Danish Colonial Remains 17th-20th centuries

Written by Marco Ramerini. English text revision by Dietrich Köster.

If you know something on colonial remains or if you have photos of such remains – they may be anywhere in the world -, send them to me. I’ll be happy to publish them on this website. Thank you. Marco. My e-mail is on the home page.

DANISH COLONIAL REMAINS

AFRICA

GHANA

Osu: Fort Christiansborg (1661).

Kpomkpo: ruins of Frederiksberg (Hill resort).

Cape Coast: a few remains of Fort Fredriksborg. Teshe: remains of Fort Augustaborg (1787).

Ningo: a few ruins of Fort Fredensborg.

Ada: a few ruins of Fort Kongensten.

Keta: ruins of Fort Prinsensten (1784). This fort was in excellent condition until 1970, but is now almost completely demolished.

AMERICA

GREENLAND

ICELAND

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

St. John Island: sugar mill and slave quarters of Danish sugar plantation of Annaberg, ruins of sugar mill of Catherineberg.

Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas Island): Fort Christian (1671-1680), Clock Tower (in Fort Christian) (1878), Government House (1860s.), Legislature Building (1874), Watch Tower Skytsborg (Blackbeard‘ s Castle) (1678), Frederick Lutheran Church (1780s.), Lutheran Parsonage (1725), historical houses, Beracha Veshalom Hasidim Synagogue.

St. Croix Island: sugar mill (Whim Plantation) (18th century). Christiansted (St. Croix Island): Historical Town, Fort Christianvaern or Christiansted (1774), Steep Building Church, Government House, Danish warehouses.

Frederiksted (St. Croix Island): Fort Frederik (18th century).

ASIA

INDIA

The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church Membership: 103,093 This church is a lineal descendant of the Danish-Halle mission enterprise, which began when Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Plütschau landed at the Danish crown colony of Tranquebar in 1706. The headquarters of the Church are in Trichinopoly. A theological seminary is maintained in Tranquebar.

Tranquebar (Tarangambadi): Dansborg Fort (1620), ruins of the Government Building, New Jerusalem Church (1718), Danish houses, New Zion Church (1701), Inland Gate, Rehling’s Gard is an interesting building named after Johannes Rehling, who was the Danish Governor and owned the house between 1823 and 1841. It presently houses the St. Theresa’s Teachers’ Training College and it is well preserved.

Thanjavur: Schwartz Church (in the Palace garden) built in 1779 by Rajah Serfoji in token of his affection for the Reverend C.V. Schwartz of the Danish Mission.

Frederiksnagore (Serampore): ruins, St. Olaf’s Church (1800s), Serampore College (1821), cemetery.