The Copenhagen Stocks House (

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

: Københavns Stokhus) was a

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, named for the stocks which used to be located at its premises. Originally a military prison, it was opened to civilian prisoners in 1741. The building was located on Øster Voldgade, opposite the present day

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director ...

History

The Stocks House was built in 1677. Prior to that physical punishment had taken place at Jarmers Tower. The building was altered by

Elias David Häusser Elias David Häusser (25 June 1687 – 16 March 1745) was a German-Danish architect working in the Baroque and Rococo styles. He is most known for designing the first Christiansborg Palace which was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1794. ...

between 1722 and 1724. In 1741 the Stocks House was opened to civilian prisoners and it became a place for people who had been sentenced to "slavery", that is prisoners sentenced to penal labour in iron. A distinction was made between "honest" and "dishonest" prisoners, the latter being those who had been beaten at the

whipping post The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks ...

(Danish: Kag), a punishment which was not just corporal but associated with loss of honor. In 1783 the institution was dramatically expanded when the Greater Stocks House, with a capacity for 600 "slaves", was opened next to the old building. On 30 December 1771 the use of "severe examination" (torture) was abolished by

Johann Friedrich Struensee Lensgreve Johann Friedrich Struensee (5 August 1737 – 28 April 1772) was a German-Danish physician, philosopher and statesman. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish governmen ...

but it was reintroduced after his fall. In 1837 torture was again abolished. On 1 April 1860 the Stocks House was closed by the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

, prisoners were transferred to the Vridsløselille State Prison which had been constructed in accordance with the Philadelphia System. In 1929 the building is demolished when Polytechnical University of Denmark is expanded.

References

{{reflist Defunct prisons in Denmark Former buildings and structures in Copenhagen 1677 establishments in Denmark 1860 disestablishments Buildings and structures completed in 1677 Buildings and structures demolished in 1929 Demolished buildings and structures in Denmark

History

See also

References