Jens Lindhe
Hammershus Visitor Centre
Site
Path
Monument
Wildlife
New visitor centre connected to the historic ruin of Hammershus Castle on the island of Bornholm.
Cities and towns
National parks
UNESCO sites
UNESCO global geoparks
Main roads
Airports
Cruise ports
Case
Infrastructure
Paved road
Walking path
Grass
Trees / Forest
Access for all
Hammershus Castle was built to keep potential invaders at a safe distance. A fortress of stone, bricks, and man-made moats. Making the ruins of this deliberately dismissive structure accessible for the public while at the same time respecting the listed landscape represents a fascinating design challenge. The task of providing discrete parking for numerous cars and buses and establishing a robust but gentle infrastructure capable of leading thousands of visitors to the ruins and the new and spacious visitor centre.
Embedded in the natural landscape
Hammershus is Northern Europe’s largest castle ruin and Bornholm’s most visited attraction. The Castle Ruin is firmly located on the edge of the cliff at Hammersknuden, the northernmost point of the Danish island of Bornholm, with a grand view over the Baltic Sea in a lush cliff landscape. The visitor centre is built into the landscape about 200 m east of Hammershus and separated from the castle by a gorge. From the visitor centre, you can see Hammershus in a whole new perspective with an amazing panoramic view from the centre’s large windows. Furthermore, guests can enjoy an exhibition about Hammershus, made in collaboration with the Museum of South Denmark.
Key facts
- Location
Hammershus, Bornholm
- GPS points
N55° 16’17.08’’ E14° 45’35.68’’
- Protection Framework
Danish legislation
- Estimated number of visitors
- High season
- Low season
- Project Owner
Public - The Danish Nature Agency / Danish Ministry of the Environment
- Designer
Designed by Arkitema Architects in collaboration with architect Christoffer Harlang
- Year of construction
2018
- Materials
Concrete, timber, and glass
- Grants
Nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award in 2019.