The Ivar Huitfeldt Column is a
monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
at
Langelinie
Langelinie (English: Long Line) is a pier, promenade and park in central Copenhagen, Denmark, and home of '' The Little Mermaid'' statue. The area has for centuries been a popular destination for excursions and strolls in Copenhagen. Most cruise ...
in
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 ...
, built to commemorate the death of Admiral
Ivar Huitfeldt
Iver Huitfeldt (5 December 1665 – 4 October 1710) was a Dano-Norwegian naval officer who was killed in action, when he commanded the ship '' Dannebroge'' during Great Northern War 1700–1721.
Biography
Iver Huitfeldt was born in the Norwegian ...
and his men from
HDMS Dannebroge
The ''Dannebroge'' was a Dano-Norwegian ship-of-the-line that exploded and sank on 4 October 1710, during the Great Northern War. Almost all of its crew of 600 were killed - one third of the victims were Norwegians. Admiral Iver Huitfeldt was a ...
, which exploded and sank in the
Battle of Køge Bat during the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...
. The monument was constructed in 1886 to a design by
Vilhelm Dahlerup. Ferdinand Edvard Ring was responsible for the statue of the Roman goddess of victory,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, and for the reliefs, while
Carl Brummer
Carl Harald Brummer (12 July 1864 – 14 February 1953) was a Danish architect who was influential in the design of homes at the beginning of the 20th century.
Biography
Brummer was born in Bogense. After attending the Danish Academy from 18 ...
undertook the monument's architectural design.
Background
On 4 October 1710, the ship of the line ''
HDMS Dannebroge
The ''Dannebroge'' was a Dano-Norwegian ship-of-the-line that exploded and sank on 4 October 1710, during the Great Northern War. Almost all of its crew of 600 were killed - one third of the victims were Norwegians. Admiral Iver Huitfeldt was a ...
'', which Huitfeldt commanded, was set on fire during an encounter with the Swedes. He gave orders to continue the battle, which only came to an end when the ship blew up. Huitfeldt and 497 crew members were killed.
Between 1872 and 1875 various artifacts were brought up from the wreck, including cannons and the ship's anchor.
Design
The monument consists of a marble column placed on a tall granite base and topped by a statue of
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. It stands approximately 19 metres tall and measures 3.377 x 3.77 metres at the base.
Four bronze reliefs on the base of the monument, one on each side, feature Huitfeldt's portrait, his coat of arms, his ship and a short text.
The design incorporates the cannonballs barrels and the ship's anchor is attached to the plinth.
History
The initial plans for a Huitfeldt memorial called for a much smaller monument, a sort of cairn, but after the intervention of
Carlsberg brewer
Carl Jacobsen who had already sponsored several monuments in Copenhagen, including a statue of Admiral
Niels Juel
Niels Juel (8 May 1629 – 8 April 1697) was a Danish admiral and a naval hero. He served as supreme command of the Dano-Norwegian Navy during the late 17th century and oversaw development of the Danish-Norwegian Navy.
Background
Niels Juel ...
next to the
National Bank
In banking, the term national bank carries several meanings:
* a bank owned by the state
* an ordinary private bank which operates nationally (as opposed to regionally or locally or even internationally)
* in the United States, an ordinary p ...
, it was decided to launch a design competition. It was won by
Vilhelm Dahlerup. The original plan was to erect the monument at the small churchyard attached to the naval
Church of Holmen
The Holmen Church ( da, Holmens Kirke) is a Parish church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having ...
, close to the main entrance in
Havnegade, but Dahlerup's monument was ultimately deemed too big for the site.
The bronze components were cast in C.F. Holm's bronze foundry at
Gammel Mønt
Gammel Mønt ( en, Old Mint) is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark, located one block west of Gothersgade and Rosenborg Castle Garden.
History
In 1497, a community of Poor Clare nuns established the Monastery of St. Clare roughly at the jun ...
.
See also
*
Ivar Huitfeldt class frigate
References
External links
Source
{{coord, 55.69062, 12.59915, type:landmark_region:DK, display=title
Monuments and memorials in Copenhagen
Outdoor sculptures in Copenhagen
Monumental columns
Buildings and structures completed in 1886
Statues in Copenhagen
Sculptures of angels
Danish military memorials and cemeteries
Sculptures of Victoria (mythology)
Buildings and structures associated with the Huitfeldt family