Christian IV's Brewhouse

Christian IV's Brewhouse
General information
Architectural style	Renaissance
Town or city	Copenhagen
Country	Denmark
Coordinates	55°40′23″N 12°34′47″E / 55.6731°N 12.5798°E / 55.6731; 12.5798Coordinates: 55°40′23″N 12°34′47″E / 55.6731°N 12.5798°E / 55.6731; 12.5798
Completed	1608
Design and construction
Client	Christian IV

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.^[1]

History

In 1443, Christopher of Bavaria established a brewery at Copenhagen Castle.^[2] 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.^[2]

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 ramparts 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 kettles, 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.^[2] 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.^[2]

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.

See also

Slotsholmen

References

1. ^ "Christian IV's Bryghus' historie". Slots- og Ejendomsstyrelsen. http://www.danishcastles.dk/da/Slotte/Christian4Bryghus/Historie.aspx. Retrieved 2009-05-201. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "Øl til kongen, flåden og folket". Berlingske. http://www.b.dk/kultur/oel-til-kongen-flaaden-og-folket. Retrieved 2009-06-23.