danes architecture

8/9/2019 Danes Architecture

1/64

DANES COLONIAL

ARCHITECTURE


2/64

The Danes were trading on the river

Hooghly as early as 16! and"o#nded a settle$ent na$ed

Tran%#e&ar and a 'ent#ry later(rederi)snagar* later rena$ed

Sera$+ore* near to Cal'#tta,


3/64

(ort Dans&orgwas the &ase "orDanish

settle$ent in theregion d#ring theearly 1-th

'ent#ry,

Tran%#e&ar


4/64


5/64

Originally a .shingvillage*

Tharanga$&adi

/re"erred asTran%#e&ar0 was"orti.ed &y the

Danish* who #sed the+ort as the $aintrading +ost "or the

'olony* with the$a or e2 ort o" the


6/64

D#ring the $iddle o" the 13th 'ent#ry* the'o$$er'ial i$+ortan'e o" the townde'lined and the 'entre o" te2tile+rod#'tion $oved to Sera$+ore in thestate o" 5engal,

5#t Tran%#e&ar still re$ained thehead%#arters o" the Colony,

The "ort and the town was sold tothe 5ritish in 137 and* along with

Tharanga$&adi* the "ort lost its signi.'an'eas the town was not a trading +ost any$ore


7/64

One o" the 'hara'teristi's that setsTran%#e&ar a+art "ro$ the neigh&o#ringtowns and villages is the Danish 'olonialar'hite't#re the ho#ses* villas and the"ort that re$ind the visitor o" their "or$er

+resen'e,The town is +er'eived as #ni%#e &e'a#se

o" this ar'hite't#ral setting whi'h is ano#t'o$e o" a synthesis &etween Danish

and lo'al Ta$il verna'#lar,


8/64

(ort Dans&org is lo'ated in theso#thern +art o"Tharanga$&adi*lo'ated 38 )$ /1-6 $i0 "ro$ the

state 'a+ital Chennai,

It is ilt in Danish style*

'hara'teri9ed &y large halls*'ol#$ned str#'t#res* high 'eilingsand +roe'ting dra+ery

Ar'hite't#re
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharangambadihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennaihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharangambadi


9/64

The length o" the "ort in the side "a'ingthe sea is 6! $ /!! "t0 and the width is

a&o#t 11 $ /86 "t0,The "ort is tra+e9oidal in sha+e with three

roo$s in the le"t wing* originally #sed asthe governor:s residen'e* a )it'hen withan o+en .re+la'e and 'hi$ney in the to+le"t hand 'orner* and a 'h#r'h roo$* nowa $#se#$* lo'ated in the 'entre o" the

ilding,The original re'tory and the northern +art

o" it* whi'h are now the store roo$s* arelo'ated in the right wing,


10/64

The 'orner roo$ on theright side was theresiden'e o" the

'o$$er'ial dire'tor,In $odern ti$es* it is

#sed as a store roo$,

The 'ore o" the ilding is

$ade o" &ri'),The $ain door o" the "ort

"a'es north* while anadditional door "a'es the

east,The se'ond storey o" the

"ort has a set o" g#ardroo$s,


11/64

The stair'ase leading to it are ilt with&ri')s,

The 'entral +art o" the "ort has "o#r 'a$elh#$+ sha+ed do$es,

The 'entral +illar o" the hall holds the entireweight o" the do$es,


12/64

The 'itadel en'loses a set o"ildings*

the nota&le ones &eing the "ortilt in 16!*

the ;asila$ani Nathar Te$+le

ilt in the 18th 'ent#ry* the ateway ilt in 1-?*

the Danish >overnor 5#ngalow

ilt in 1-3


13/64

It is the oldest +rotestantCh#r'h o" India,

@ro$inent with its 'o$&inationo" 'olonial and Indianar'hite't#ral "eat#res* its'onstr#'tion together with the"orti.'ation o" the town $ar)edthe $oving o#t and s+readingo" the Danish +o+#lation intothe s#rro#nding settle$ent,

