Copenhagen Central Fire Station
Encyclopedia
Copenhagen Central Fire Station (Danish
: Københavns Hovedbrandstation) is the headquarters of Copenhagen Fire Department and located on HC Andersens Boulevard just behind Copenhagen City Hall
and opposite Tivoli Gardens. It was designed by Ludvig Fenger
and inaugurated in 1892.
founded the Royal Copenhagen Fire Department. With the adoption of the Copenhagen Fire Act on 18 May 1868, the Copenhagen Fire Department was established as a municipal institution as of 1 August 1870.
In the middle of the 19th century, the fire station in the former St. Nicolai's Church had become outdated. It was therefore decided to construct a new purpose-built central fire station on the former grounds of the city's Western Rampart. The Bastioned Fortifications
until now enclosing Copenhagen had recently been disbanded and the vacant land was now used for a number of large public building projects.
The recently instituted post of City Architect held by Ludvig Fenger
was put in charge of the project.
Construction began in 1889 and the new Central Fire Station was inaugurated on 30 April 1892. At that time, the City Hall had still not been built and the new premises therefore had an unhindered view of the haymarket which was located where the City Hall Square is today. The tower of the building was also used in training with life nets and use of tall fire ladders.
design. With its crenellated
gables, ogival gates are tower, the main source of inspiration is Medieval North Italian castle architecture.
area. It also contains most of the administrative functions of the Copenhagen Fire Department. The station's reaction district covers central Copenhagen as defined by the Inner Harbour, Dannebrogsgade, Vester Søgade, Gothersgade, St. Kongensgade and Esplanaden. The Copenhagen Fire Department operates six additional other fire stations within the municipality.
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...
: Københavns Hovedbrandstation) is the headquarters of Copenhagen Fire Department and located on HC Andersens Boulevard just behind Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the Municipal Council as well as the Lord mayor of the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen....
and opposite Tivoli Gardens. It was designed by Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Peter Fenger was a Danish architect. He was a proponent of the Historicist style and from 1886 to 1904 he was City Architect in Copenhagen....
and inaugurated in 1892.
History
Copenhagen had its first fire department on 9 July 1687 when King Christian VChristian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
founded the Royal Copenhagen Fire Department. With the adoption of the Copenhagen Fire Act on 18 May 1868, the Copenhagen Fire Department was established as a municipal institution as of 1 August 1870.
In the middle of the 19th century, the fire station in the former St. Nicolai's Church had become outdated. It was therefore decided to construct a new purpose-built central fire station on the former grounds of the city's Western Rampart. The Bastioned Fortifications
Fortifications of Copenhagen (17th century)
The fortifications of Copenhagen underwent a comprehensive modernization and expansion in the 17th century. The project was commenced and largely masterplanned by Christian IV in the early 17th century but continued and completed by his successors...
until now enclosing Copenhagen had recently been disbanded and the vacant land was now used for a number of large public building projects.
The recently instituted post of City Architect held by Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Peter Fenger was a Danish architect. He was a proponent of the Historicist style and from 1886 to 1904 he was City Architect in Copenhagen....
was put in charge of the project.
Construction began in 1889 and the new Central Fire Station was inaugurated on 30 April 1892. At that time, the City Hall had still not been built and the new premises therefore had an unhindered view of the haymarket which was located where the City Hall Square is today. The tower of the building was also used in training with life nets and use of tall fire ladders.
Architecture
The Central Fire Station is built to a HistoricistHistoricism (art)
Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
design. With its crenellated
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
gables, ogival gates are tower, the main source of inspiration is Medieval North Italian castle architecture.
Copenhagen Central Fire Station today
The fire station houses the alarm central for the entire Greater CopenhagenCopenhagen metropolitan area
The Copenhagen metropolitan area around the city of Copenhagen, Denmark, has a population of 1,834,492 and an area of 2,861.41 km²-Composition:The area consists of:...
area. It also contains most of the administrative functions of the Copenhagen Fire Department. The station's reaction district covers central Copenhagen as defined by the Inner Harbour, Dannebrogsgade, Vester Søgade, Gothersgade, St. Kongensgade and Esplanaden. The Copenhagen Fire Department operates six additional other fire stations within the municipality.