Influences and Networking in Danish Brick Architecture During the Twelfth and Sixteenth Centuries

Throughout history, people have expressed themselves through architecture. This chapter deals with the use of brick in architecture and changes in building culture. It examines how influences are transferred by means of networking through two case studies from twelfth-century and sixteenth-century Denmark and whether shifts in architecture were affected by other changes in society. There are indications that, during the mid-twelfth century, the initiative to start building with bricks in Denmark came from the royal House of Estridsen and the Hvide clan. The knowledge of brickwork seems to have been passed on from these elite families to other noble families. The Reformation of the Catholic Church in Denmark took place in 1536, when the Crown gained control of the Church and its properties. The income this brought made it possible for the Crown to erect new palaces using brick. This, in turn, encouraged the nobles and some burghers to also invest in new brick buildings which feature the influences of Dutch and sometimes Italian Renaissance styles.