Zion's Church


14/64

The str#'t#re went thro#gh severalre'onstr#'tions* re"#r&ish$ents and"a'eli"tsB &e"ore it was &ro#ght to

the +resent "or$,Ithas a s+i)ed do$e,


15/64

The -!! year old;asila$ani Nathar

Te$+le ilt in 18!6 &ythe @andya ing;aravar$a$ #lase)ara@andyan is #ni%#e in its

ar'hite't#re,

;asila$ani Nathar Te$+le


16/64

The New JerusalemChurcho" Tran%#e&ardates &a') to the 1-th

'ent#ry,The 'h#r'h was ilt &y

5artholo$ae#s


17/64

The 'h#r'h was'onstr#'ted $ainly "orthe 'onverted Indians,

New =er#sale$ Ch#r'hhas a s$all 'e$eterythat dates &a') to 13th

'ent#ry,

In the 'h#r'hyard o" the+retty* whitewashedNew =er#sale$ Ch#r'his ried 5artholo$a#s


18/64

the Town >ate* ilt to $ar) the entran'e o"Tharanga$&adi in the year 166!,

Town >ateway


19/64

Landporten , as the Town Gate is'alled in Danish* is +art o" the

"orti.'ations ilt aro#nd the town o"Tran%#e&ar in the 166!s,

In 1-?1 the original gate* whi'h wasin a deteriorated state* wasde$olished and re+la'ed &y a newone designed &y the then governor*@eter An)er and e2e'#ted &y the

engineer* ;hldorF* in 1-?,The Gan)ing g#ard +osts are $issing

"ro$ the original +lan,


20/64

Now tho#gh* +art o" it has &eenen'roa'hed #+on &y settle$ents*

h#ts stand alongside the gater#&&ing sho#lders with it* n#lli"yingits eFe't as an entran'e to the villagethat stands testi$ony to a +ie'e o"

history owing to its 'olonial +ast,


21/64

This ilding got its na$e as it was #sed asresiden'e o" Danish >overnor in 1-3,

Danish >overnor 5#ngalow


22/64

@res#$a&ly laid o#t in 'onne'tion with the

ere'tion o" the "ort in the 16!s d#e tothe high $ortality rates o" the E#ro+eansettlers* the esta&lish$ent o" a 'e$etery$#st have &een ne'essary "ro$ the very

&eginning,

In the 16!!s it was 'onne'ted to the

Dans&org Cha+el and a"ter 1-!1* to


23/64


24/64

The settle$ent inside the 'itadel is $odeled li)e

a s$all E#ro+ean town with a land gate and

wooden doors leading to the $ain street*

na$ely* the ing:s Street,So$e o" the nota&le ildings in the ing:s street

are the >ate Ho#se* ;#hldorF:s Ho#se* @ort;aster:s 5#ngalow and Rehling:s Ho#se,

There were originally 'itadel walls towards thesea* whi'h eroded with ti$e on a''o#nt o" the

salty nat#re o" the environ$ent,

The "orti.'ation 'o#ld not withstand an atta') &y

reg#lar $ilitary "or'es* t a'ted as a +rote'tion"or the 'iti9ens o" the settle$ent against

+redatory 'avalry raids,

The &astions o" the "ort are 'onstr#'ted with

&la') stone,


25/64

Sera$+ore


26/64

In 1-77 the Danish Asiati' Co$+any

was granted the right to esta&lish atrading +ost at Sera$+ore/Srira$+#r0 at the Hooghly River inJest 5engal* a&o#t 7 )$ north o"Cal'#tta /ol)ata0,

The na$e o" the +la'e was o'ially'hanged to Frederiksnagore inhono#r o" the Danish ing (rederi) K*however* the lo'al na$e was

$aintained in daily #se,


27/64

S#&se%#ently Sera$+ore 'a$e #nderdire't ad$inistration o" the Danish

Crown in 1--- and re$ained onDanish hands* with only a "ewinterr#+tions* #ntil 137* when thetrading +ost was 'eded to the 5ritish

together with the other Danishsettle$ent in India* Tran%#e&ar/Tharanga$&adi0 in Ta$il Nad#,

A+art "ro$ its +osition as a'o$$er'ial settle$ent* Sera$+ore&e'a$e an i$+ortant 'entre o"

ed#'ation and learning in India,


28/64

Several ildings originating "ro$ the Danish+eriod are still signi.'ant land$ar)s*'ontriting to the distin't identity o"Sera$+ore

The Danish >overn$ent Ho#se /1--10*

The Catholi' Ch#r'h /1--60*

The L#theran St, Olavs 'h#r'h /13!60* and

The Sera$+ore College /1380,


29/64


30/64

1810 . A view of Serampore from the rivershowing the long row of stately villas (1810.a!!er".


