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ments were initiated. The fortification expert from the Netherlands, Henrik Ruse,
was sent for, and he had a strong citadel built near the old St. Annæ redoubt, new
solid bastions erected, and deep moats dug from the redoubt to the western end
of the city, where he organized an enormous expansion, partly by dislocation of
the rampart, and partly by filling up the basin at Kalvebod. He made the town
planning for the reclaimed area, the Stormgade neighbourhood, as well as for the
whole of Ny-København. New bastions were also built around Christianshavn,
and in 1692 the fortifications reached as far as Hukket opposite the Citadel.
Copenhagen had become a double city cut in two by a "river". The whole arrange
ment remained more or less unaltered until 1856 when the military finally gave
up to keep Copenhagen a closed fortress.
The young reign of absolutism also needed impressive squares and monumental
architecture. The first result was Kongens Nytorv (the King's new square) with
large mansions and an equestrian statue of the monarch - a
place royale
copied
after the French. In the Great Nordic War Copenhagen was bombarded, but did
not suffer much damage; however, in the wake of the war followed the plague
killing no less than 22,000 people - a third of the population of the city. A few
years later Copenhagen was hit by another catastrophe: the fire of 1728. It de
stroyed approximately half of the city, and reduced about 1450 houses to ashes
while a number of churches and official buildings were totally demolished or
severely damaged. Now followed an amazing reconstruction period, as far as the
private houses are concerned after design by J. C. Krieger, who also was in charge
of a great deal of the official buildings. A t the same time the King decided to pull
down the medieval Castle which had been rebuilt several times. Instead he had a
modern residence erected, the first Christiansborg, which was worked on for
decades.
The following years were a time of prosperity; trade companies were founded
and established near the harbour on large filled-up areas, where warehouses etc.
were built. A merchant prince like Andreas Bjørn built his own shipbuilding
business where Wilders plads is now, and at the middle of the century the circle
around him took the initiative to develop the Amalienborg area which, since the
burning down in 1689 of the country seat, Sophie Amalienborg, had served as
garden and drill ground. Here a modern neighbourhood was developed under the
supervision of N. Eigtved, consisting of several houses as well as mansions
surrounding the central, octagonal square. 1794 Christiansborg was burnt down,
and the homeless Royal family now moved to the Amalienborg palaces, originally
built by four different families. The following year, 1795, the second great fire
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