CHAPTER IX.

COPENHAGEN.

Geographical position of Copenhagen-Its fine port-Its advantages for being a Free City-Royal Navy Yard-Lord Molesworth's opinion of the advantages of the site of Copenhagen-History of Copenhagen-Origin of the name-The calamities with which this city has been visited-Description of the City, its streets, its ramparts-Important places in Copenhagen-Kongens-Nye TorvStatue of Christian V.-Hotels on this Place-Palace of Charlottenburg-Academy of Arts-Thorvaldsen and his history-His finest works-Royal High Military School-Amalien Plads-Statue of Frederick V.-Marble Church, a ruin-Palace of Christiansborg-Its former greatness and splendor-Its present state--Thorvaldsen-Gallery-Exchange-Höjer's painting of Christian IVand Tycho Brahé-The University-The Observatory-City Hall.

THE geographical position of Copenhagen is in north latitude 55° 41', and longitude 12o 35' east of Greenwich. Its situation is on the eastern side of the island of Zealand, and on a frith or narrow sound which separates that island from the smaller one of Amager, or Amak, as it is usually called by foreigners. From the position of this latter island, the arm of the sea which separates them runs from northeast to southwest. The main portion of the city, or rather the portion which is strictly called Copenhagen, lies on the island of Zealand; and as many of its most important streets run out at right angles to the narrow sheet of water which separates it from Christianshavn, or the portion of the city which stands on the island of Amager, and others are parallel to it, it is obvious that the main part of the city may be said to face the southeast.

No situation could be finer than that of Copenhagen for commerce. The harbor, which is in the northern

Geographical position of Co Free City-Royal Navy of the site of Copenhagencalamities with which thi streets, its ramparts-Imp Statue of Christian V.-H demy of Arts-Thorvaldse Military School-Amalien ruin-Palace of Christiansh state-Thorvaldsen-Galler and Tycho Brahé-The U

THE geographical latitude 55° 41', and Its situation is on the and on a frith or nar from the smaller o usually called by fo latter island, the arı runs from northeast to the city, or rather t Copenhagen, lies on of its most important the narrow sheet Christianshavn, or th the island of Amage -obvious that the mai the southeast.

No situation could for commerce. Th

portion of the sheet of water which separates the island of Amager from Zealand, is long and narrow, but is deep and safe. It can be entered by large vessels only from the northern end. The southern portion, or, to speak with more accuracy, the southwestern portion of this channel, is not deep enough to allow anything more than small vessels to pass through it. A drawbridge reaches from the northern or upper point of the island of Amager, over to the island of Zealand, and closes, as it were, the harbor, or rather forms the inner harbor, where five hundred vessels of the largest size may lie in safety at all times. Another bridge farther down, where the channel s narrowest, unites the portion of Copenhagen which tands on the island of Zealand to Christianshavn, or the ortion which stands on the island of Amager. Whilst third, called the Long Bridge, passes the channel farther till to the south or southwest, and near where it expands ato the bay which lies in that direction.

What is called the outer harbor lies along the shore of Zealand, just outside of the first-named bridge, and is bounded on the east by a sand-bar, or shoal, which runs up from the northern point of the island of Amager, which is invisible to the eye, but which renders the water very shallow in that direction. At the extremity of that hidden sand-bar stands the strong fortress of the Trekroner, or Three Crowns. So that all vessels of any considerable draught of water, must, in entering even the outer harbor, pass between that fortress and the shore of the island of Zealand, on which stands, not opposite, however, but lower down, the strong fortress called the Citadel of Frederikshavn. Nor is the entrance for large ships wide, though it is not difficult under the conduct of a skilful pilot.

The Royal Navy Yard is on the upper end of the island of Amager and in face of the city. It is one of the

after a castle had been built for the defence of the harbor, and the village had gradually risen to the consequence of a town. In process of time, as it became a place for commerce, and merchants began to establish themselves there, it was called in the Danish language, Kiöbmandhavn, the Haven of Merchants. The natives of Iceland at present call it Kaupmannahöfn, and the Scotch formerly termed it Coupman-Haven. By degrees, the word Kiöbmændhavn, through rapidity of utterance, came to be pronounced Kiöbenhavn, which is the modern Danish pronunciation, and from which we have in English the word Copenhagen.

Valdemar the First, or Valdemar the Great, as he is commonly called, made a present of this place, together with a considerable district around it, to his friend and favorite Bishop Absalom. This Bishop, who figures to such advantage in the annals of Denmark, was originally called Axel Hvide, but agreeably to the usages of those times, he gave a Latin form to his name, and was ever afterwards called Absalom, This distinguished man, who knew how to use with equal dexterity the crosier and the sword, built here a castle in the year 1168, which he called Axelhouse. It was built for the purpose of keeping the pirates in awe, and stood on the spot where now stands the vast palace of Christiansborg. And we may remark that in Danish poetry this city is, until this day, often called Axelstad, or the city of Axel, from the circumstances which we have just stated.

Bishop Absalom, some time before his death, made a present of Copenhagen, which had attained the dignity of a town, to the bishop and chapter of Roeskilde, and their successors. For more than two centuries, the king of Denmark endeavored in vain to recover this town-or city, as it had become before the termination of that period,from the bishops of Roeskilde, and reduce it under the un