1948 – a decision many would likely regret today. In the same area, there was also a paupers’ cemetery for a time.
Christianshavn Canal
Christianshavn is often referred to as “The Copenhagen Amsterdam” – this is where the city’s canal atmosphere is most concentrated. Christianshavn Canal is one of the three remaining canals in inner Copenhagen, not counting the Holmen canals between Christiansholm, Arsenaløen, Dokøen, Frederiksholm, and Nyholm.
The rest, unfortunately, have disappeared. For example, Holmens Kanal was filled in with gravel and asphalted over. But that could be reversed – just like in Aarhus, where the river was wisely reopened.
Between the harbor and Christianshavn Canal lie the two parts of Christianshavn that are actually islands or islets, including Wilders Plads and Grønlandske Handels Plads. Here you’ll find the beautiful churches Christianshavn Church and Church of Our Saviour. Christianshavn Canal – flanked by Ovengaden Oven Vandet and Ovengaden Neden Vandet – is a wonderfully atmospheric waterway, serving as a shared front yard for residents of the surrounding streets. People come here with their partners or dogs, a thermos or a beer bottle – and on warm summer evenings, even with their dinner. It’s a place full of life, with countless leisure boats and experiences.
Along the canal, you’ll find Holmen’s beautiful 18th-century arsenal building and the Søkvæsthuset – Holmen’s former hospital or infirmary. Nearby stood the old Wildersgade Barracks, now converted into cooperative apartments, and close by were two other barracks: Bådsmandsstræde Barracks and the one facing Strandgade, now known as Irgens Gård.
Copenhagen’s former women’s prison was located where the Lagkagehuset bakery now stands on Christianshavn Square. There’s a floating café at the corner by Torvegade, and nearby you’ll find a cozy boat rental. At the end near Appelbys Plads, you can catch a glimpse of Christianshavn Rampart.
Christianshavn Canal is one of the city’s most charming spots – best experienced both from the quay and from the water. A canal tour is highly recommended.
Carlsberg delivers the beer
Ravelinen is the perfect spot for a refreshing beer – especially outdoors on a warm summer day.
The beer comes from the world-famous brewery Carlsberg, which many Danes became more familiar with through DR’s major TV series “The Brewer” (Bryggeren).
Beer production originally began in Brolæggerstræde, where the focus was on traditional Danish dark beer (hvidtøl). The man behind the name Carlsberg was brewer J.C. Jacobsen, who moved the brewery to Valby Hill and named it after his son, Carl. Production began there in 1847. The brewery later became known as Old Carlsberg, after Carl started his own New Carlsberg Brewery. Today, the original 1840s facility has been turned into an industrial history museum.
Both J.C. and Carl Jacobsen were passionate about art and culture, which is evident in their grand industrial complex, including the famous Elephant Gate at Valby Hill. Carl Jacobsen established the country’s first glyptotek (a museum of sculpture), which now serves as the Carlsberg Museum. He also founded and donated to the city of Copenhagen what we now know as the magnificent Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek – or simply the Glyptotek. This unique museum, located next to Tivoli Gardens, has its entrance on H.C. Andersen Boulevard.
Copenhagen has received numerous monuments and buildings as gifts from Carlsberg. These include the greenhouses in the Botanical Garden, the tower of Nikolaj Church, and the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters building across from the Glyptotek. And not least, the Little Mermaid statue from 1913 at Langelinie. The Little Mermaid has become a national symbol. You simply can’t visit Copenhagen without seeing her – just as you wouldn’t visit New York without seeing the Statue of Liberty.
Carlsberg also funded the reconstruction of Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød – a gift from a company that has long been, and still is, a major patron of the arts. One of the main architects behind Carlsberg’s many building projects was Vilhelm Dahlerup, also known for designing the Royal Danish Theatre, the Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli, and the Lakeside Pavilion (Søpavillonen).