17th to 19th century arms and maritime antiques
The small town of Fredericksværk in northern Sjælland, Denmark, was home to a substantial cannon foundry during the age of front-loading cannon. Between 1756 and 1833, an estimated 2.500 cannon were cast for the Danish military, but also for export.
The fortress towering over the little Cretan town of Rethymno is a strange place. Built by the Venetians at the end of the 16th century to protect the town and its inhabitants from Ottoman invaders, it proved ineffective for this purpose in 1646, when it was taken after a short siege. The Ottomans demolished the church and built a mosque in its place.
Continue reading “Derelict cannon at the Fortezza of Rethymno”
Malta’s capital Valetta is as much a town as it is a fortress and this armoury has the matching tools.
The Danish Navy frigate Jylland was built in 1860. As a wooden ship with front-loading cannon, her design was already outdated at that time. She still saw action in 1864, in the war against Germany.
Since 1994, she sits in a dry dock in the small town Ebeltoft and serves as a museum.
Every day at 12.00, one of the 24lbs. cannon is fired.