The Danish municipality that survived a fire and a royal takeover
In short: Today, Frederiksberg is a wealthy, densely populated enclave within Copenhagen. But its origins were far more precarious, involving failed Dutch farming experiments, a devastating fire, and a crown that eventually reclaimed the land after the settlers could no longer pay their taxes.
The foundations of modern Frederiksberg were laid on June 2, 1651, when King Frederik III established a settlement known as Ny Amager, or Ny Hollænderby. This initiative was part of a broader royal strategy, initiated by King Christian IV, to modernize Danish agriculture using advanced Dutch farming techniques. The King permitted 20 peasants from Denmark and the Netherlands to establish a settlement at Allégade to reach this goal. The site's history predates this era, with human habitation dating back to the Bronze Age. Even earlier, the area was known as Tulehøj, a name derived from the word for a reciter of ancient tales.
However, the agricultural experiment struggled to gain traction. The settlement faced a catastrophic setback in 1697 when a fire destroyed most of the town. This disaster left the settlers unable to meet their tax obligations, leading the land to revert to the crown under Frederik III's son, Christian V. The loss of the settlement's independence from the crown followed the failure of these early agricultural efforts. This period of instability preceded the town's eventual transformation into a commercial hub.
The area's identity shifted significantly between 1700 and 1703. King Frederik IV constructed a palace on the hill of Valby Bakke, naming it Frederichs Berg. This prompted the rebuilt town at the foot of the hill to adopt the name Frederiksberg. Over time, the community transitioned from a struggling farming outpost into a merchant town, eventually becoming an affluent residential area where wealthy Copenhagen citizens built summer country houses. As the community evolved, it became a destination for those seeking respite from the crowded capital. By 1850, the population had grown to 3,000 residents.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Frederiksberg
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