Leonhard Blasius (also spelled Lennart, Leinert, Lineest) (died 8 December 1644) was a Danish architect in the service of King Christian IV.
Blasius, who was certainly a Dutchman, probably arrived in Denmark from the Netherlands where he first worked in Glückstadt, Holstein, in the 1630s. He was called to Copenhagen in 1642 where he became a master builder, taking over the responsibilities of Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger. [1] [2] As royal architect [3] to Christian IV, Blasius was credited for major building works, mainly churches, which were carried out by the king. He managed the construction of St. Anna Rotunda and in 1641 commenced the expansion of the Church of Holmen. In 1643, Blasius worked on Reberbanen in Copenhagen, built a bridge in Altona and rebuilt a church in Glückstadt. His contribution to Trinitatis Church and the adjoining Rundetårn (1643) may have been in the last period of construction. He was sent to Malmö in 1644 to lead a restoration on fortifications but died on 8 December. Although Blasius did repair work on the king's castles (1641 Koldinghus and Nygård, 1642 Tranekær, 1644 Nyborg Castle), his main effort was with churches. However, it is unclear whether Blasius had a decisive influence on their style, nor is he remembered for designing any buildings of his own. Blasius was married to Hedvig Gierritz who survived him; they had children together. [2]
Kronborg is a castle and stronghold in the town of Helsingør, Denmark. Immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe and was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000.
Christian IV was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 to 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs, and of all Scandinavian monarchies.
Hannibal Sehested was a Dano-Norwegian statesman and son-in-law of King Christian IV. He served as Governor-general of Norway from 1642 to 1651 and Chancellor of Norway from 1648 to 1660. He fought in the Torstenson War against Sweden and implemented many reforms in Norway. After a fall from grace leading to his resignation as Governor-general in 1651, he regained the trust of Frederick III in 1660 and negotiated the Treaty of Copenhagen. He worked as lord treasurer and councillor of state until his death in 1666.
Amalienborg is the home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V.
Christiansborg Palace is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Also, several parts of the palace are used by the Danish monarch, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel and the Royal Stables.
The Round Tower, formerly Stellaburgis Hafniens, is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark, and one of the many architectural projects of Christian IV of Denmark, built as an astronomical observatory. It is most noted for its equestrian staircase, a 7.5-turn helical corridor leading to the platform at the top, and for the expansive views which it affords over Copenhagen.
Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve was the illegitimate son of King Christian IV of Denmark and his mistress, Karen Andersdatter. He was also a Danish Navy officer and lensmann bailiff.
Laurids Lauridsen de Thurah, known as Lauritz de Thurah, was a Danish architect and architectural writer. He became the most important Danish architect of the late baroque period. As an architectural writer and historian he made a vital contribution to the understanding of both Denmark's architectural heritage and building construction in his day.
Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.
Haderslevhus is the name of a castle that once stood in the Danish city of Haderslev, until destroyed by a fire in 1644.
Rosenborg Castle Gardens is the oldest and most visited park in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Established in the early 17th century as the private gardens of King Christian IV's Rosenborg Castle, the park also contains several other historical buildings, including Rosenborg Barracks, home to the Royal Guards, as well as a high number of statues and monuments. The park also plays host to temporary art exhibitions and other events such as concerts throughout the summer.
Nyboder is a historic row house district of former Naval barracks in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was planned and first built by Christian IV to accommodate a need for housing for the personnel of the rapidly growing Royal Danish Navy and their families during that time. While the area is still commonly associated with the name of its founder as one of his numerous building projects around Copenhagen, the Nyboder seen today was in fact, except for a single row of houses in St. Paulsgade, built from 1757.
The Holmen Church 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 hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark, and Prince Henrik in 1967. It is the burial site of such notabilities as naval heroes Niels Juel and Peter Tordenskjold, and composer Niels Wilhelm Gade, and contains artwork by, among others, Bertel Thorvaldsen and Karel van Mander.
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country. It was during this period that, in a country with little access to stone, brick became the construction material of choice, not just for churches but also for fortifications and castles.
Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder was a Flemish-Danish architect and sculptor. He worked on a large number of the most important Danish buildings of his time, although the exact scope of his contributions in many cases remains uncertain and much have been demolished or redesigned later. The father of Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger and Lorenz van Steenwinckel, he also founded a dynasty of architects and sculptors in Denmark.
Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger was a Flemish-Danish architect who specialised in the Dutch Renaissance style, typical of prestigious Danish buildings from the first half of the 17th century. Along with his brother Lorenz van Steenwinckel he was responsible for most of King Christian IV's many ambitious building projects.
Marienlyst Castle is a palatial residence located in Helsingør, Denmark. It was named after King Frederik V of Denmark's second wife, Juliana Maria, the queen consort of Denmark and Norway. The building formerly served as a royal pavilion of Kronborg Castle and was mostly used as a venue for pleasure and hunting. It was also used by the director-general of the Øresund Custom House, Colonel Adam Gottlob von Krogh and his wife Magdalene, between 1796 and 1847.
The Trinitatis Church is located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the 17th century Trinitatis Complex, which includes the Rundetårn astronomical observatory tower and the Copenhagen University Library, in addition to the church. Built in the time of Christian IV, the church initially served the students of Copenhagen University. It is situated at the corner of Landemærket and Købmagergade. The interior was seriously damaged in the fire of 1728 but was rebuilt in 1731.
The Suhr family is a Danish family whose earliest member is Bernt Suhr who came to Denmark from Germany in the service of Duke Frederick in 1648. Many early family members were priests or merchants. Johan Peter Suhr founded J.P. Suhr & Søn, a trading house which existed from 1749 to 1897.His grandson Johannes Theodorus Suhr founded the Suhr Family Trust. It owns the Suhr House in Copenhagen as well as the manor houses Bonderup at Holbæk.
Jacob Madsen was a Danish merchant, shipowner and builder with close ties to the crown during the late reign of Christian IV. He was mayor of Christianshavn from 1641 to 1653.