086543907

12 the fortifications of the town, and 10 years later, when the citi­ zens had again adopted the cause of Christian II, it only opened its gates to the besieging army under Christian III, when driven to despair by famine. On the 28. Oct. 1536 a diet Avas held by which the protestant Faith was acknowledged as that of the Church of the State. From 1511—1654 the toAvn Avas infested Avith the plague no less than 19 times. In 1658 the Swedish King Carl Gustav laid siege to the town. The fall of the town Avould have involved the fall of the country, but the danger was averted by the undaunted King Frederik III, Avho declaring that he Avould „die in his nest*, per­ sonally led the heroic defence by the citizens. The general as­ sault, which Avas beaten oil' Avith great gallantry, took place in the night betAveen the 10. and 11. of February 1659 at the end of the present S torm gade close to Vandkunsten, in memory of Avhicli a bronze-plate and a basrelief of Frederik III have been placed in the wall of a building in Hestemallestrsede. In 1660 the oath of fealty Avas taken Avith great pomp. In 1711 about 22500 people Avere carried off by the plague. In 1728 an 1795 the toAvn was the scene of tAvo violent conflagrations, by Avhieh several quarters were devastated. In 1801 the renoAvned battle on the roads of Copenhagen Avas fought, and in 1807 the toAvn suffered a 3 days bombardment by the English, on which occa­ sion „Vor Frue Kirke" (Our Lady’s church) and 305 houses Avere burnt doAvn. In 1853 the cholera broke out and carried off 4700 of the inhabitants. In spite of all these inflictions the toAvn has gone on increa­ sing in size and importance. According to Pontoppidan the ap­ pearance of the toAvn in the 13th century Avas as folloAvs: „The houses Avere generally small, made of frameAvork partly with Avails of plaster and Avith thatched roofs while a brick-built house Avar, rarely to be found. Many streets Avere marked out by board and thorn fences more than by houses, and in the middle of the toAvn Avere large cabbage-gardens and orchards*. Under Chri­ stian the IV, Arho had a passion for building, Copenhagen as­ sumed a neAV and stately appearance. Under Frederik III a neAv quarter with Borgergade. Adelgade and Kongens Nytorv Avas built, and during the reign of Frederik V another quarter greAV up around Amahegade and Bredgade. The toAvn has, hoAvever, received its greatest extension during the last quarter of a cen­ tury after the removal of the Avails. Copenhagen is hoav fast be­ coming a large city, and in 1895 its population, including that of Frederiksberg and the suburbs amounted to 408,312. Ko n g e n s Ny t o r v (PI. G. 11) in the centre of the old city is a large irregular square of nearly 8 acres, and may be termed the heart of the toAvn, though not its real centre. In the middle of the square stands surrounded by