October 6th 2016

Esbjerg 016 – Original City Arms

Esbjerg 016 – Original City Arms

As mentioned in an earlier post, this is the original City Arms of Esbjerg. Although unofficial, the Arms was used in the years 1893-1903 and was superseeded by the City Arms we know today with the Linden and anchors.

This particular example of the old City Arms is placed upon the facade of the Esbjerg Touristinformation bureau (the former Esbjerg courthouse and jail), located at Torvet.

As mentioned, the old City Arms were not officially recognized as such and is actually a design by the architect of the courthouse and jail, Hans Christian Amberg.

As the story goes, upon completion of the courthouse and jail, H. C. Amberg felt that the facade lacked some sort of adornment. Thus he was commisioned by Consul Ditlev Lauritsen, to design something akin to a City Arms.

However, as Esbjerg wasn’t an independant municipality at the time, the design couldn’t be recognized as an official coat of arms.

October 5th 2016

Esbjerg 015 – Esbjerg Water Tower

Esbjerg 015 – The Water Tower

Esbjerg Water Tower has stood tall as THE landmark of Esbjerg, since it’s completion in 1897.

The iconic water tower was designed by architect Christian Hjerrild Clausen, who was greatly inspired by the Gothic style of medieval Haus Nassau in Nürnberg, Germany.

The water tower was erected on a burial mound from the Bronze Age, atop a cliff, overlooking the harbour.

Initially, the tank in the water tower had a capacity of 131 m^3, but consumption grew so fast that in 1904 a supplementary container with a capacity of 525 m³ needed to be installed on Nygårdsvej. It became obvious that from the very start, the container in the water tower had been too small. From 1902, water was pumped directly to the consumers, the containers only being used to store excesses.

Esbjerg Water Tower is located at Havnegade 22, 6700 Esbjerg.

 

October 4th 2016

Esbjerg 014 – Esbjerg Skibet

Esbjerg 014 – Esbjerg Skibet

Esbjergs newest landmark, “Esbjerg Skibet (“The Esbjerg Ship”), is a granite sculpture, by Jørgen-Martin Pedersen from Vejrup, depicting a sailing ship.

“Esbjerg Skibet” was a donation, to the city of Esbjerg, from the “Claus Sørensen Fund” on occasion of the 100th birthday  of Tage Sørensen (1915 – 2016).

The sculpture was unveiled on December 5th 2015 (Tage Sørensen’s birthday) and at the same time, the square on which it sits, was named “Tage Sørensens Plads” (Tage Sørensens Square).

The sculpture measures more than 6 metres in height (including the plinth).

Curiously, on the date of unveiling of the sculpture, Tage Sørensen paid to make sure, that the residents on all the nursing homes in Esbjerg Kommune was served Port Wine and chocolate, as he knew it wouldn’t be possible for everyone to attend the unveiling.

The “Claus Sørensen Fund” was established in 1964 by one of Esbjerg’s great sons: Claus Sørensen, founder of the “Claus Sørensen Group”. The fund has contributed to many charitable causes in Esbjerg Kommune over the years.

Claus Sørensen Gruppen (The Claus Sørensen Group) was founded in 1926 by Tage Sørensens father, Claus Sørensen. It started out with the establishment and operation of cold stores along the west coast of Jutland. Today the activities include many other industries, and has produced several of the largest companies in Esbjerg and the surrounding areas.

Claus Sørensen himself passed away in 1976, leaving Tage Sørensen to continue his life’s work, which he did with great success.