Anthonis van Obbergen
Encyclopedia
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- 1611 in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
) was a Flemish architect and fortifications engineer. After studying masonry in Mechelen and completing a tour to study fortification work in Germany, he initially gained experience working on the fortifications of Antwerp (1567–71).
Achievements in Denmark
In DenmarkDenmark
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...
, he is remembered for his exceptional work on the Royal Palace of Kronborg in Helsingør (1577–86) which he completed after another Dutch architect, Hans van Paeschen
Hans Hendrik van Paesschen
Hans Hendrik van Paesschen was a Flemish architect, based in Antwerp, who designed high-style classical buildings in many countries of northern Europe.-Life and Times:...
, resigned from the project in 1577. Inspired by the Dutch Renaissance style of Antwerp, the building quickly gained international fame, both as an architecturally imposing building and as the largest castle in northern Europe. Although most of it was destroyed by fire in 1629, Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
had it rebuilt in accordance with van Obbergen's design. Today's castle has not changed substantially since that time.
In 1585, under Frederik II
Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
, van Obbergen replaced the tower of the Kullen Lighthouse in the Öresund
Oresund
The Sound , is the strait that separates the Danish island Zealand from the southern Swedish province of Scania. Its width is just at the narrowest point between Helsingør, Denmark, and Helsingborg, Sweden...
. The area is now part of 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....
.
Achievements in Poland
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
where he brought a Flemish flavour to the city's architecture. In particular, he designed together with Jan Strakowski and Abraham van den Blocke
Abraham van den Blocke
Abraham van den Blocke was an architect and sculptor.Van den Blocke was born in Königsberg , presumably the oldest of seven children of Dorothea and Willem van den Blocke. In 1584 the family lived in Gdańsk, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he was educated as a sculptor in his father's workshop...
the Old Arsenal, one of the great buildings in the Flemish Renaissance style (1601–1609) as well as the Old City Hall (1587–1595) which displays the classic features of high quality Mannerist Flemish architecture.
Other achievements include a number of fine houses in Gdańsk which he designed together with Jan Strakowski as well as work on the city's fortifications.
Van Obbergen also designed the Old Town Hall in Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, Poland, which was completed in 1603.