COPENHAGEN, DENMARK :: When viewing a
satellite image of
Copenhagen, it's easy to spot the star-shaped fortress, Kastellet. Since its construction in the early 1600s, the citadel has been integral to the defense of the city's prominent port. The angled bastions effectively deflected cannon fire and allowed more lines of sight to pick-off soldiers sieging the walls. It fell to the British during the Napoleonic Wars and the second Battle of Copenhagen in 1807, when Denmark's empire also included all of Norway and parts of Germany. Kastellet also fell during World War II and was occupied by the Nazis as a regional headquarters.
Today, the historic structure is one of the best preserved star forts in Europe. It's also a popular park, with a jogging path circling the upper ramparts. One of the three original windmills remains, along with several cannon and a picturesque church across the moat. The buildings continue to be used by the Danish Army and its all-volunteer defense force, the Danish Home Guard.
This entry has been viewed times.