Indre By - The Indre By District

The Indre By District

This district is the historic, geographic and political heart of present-day Copenhagen, and reflects the history of Denmark. Its boundaries pretty much reflect the entire city’s extent during the reign of King Christian IV (1588-1648).

At the time it was a fortified city and its borders were made of defensive walls with moats. To ensure water for the moats there was a series of dams.

Entry and exit to the city was through the town's four gates: Vesterport ("Western Gate") near the current Copenhagen City Hall (Rådhus), Nørreport ("Northern Gate") near the current Nørreport station, Østerport ("Eastern Gate") by Kastellet, and Amagerport ("Amager Gate", i.e. functionally the Southern Gate) between Christianshavn and the island of Amager. The gates were dismantled in 1856. The locations are now commemorated with milestones erected on the spot.

Additionally artificial lakes were constructed as part of Christian IV's large building project.These still exist to this day, and are simply referred to as the "lakes" (Skt. Jørgens Lake, Peblinge Lake, and Sortedams Lake). The area beyond the lakes, now heavily populated city districts, was then used primarily for grazing. It was prohibited to build beyond these original city limits so that the fortification’s cannons could have clear shot and so that the enemy could not find any hiding areas. The line that marked this "no build" zone was called the Demarcation Line (Demarkationslinien) The line was moved further out as the shooting range of canons improved, and was not abolished until after the cholera epidemic of 1853.

The fortification system was sold to Copenhagen municipality in 1869 and largely dismantled the year after. Evidence of the walls can be found in the street names outlining the central part of the city. From Kastellet at the northeast point of the district runs Øster Voldgade ("Eastern Wall Street") to the southwest. The street changes names near Nørreport Train Station and continues as Nørre Voldgade ("Northern Wall Street"). Vester Voldgade ("Western Wall Street") starts at Ørsteds Park and runs southeast until it reaches the water of Copenhagen Harbour (Københavns Havn). The fortification system continues on the other side of the water in the Christianshavn city district.

A ring of parks (fæstningsringen, English "fortification ring") has been erected outside where the walls once stood, and remnants of the bastions, ravelins and moats can be seen in Østre Anlæg park, the Botanical Gardens, Ørsted Park and Tivoli Gardens.