Ertholmene

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This article is about the island fortresses in Denmark. For fortress in Norway, see Christiansø Fortress.

Fæstningen Christiansø
Northeast of Bornholm, Denmark
Type	Naval fortress
Built	1684
In use	1684-1855 (1863)
Controlled by	Denmark
Battles/wars	Gunboat War

Christiansø in 2001

Ertholmene, sometimes called Christiansø, is a small archipelago situated approximately 18 km northeast of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Population: 92 (2006), area: 39 hectares. Christiansø makes up 22.3 hectares, Frederiksø 4, and Græsholm 11 hectares. The islets are located 18 km northeast of Bornholm and do not belong to either a municipality or a county. The area is often referred to as Christiansø, although this is only the name of the most important island.

The area consists of three main islands, Christiansø (named after King Christian V), Frederiksø (named after King Frederick IV) and Græsholm, plus a number of minor rocks and skerries. The best known of the latter are Tat and Østerskær, Denmark's easternmost point.

Only Christiansø and Frederiksø are inhabited. The sound between Christiansø and Frederiksø, a well-sheltered natural harbour, is crossed by a pedestrian bridge linking the two islands. Græsholm is a bird reserve.

Fishermen from Bornholm have used Ertholmene for temporary shelter since the Middle Ages. The first permanent inhabitation was the result of the Danish-Swedish conflicts in the late 17th century. As Denmark needed a naval base in the central Baltic Sea, a fort was built on Christiansø and Frederiksø in 1684 which served as an outpost for the Danish Navy until 1855. The population peaked at the census in 1810 which showed 829 inhabitants. Although many of the historical buildings now serve as living quarters for the local population, their external appearance has been changed very little to this day. A former part of the fort, Store Tårn on Christiansø now houses a lighthouse.

The islands are state property and do not belong to a municipality, instead, they are governed by an administrator appointed by the Danish government. The permanent population is approximately 100 persons including more than a dozen children. Major sources of income are fishery and tourism. There are 80,000 tourists per year, mostly day visitors from Bornholm. Ertholmene is also a popular destination for yachts.