31/64

The Danish >overn$ent 'o$+o#nd dates &a')to 1-77 when the Asiati' Co$+any esta&lishedtheir trading +ost in Sera$+ore,

D#e to the +oliti'al #nrest in the area at theti$e* the Co$+any "elt it ne'essary to s#rro#ndthe s$all estate &y a +rote'tive wall,

Jithin this wall* the govern$ent ho#se wasere'ted together with a +owder $aga9ine* ag#ardroo$* a ail* a )it'hen* a henho#se* a

godown and %#arters "or the staF and o'ers

The Danish Governmentcompound


32/64

The 'o$+o#nd and all the relatedstr#'t#res were laid o#t a''ording to

a northso#th a2is leading "ro$ theNishan >hat with the Gag staF at theriver &an) onwards thro#gh the

northern $ain gate to thegovern$ent ho#se and to theso#thern gateway ilding,

180! The compound in front of the Govern!ent o#se. $ehind thelow wall on the left was a garden #sed as a retreat for the %anishGovernor and the higher ranking o&'ers


33/64

18"# . The Danish govern!ent 'o!po#nd (18).Tho!pson".


34/64

18$0 . The Danish govern!ent 'o!po#nd (18*0.Gastrell".


35/64

"00%! Plan of the government compound


36/64

A &ri')Milt gate on the northernside o" the 'o$+o#nd is .rst$entioned in the re'ords in 1--and +arts o" the original str#'t#reare +ossi&ly in'or+orated in the+resent gate,

Shortly a"ter the 5ritisho''#+ation o" Sera$+ore 13!3M17

the gate was reilt with +aired+ilasters headed &y Ioni' 'a+italsand a triang#lar +edi$ent

The main &ate


37/64

The .rst wall aro#nd the 'o$+o#nd"ro$ 1-77 was ere'ted in 'lay andstraw and needed re+eatedly re+air

d#ring the $onsoon,In 1-3!* on the initiative o" >overnor

Ole 5ie* the $#d wall was re+la'ed &y

a $ore d#ra&le &ri') wall at the totallength o" a++ro2i$ately 6!! $ o"whi'h large +arts are still +reserved

The compound wall


38/64

The western +art along Ch#r'h Street isa++ro2i$ately 17!$ long with a thi')ness o"!,- $ and a height o" a&o#t 8,! $,


39/64

On the western +art o" the'o$+o#nd* the town engineer>tting d#g o#t a new water tan) in

1-36 and 'onstr#'ted the &ri')Miltste+s leading down to the water

The water tan

The southern &ateway


40/64

I$$ediately to the so#th o" the Danishgovern$ent ho#se* the 'o$+o#nd 'ontains

a r#ined t highly interesting gatewayilding* whi'h was +ro&a&ly 'onstr#'tedso$e ti$e a"ter the 5ritish o''#+ation

13!3M17

The southern &ateway(uildin&


41/64

D#ring the Danish and thes#&se%#ent 5ritish +eriod the

ilding "#n'tioned as a detentionand sa"e)ee+ing "or stolen eFe'tssei9ed &y the +oli'e,

Jhen the orientation o" the townshi"ted away "ro$ the river towardsthe new railway station a"ter 137*this so#thern gateway +ro&a&ly&e'a$e the +re"erred entran'e to the'o$+o#nd and the govern$ent

ho#se* whi'h was re'onstr#'ted and


42/64


43/64

The s$all ilding is very well +ro+ortionedwith a +er"e't sy$$etri'al layMo#t aro#ndthe $iddle a2is o" the 'o$+o#nd,

The ri'hly orna$ented northern "aadehave +aired +ilasters with Ioni' 'a+italsand triang#lar +edi$ents o" the 'lassi'alorder a&ove the window o+enings,

