Visitor Center Hammershus

Revisiting the castle ruins of Bornholm

Castle Ruin is firmly located on the edge of the cliff at Hammersknuden, the northernmost point on the Danish island of Bornholm, with a grand view over the Baltic Sea in a lush cliff landscape.
  • Naturstyrelsen
    Client
  • Professor Christoffer Harlang
    Collaborating architects
  • Wissenberg
    Engineer
  • Location
    Hammershus, Bornholm
  • Year
    2013 - 2018
  • Size
    1.400 m²
  • Awards
    WAF 2018, Category: Display
  • Awards
    EU Mies Awards 2018 Nominee
  • Awards
    Tømmerprisen 2018
  • Architect
    Arkitema
  • Landscape
    Arkitema
Arkitema Hammershus 5 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web

You immediately appreciate the importance of Northern Europe's best-preserved caste ruin as an important defence facility many years ago and, today, as the most important attraction on the island and a landmark that is very dear to many of Bornholm's residents.

With the new visitor centre, this important, historic building gained an even stronger foothold on the island and in people's hearts since the visitor centre stages the grand historic caste ruin. Like a natural part of the cliff, the visitor centre is placed as a discreet building, where the path ahead towards the ruin ends on the roof of the visitor centre. If you decide to walk down along the cliff side and into the visitor centre, the story is retold with a panoramic view of the ruin. As a visitor, you experience a strong sense of landscape, castle ruin and architecture blending with each other.

Arkitema Hammershus 180 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
From the visitor centre, the path continues over a bridge, which, supported on slender piles, takes visitors across the canyon that separates the centre from the castle.

Inside, raw concrete floors are distributed throughout the building and are complemented by warm ceilings and wooden window frames. Here, you see soft wool from the sheep in the surrounding landscape in the integrated curtain artwork by the artist duo AVPD. The pleated curtain functions as a noise-reducing room divider next to the school facilities. In the permanent exhibition, you can learn more about the castle ruin while visitors can buy relevant books in the store or enjoy local-based food and beverages in the café, which also offers a view of the castle ruins.

Arkitema Hammershus 44 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
Arkitema Hammershus 43 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web

From the visitor centre, the path continues over a bridge, which, supported on slender piles, takes visitors across the canyon that separates the centre from the castle. From the castle ruin, you can look back at the visitor centre, which blends into the landscape with a subdued calmness and elegance.

Arkitema Hammershus Section01 web
Arkitema Hammershus Elevation North web
Arkitema Hammershus 184 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
Arkitema Hammershus 165 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web

The project was designed in close cooperation with professor and architect Christoffer Harlang. At the same time, the Danish Nature Agency and the A.P. Møller Foundation played an important role in the realisation of the project.

Arkitema Hammershus 63 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
Arkitema Hammershus 66 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
Arkitema Hammershus 174 Photo Rasmus Hjortshoj web
Landskabsplan Page 1
Håndskitse Page 2