Middelgrundsfortet

Middelgrundsfortet or Fort Middelgrund, known as Ungdomsøen (The Youth Island)[1][2] since 2015,[3] is a sea fort located on an artificial island in the Øresund between Copenhagen and Malmö. The fortress is constructed at a point where the seabed is 7 meters below the water surface, and at the northern meeting point of the straits Kongedybet and Hollænderdybet.

Middelgrundsfortet 2016
Inside Middelgrundsfortet

History

Christian IX's government constructed the fort between 1890–94 to serve as a part of Copenhagen's coastal fortifications, partly using material excavated from Frihavnen. It is one of three artificial islands that were created to defend the entrance to Copenhagen's harbour. (The other two are Flakfortet and Trekroner Fort.)

Middelgrundsfortet was the largest sea fortress in the world, and is still the largest man-made island without abutment, with an area, including wave breakers, of approximately 70 000 m²;[3] the buildings total approximately 15 000 m². A HAWK battery was placed on the island in the 1950s. The fortress remained an active military installation until 1984; in 2002 it was sold to a private investor.

Facilities

The fort has been used as a hotel, with 200 rooms linked by 2 miles of corridors.[4] Ferries connect Middelgrundsfortet with Langelinie, Copenhagen.

Ungdomsøen
Main article: Ungdomsøen

Two scout organisations, Det Danske Spejderkorps and KFUM-spejderne, bought the island in April 2015[5] for 20 million kroner (£1.94M) with money donated by the A. P. Møller and Nordea funds.[6][7] The two Danish scout organisations intend to develop the facility, at a cost of 25 Million euros,[8][9] as an adventure playground[10] "for the development of children and young people " (not just scouts) "into active, engaged and curious people who take the lead for positive social change",[11] with space for 400 campers.[12][1]

Ungdomsøen ("The Youth Island") was officially opened in August 2019 by its patron Princess Benedikte.[7][8][3][13][12][14]

Cultural references

A view of Middelgrundsfortet from the northwest is seen at 1:07:16 25 in the 1975 Olsen-banden film The Olsen Gang on the Track.[15]

References
  1. "Denmark - Calling Youth to Action in a Global Visibility Drive - Hosting in Focus". IYCE.org. International Cultural Youth Exchange - Denmark. 2019. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  2. "Welcome to Ungdomsøen". Ungdomsøen.dk. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  3. Neergaard Lorentsen, Maria Sofie (24 August 2019). "Ungdomsøen vil danne en demokratisk platform: Unge har brug for et sted at skabe fremtiden" [The Youth Island will form a democratic platform: Young people need a place to create the future]. Altinget.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  4. "World's most covetable castles for sale". Daily Telegraph.
  5. "Danish Youth Get Their Own Island". TheLocal.dk. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  6. "Danish Scouts Buy Old Fort To Create a Youth Island". Scout.org. European Scout Region. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019.
  7. "Princess Benedikte attended the opening of the Youth Island". Newmyroyals.com. 24 August 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  8. "Young people in Denmark get their own island to run". Xinhuanet.com. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  9. "Island of the Youth - Middelgrundsfortet". Nordea funds. 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  10. Williams, David A. (26 August 2019). "Young people in Denmark get their own island to run". Xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  11. "Spejderne Omdanner Middelgrundsfortet til Ungdomsøen" [Scouts transform the Middelgrundsfortet into the Youth Island]. DDS.dk (in Danish). Det Danske Spejderkorps. 13 September 2016. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. ...transform it into a center for the development of children and young people into active, engaged and curious people who take the lead for positive social change.
  12. Hamilton, Ben (21 August 2019). "Denmark to open its first ever youth island". CPHPost.dk. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  13. "Ungdomsøen vækkes til live" [The Youth Island comes to life]. Fyens.dk. 17 August 2019. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  14. Williams, David A. (26 August 2019). "Young people in Denmark get their own island to run". Xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  15. "Film 7 Olsen banden på sporet / Die Olsenbande stellt die Weichen". olsenbande-homepage.de (in German). Retrieved 5 October 2017.

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