To the so#th* "a'ing on to the 5had#&iSarani street* the gateway is e$+hasised&y r#sti'ated $asonry,


44/64

The Danish govern$ent ho#se was "ro$

the esta&lish$ent in 1-77 the 'entre o" theDanish ad$inistration* as well as the+rivate residen'e o" the Head o"Sera$+ore,

Initially the govern$ent ho#se was asi$+le $#d and wattle 'onstr#'tion with athat'hed roo" 'onsisting o" a hall* "o#rlarge roo$s* two s$all roo$s* twoverandas and one godown

house


45/64

The $aor +art o" this ilding 'olla+sed d#ringa dinner +arty on ndDe'e$&er 1--!,

The re$aining +art was de$olished and in 1--1the Danish Head o" Sera$+ore* =ohan Leonard(i2 /1--!M1--80 &egan the 'onstr#'tion o" anew &ri')Milt govern$ent ho#se 'onsisting o"a hall* two roo$s and a veranda,

In 1-31 "#nds were allo'ated "or the

'onstr#'tion o" the new veranda* ilt as a$on#$ental "ront +orti'o in the Ioni' order* andtwo roo$s were added at ea'h side o" theilding* e2tending the whole length o"the"aade,

I 138 th > t H t d


46/64

In 138 the >overn$ent Ho#se was re+ortedto 'ontain large roo$s in the 'entre* 7s$aller roo$s with o+en verandas to ea'h

side* as well as a large veranda to the so#thwith a terra'e

A&ove, The sa$e year two additional roo$s

have &een .tted #+ at ea'h end o" theso#thern veranda* $ost li)ely &y adding twonew +artition walls inside the veranda,

In 13 and 138 an #++er story was addedwith a roo" +avilion rising a&ove the "a'ade&elow* there&y 'reating the +ro+ortions o" an

Italian +ala99o ,

Jhen the ilding was trans"erred to the


47/64

Jhen the ilding was trans"erred to the5ritish in 137 it th#s 'onsisted o" threelarge roo$s and eight side roo$s on the

gro#nd Goor and two roo$s on the #++erstory,

The trans"or$ation o" the ilding has

ta)en +la'e over a +eriod o" a&o#t !!years and ea'h ilding +hase reGe'ts thevarying style and "ashion o" the day,

The $any alterations and e2tensions givethe ilding a s+e'ial 'hara'ter andi$$ense i$+ortan'e as one o" the oldestildings in the town* reGe'ting the history

o" Sera$+ore thro#gh the Danish* 5ritish


48/64


49/64

The )ail and co rt ( ildin&


50/64

The Danish ad$inistration o" Sera$+ore wasvery li$ited in ter$s o" &oth staF and.nan'ial $eans,

Still the Danish >overnor had theres+onsi&ility o" $aintaining law and order inthe town* whi'h i$+lied the dealing with all)inds o" 'ri$inal 'ases as well as religio#sdis+#tes,

The )ail and court (uildin&*Catcherie+

A t h d il + t h i it


51/64

A 'o#rt ho#se and ail* or +at'herie as it waster$ed at the ti$e* was there"ore a ne'essary$eas#re o" the Danish #di'ial syste$,

The .rst Danish ail in Sera$+ore was a singleilding* 'ontaining two roo$s only with averanda and a s#rro#nding &ri') wall,

In 1-3- so$e atte$+ts were $ade to i$+rove

the e2isting ail &y e2tending the o+en&a')yard and &y adding a new &athroo$,

However* d#ring the 5ritish o''#+ation 13!1M13! the ilding was not $aintained

+ro+erly* and the whole 'o$+le2 &e'a$eherea"ter dila+idated and not 'onsideredworthy o" renovation,

A l t & ht i 13!8 d th


52/64

A new +lot was &o#ght in 13!8 and theDanish engineer and ;aor* 5, A, vonJi')ede* +re+ared a +lan "or a new ailor +at'herie.

