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OBBERGEN, Anthonis van - b. 1543 Mechelen, d. 1611 Gdańsk - WGA

OBBERGEN, Anthonis van

(b. 1543 Mechelen, d. 1611 Gdańsk)

Anthonis van Obbergen (also Antonis van Augbergh), Flemish architect and fortifications engineer. After studying masonry in Mechelen and completing a tour to study fortification work in Germany, he initially gained experience working on the fortifications of Antwerp (1567-71).

Introduced to the Danish King Frederick II, he completed his royal palace of Kronborg in Helsingør. In 1586, van Obbergen moved to Poland, to Gdańsk where he brought a Flemish flavour to the city’s architecture. In particular, he designed together with Jan Strakowski and Abraham van den Blocke (1572-1628) the Old Arsenal, one of the great buildings in the Flemish Renaissance style (1601-09) as well as the Old City Hall (1587-95) which displays the classic features of high quality Mannerist Flemish architecture.

Other achievements include a number of fine houses in Gdańsk which he designed together with Jan Strakowski as well as work on the city’s fortifications. Van Obbergen also designed the Old Town Hall in Toruń, Poland, which was completed in 1603.

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The 16th century marked the exodus of protestant intellectuals from the Southern Netherlands. One of them was Anthonis van Obbergen, who left his mark in Poland, especially in Gdańsk, where he built ramparts and added many Flemish elements to the renovated City Hall, rebuilt after a fire in 1556. Most noted was the design of the Arsenal, the Great Armoury, one of the most striking examples of the Renaissance style in North Germany and Poland.

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The 16th century marked the exodus of protestant intellectuals from the Southern Netherlands. One of them was Anthonis van Obbergen, who left his mark in Poland, especially in Gdańsk, where he built ramparts and added many Flemish elements to the renovated City Hall, rebuilt after a fire in 1556.

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The 16th century marked the exodus of protestant intellectuals from the Southern Netherlands. One of them was Anthonis van Obbergen, who left his mark in Poland, especially in Gdańsk, where he built ramparts and added many Flemish elements to the renovated City Hall, rebuilt after a fire in 1556.

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Inspired by the Flemish Renaissance style of Antwerp developed by Cornelis Floris, the Royal Palace of Kronborg, which Obbergen completed after another Flemish architect resigned from the project in 1577, quickly gained international fame, both as an architecturally imposing building and as the largest castle in northern Europe. Although most of it was destroyed by fire in 1629, Christian IV had it rebuilt in accordance with van Obbergen’s design. Today’s castle has not changed substantially since that time.

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Inspired by the Flemish Renaissance style of Antwerp developed by Cornelis Floris, the Royal Palace of Kronborg, which Obbergen completed after another Flemish architect resigned from the project in 1577, quickly gained international fame, both as an architecturally imposing building and as the largest castle in northern Europe. Although most of it was destroyed by fire in 1629, Christian IV had it rebuilt in accordance with van Obbergen’s design. Today’s castle has not changed substantially since that time.

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