Brønshøj

Brønshøj is a part of the municipality of Copenhagen, and forms together with Husum the administrative city district ("bydel") of Brønshøj-Husum. Brønshøj lies on rising ground 4km west of Copenhagen center and is bordered by the large wetland area of Utterslev Mose to the north. A number of ponds, lakes, and parks characterise Brønshøj. On its eastern edge, the ridgeline of Bellahøj provides extensives views over Copenhagen.

The first mention of the village Brønshøj (Brunshoga), is in a letter dated October 21, 1186 from Pope Urban III to Archbishop Absalon. The church dates from approximiately the same time.

In 1658-1660, during The Northern Wars, the village and its immediate surroundings were transformed into a military fortress and town named Carlstad by the Swedish Army under the command of King Karl X Gustav. This town supported the Swedish siege of Copenhagen. The population reached c. 30.000, which was the same as Copenhagen itself. The siege ended on the death of Karl X Gustav February 13, 1660. Evidence of the fortifications cannot be found in the landsape today though many artifacts have been uncovered. Artifacts and models of Carlstad and the events surrounding its creation are found at Brønshøj Museum.

During the late part of the 1800s and early part of the 1900s the rural village developed into a suburb of the growing metropolis of Copenhagen. In 1901 Brønshøj was together with several of the neighboring villages incorporated into the municipality of Copenhagen. Brønshøj contains some important examples of Danish housing forms. In 1899 the cooperative housing area of Enigheden was begun as worker housing for the local dairy and this was followed in 1923 by the English Garden Village. In the 1950s Denmark's first significant high-rise housing was built at Bellahøj. The great Danish Landscape Architect C.Th. Sørensen lived in one of the penthouses, known as rooftop villas, until his death.

Today Brønshøj lies somewhat detached from the core areas of Copenhagen city and is not served by the S-train and Metro networks. In the most significant current development small workshops, car lots and other single storey buildings are being demolished and replaced with new housing blocks, often over shops, along Brønshøj's main street, Frederiksundsvej. However the area maintains a distinctive character generated by its topograhy, parks and housing architecture.

External links

* [http://www.brh-mus.dk/ Brønshøj Museum] (in Danish)
* [http://www.campscandinavia.dk/historier.asp?storyID=3 Brønshøj - from village to large suburb ("fra landsby til storbyforstad")] (in Danish)