Frederiksværk
Encyclopedia
Denmark
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...
.
History
A French cannon founder, Peyrembert, received permission to build a cannon factory here. Having gotten into difficulties, King Frederik VFrederick V of Denmark
Frederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
requested that his chancellery advisor, Johan Frederik Classen, take over the operation of the foundry. Under Classen's management the town blossomed, and there came a gunpowder mill, as well as light industry and handicrafts to the town. This resulted in Classen's being appointed Major General. On August 25, 1756 the king issued a document permitting Classen to call the town "Friederichswerk".
Classen was allowed to build a new foundry, Gjethuset, and it was constructed between 1761 and 1767. It has been used as a cannon foundry until 1928, and has been used for heavy industry until 1976. The building has been restored and reopened on June 12, 1996. It is now used as an art and culture center with theatre, music and art exhibitions. The original architect was either Laurids de Thurah or Nikolai Eigtved. The word Gjethus comes from Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
Gethus and means "foundry house".
Classen's home in the neoclassical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
style, Arresødal, is still standing. It is in private ownership, but can be viewed from the outside.
Attractions
There are a number of churches from the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in the villages near Frederiksværk. Vinderød Church, in the town of Frederiksværk, houses the sarcophagus of General Classen and has a view towards the Arresø.
Frederiksværk Town Museum
The Town Museum is established in the old Arsenal, which was used as a storehouse for the cannons cast in Gjethuset. Displays in the museum concern weapon fabrication, gun powder production and copper rolling during the years 1750 to 1900. There is also a restored grocery store from 1900.The Gunpowder Mill Museum
The small open air museum, part of the Industrial Museum Frederiks Værk, contains one of the world's best preserved powder mills with buildings and working machines from 1800. There is also a working watermill on the premises.Castle ruins
The ruins of Dronningholm Castle lie near the Arresø. It was started by Valdemar the GreatValdemar I of Denmark
Valdemar I of Denmark , also known as Valdemar the Great, was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182.-Biography:...
, and continued by his son Valdemar the Victorious
Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...
. The castle was one of the largest in the country. but burned down in 1525. According to legend the castle was given as a gift to Queen Dagmar.
The ruins of Asserbo Castle are also open to the public for viewing and touring. Asserbo Castle, which lies in the woods of Tisvilde Hegn, was founded by Bishop Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
in the 12th century and was used as a monastery for monks of the Cistercian Order, originally invited from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The King took claim of the castle ca. 1560, and then by drifting sands. The castle was reclaimed from the sands, first by King Frederik VII
Frederick VII of Denmark
Frederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch...
in 1849, and then by the National Museum of Denmark
National Museum of Denmark
The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main domicile is located a short distance from Strøget at the center of Copenhagen. It contains exhibits from around the world,...
excavations in 1972.
GeoArt - Art gallery & Crystalmuseum
GeoArt is located at the northern top of lake Arre, just between Frederiksværk and Helsinge. Take the bus from either of the cities or a nice walk in the forest from the Castle ruins (2 km). Or if you feel more like driving all the way just park right outside on one of the 40 parking lots.GeoArt has an art gallery with changing exhibitions and a permanent exhibition of gems and minerals. For example 225 mill. year old petrified wood from Arizona, Amethyst from Brazil, Flourith from China etc. There's a cafe at the 1st. floor and the shop downstairs sell gemstones from all over the world as well as jewellery and handicrafts/furniture from Thailand, Indonesia and Laos.
Well worth a visit if you are in the area, check the GeoArt website for opening time (åbningstider) details.
Frederiksværk municipality
Until January 1, 2007, Frederiksværk was also a municipality (DanishDanish 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...
, kommune
Municipalities of Denmark
This is a list of Municipalities of Denmark.-Region Hovedstaden:* Albertslund Municipality* Allerød Municipality* Ballerup Municipality* Bornholm Regional Municipality* Brøndby Municipality* Copenhagen Municipality* Dragør Municipality* Egedal Municipality...
) in Frederiksborg County
Frederiksborg County
Frederiksborg Amt is a former county in the north of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Effective January 1, 2007, the county was abolished and merged into Region Hovedstaden ....
on the island of Zealand (Sjælland) in eastern Denmark
Denmark
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...
, located between Lake Arre (Arresø
Arresø
Arresø is a lake located at , in the Hovedstaden region just north of Ølsted and east of Frederiksværk on the island of Zealand in Denmark.At 39.87 km² Arresø is Denmark's largest lake, based on area. The lake runs into Roskilde Fjord through the Arresø Canal in Frederiksværk...
) and Roskilde Fjord
Roskilde Fjord
Roskilde Fjord is the fjord north of Roskilde, Denmark, and is located at . It is a long branch of the Isefjord.-Cities:The cities Frederiksværk, Frederikssund, Jægerspris, Jyllinge and Roskilde, , all have coastline at Roskilde Fjord...
. The municipality covered an area of 90 km², and had a total population of 20,340 (2005). Its last mayor was Helge Friis, a member of the Social Democrats
Social Democrats (Denmark)
The Social Democrats , is a Danish political party committed to the political ideology of social democracy. It is the major coalition partner in Denmark's government since the 2011 parliamentary election, and party leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of Denmark...
(Socialdemokraterne) political party
Politics of Denmark
The Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
.
Frederiksværk municipality ceased to exist due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It was merged with existing Hundested
Hundested
Hundested is a town with a population of 8,861 and a former municipality in Region Hovedstaden in the northern part of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark....
municipality to form the new Frederiksværk-Hundested municipality. The name was changed to Halsnæs Municipality on January 1, 2008. This created a municipality with an area of 120 km² and a total population of ca. 30,253.
Municipal information
The municipal Frederiksværk contained many small towns and villages besides the city of Frederiksværk, including ØlstedØlsted
Ølsted is a small village in Denmark, northwest of Copenhagen. As of 1 January 2011, the town has a rapidly growing population of 1,863. It belongs to the Halsnæs municipality in Region Hovedstaden.-History:...
, Kregme, Liseleje, Asserbo and Melby.
External links
Allan Vendeldorf: "Classens Vaerk", 2000