Brønshøj 5.29

Brønshøj, part of the municipality of Copenhagen, forms, together with Husum, the administrative city district (bydel) of Brønshøj-Husum. Brønshøj lies on rising ground 4 km west of Copenhagen center and is bordered by the large wetland area of Utterslev Mose and Tingbjerg to the north. A number of ponds, lakes, and parks characterise Brønshøj. On its eastern edge, the ridgeline of Bellahøj provides extensive views over Copenhagen.The first mention of the village Brønshøj (Brunshoga), is in a letter dated October 21, 1186 from Pope Urban III to Archbishop Absalon. Brønshøj Church dates from approximately the same time.In 1658-1660, during The Northern Wars, the village and its immediate surroundings were transformed into a military fortress and town, named Carlstad by the Swedish Army under the command of King Karl X Gustav. This town supported the Swedish siege of Copenhagen. The population reached c. 30,000, which was the same as that of Copenhagen itself. The siege ended on the death of Karl X Gustav, 13 February 1660. Evidence of the fortifications cannot be found in the landscape today, though many artifacts have been uncovered. Artifacts and models of Carlstad and the events surrounding its creation are found at Brønshøj Museum.