Copenhagen Fire of 1795
- When
- 1795
- Where
- Navy's coal and timber magazine (Dellehave), Gammelholm, Copenhagen; Gammelholm naval area, Copenhagen; Copenhagen
- Episodes
- 3
On Friday, 5 June 1795, a fire broke out around 3 pm in the Navy's coal and timber magazine (Dellehave) on Gammelholm, southeast of Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. Delayed firefighting efforts and removed hydrants allowed it to spread, ultimately destroying 909 houses and partially damaging 74. The disaster contributed to the founding of Denmark's first credit institution in 1797.
Episodes
- Outbreak at the Dellehave
Fire broke out around 3 pm on 5 June 1795 in the Navy's coal and timber magazine on Gammelholm in Copenhagen.
- Hampered Firefighting Efforts
Removed hydrants and the Holmen residents' blocking of the civilian brigade delayed and obstructed efforts to fight the fire.
- Destruction and Institutional Legacy
The fire destroyed 909 houses and partially damaged 74, contributing to the founding of Denmark's first credit institution in 1797.
Background and detail
Background. The fire began at or around 3 pm on Friday, 5 June 1795, in the Navy's magazine for coal and timber, known as the Dellehave, located by the Navy's old base southeast of Kongens Nytorv on Gammelholm in Copenhagen. Because the workers had already gone home, a considerable time passed before efforts to combat the fire began.
Obstacles to Firefighting. Out of fear of theft, the fire hydrants had been removed, hindering the response. The people of Holmen also blocked the civilian fire brigade, possibly believing that since the site was a military area, the military should handle the fire. Near Saint Nicolai Church, fire-fighting infrastructure had been constructed after the Copenhagen Fire of 1728 because the area was very densely built up.
Aftermath and Consequences. The fire destroyed 909 houses and partially damaged 74. It was a strong contributing factor to the foundation of Denmark's first credit institution, Kreditkassen for Husejerne i Kjøbenhavn, in 1797, which supported rebuilding efforts in the city.
People involved
- The people of Holmen · Blocked the civilian fire brigade during the fire
Sources
- Copenhagen Fire of 1795 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-22
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.