Lundgaard & Tranberg wins competition for Danevirke Museum

The historic fortress of Danevirke in South Sleswig, Germany is Northern Europe’s largest ancient monument and a UNESCO world heritage site. This site marks the beginning of Denmark as a nation. The new museum tells the story of Danevirke’s history spanning 1500 years, unifying people across borders.

Danevirke is an area spanning more than 30 kilometres of ramparts, walls and moats. The new museum will be located next to the Gate – for centuries the only passage between Europe and the North. The competition was created together with Marianne Levinsen Landskab, Regnestuen A/S and Ekolab A/S.

Lene Tranberg, architect and founding partner says: “It has been an incredibly inspiring process creating a new building for the site that marks the beginning of Denmark as a nation. We wanted the museum to have a strong presence, hence the large roof symbolizing the unification of people across borders, as well as an ambition to embrace and encompass a history that spans 1500 years. During the entire process we have worked with the precondition that the main rampart, visible today only as a subtle hill, had to be a focal point. That is why the building meets the soft landscape with humility. We have framed the look towards main rampart in a way that draws attention to it from inside the museum. At the same time the exhibition halls give the museum the best conditions for creating exhilarating exhibitions that tell the large part of Danevirke’s history not directly accessible by the rampart. “

Chairman of The South Schleswigian Association, Gitte Hougaard Werner says: “The museum will be a beautiful building representing Nordic Architecture here in Northern Germany. It merges into the landscape at the same time directing attention to the site's main attraction: the mound. We look forward to advancing the project and opening the museum in a few years."

Lars Erik Bethge, Director of Danevirke Museum states: “The new building gives us optimal conditions for welcoming our guests offering them a very pleasant and exciting stay. It will be an outstanding experience worthy of a UNESCO world heritage site. Simultaneously the project will also mark a historic milestone in the Danish-German collaboration."

The museum is supported by a donation by the A.P. Møller Foundation. The Augustinus Foundation also supports the project.

The museum is set to open in 2024.

*Siteplan. Credit: Marianne Levinsen Landskab*

Fie Lindholm