The new -ail was ina#g#rated the sa$eyear and a+art "ro$ a 'o#rt ho#se it

'onsisted o" a n#$&er o" se+arategaols "or the diFerent ethni' andreligio#s 'o$$#nities,

In 138 the +rison was "#rthere2tended with a new ward "or wo$enand a wall s#rro#nding the adoining

'o#rtyard,


53/64


54/64


55/64

(#nded +artly &y +rivates#&s'ri+tion in Den$ar) andSera$+ore and +artly &y +#&li'grants* the 'onstr#'tion o" St,Olavs 'h#r'h was initiated in 13!!&y the Danish >overnor Ole 5ie,

The nave was 'o$+leted in 13!6* ayear a"ter the de'ease o" Ole 5ie*whereas the +orti'o and the &ell

tower were 'o$+leted in 131 ,The 'h#r'h &e'a$e a $aor

land$ar) o" Sera$+ore* a++earingat all the early de+i'tions o" the

town,

St, Olav:s 'h#r'h

The original drawing "ro$


56/64

The original drawing "ro$13!6* signed &y theEnglish lie#tenant

Ale2ander Ar$strong*shows the +lan* elevationand "#t#re internalorganisation o" the 'h#r'h,

@lanned as a three aisleilding with a Gat roo"and an o+en +orti'o thedesign was later $odi.ed

&y adding a +edi$ent witha &ro)en 'orni'e "eat#ringthe royal $onogra$ o" theDanish ing Christian KII,

The interior is s+arsely de'orated with


57/64

The interior is s+arsely de'orated withso$e st#''o wor) high on the walls in the'hoir,

Otherwise there is no adorn$ent a+art"ro$ si2 'o$$e$orative ta&lets along theso#thern aisle wall,

At the stee+le are two &ells o" E#ro+eanorigin* t none o" the$ is in #se any$ore,


58/64

r'hite't#ral drawing/y Lt. r!strongdated 180*

The Catholic Church


59/64

5#ilt 1--6 the Ro$an Catholi' Ch#r'h is theoldest 'h#r'h in Sera$+ore, The ilding re+la'ed

a 'ha+el dating "ro$ 1-6* whi'h had &e'o$e toos$all to serve the growing Catholi' 'o$$#nity,

A#2iliary ildings were 'onstr#'ted on anadoining +ie'e o" land in 1-3! "or the

a''o$$odation o" the +riest, The ildings were"#rther e2tended in 131 and a se'ond storyadded to it

The Catholic Church


60/64

Sera$+ore College was "o#nded in1313 and soon a"ter the 'onstr#'tiono" a new ilding was initiated at a

large site 'lose to the river* adoiningthe &otani'al garden and the +rintingho#se,

,erampore Colle&e

The main building


61/64

The main building.

Sit#ated within a+leasant and well )e+tgreen area* the $ainilding o" Sera$+ore

College and the "or$erresiden'e o" Jillia$Carey as well as thean'illary ildings are

$aor land$ar)s o"Sera$+ore today,

5#ilt to a s%#are +lan in two


62/64

5#ilt to a s%#are +lan in twostories* the $ain "aade towardsthe river is do$inated &y a giant

+orti'o in the Ioni' Order with a+er"e't sy$$etry aro#nd a$iddle a2is,

The rear side was originally.nished &y a se$i 'ir'#lar a+se

whi'h was later destroyed in anearth%#a)e,

The s+a'io#s do#&le highentran'e hall is "#rnished with a

large do#&le stair'ase e2e'#tedin 'ast iron* #st as the $aingate o" the 'o$+o#nd* whi'ho+ens towards the river,


63/64

The 'e$etery o" the 5a+tist $ission issit#ated 'lose to the +resent Dey Street*whi'h at the ti$e o" esta&lish$ent was on theo#ts)irts o" Sera$+ore,

(or the #se o" the land* the $ission so'iety+aid an ann#al rent to the Danish govern$ent

The -ission Cemetery

The Danish Cemetery


64/64

The Danish 'e$etery in Sera$+ore was

reserved "or @rotestants and adoining to it*se+arated &y a low wall* was the rialgro#nd o" the Ro$an Catholi's, In the early+eriod the gro#nd was only "en'ed &y a

living hedge* whi'h was re+la'ed &y a &ri')wall in the 1--!s

The Danish Cemetery

danes architecture

Documents