Archeologists discover Danish shipwreck sunk by Britain 225 years ago

Marine archaeologists have discovered a Danish warship at the bottom of Copenhagen Harbor that sank 225 years ago.

The Danish Viking Ship Museum, which conducted months-long underwater work, announced the discovery this week, as reported by the Associated Press.

The finding was made almost exactly 225 years after the Battle of Copenhagen (1801).

“This is an important part of Danish national identity,” said Morten Johansen, head of the museum’s marine archaeology department.

According to Johansen, examining the wreckage will help researchers better understand what it was like to be aboard a ship under fire from British forces. Among the items found are two cannons, elements of uniforms, insignia, footwear, bottles, and part of a sailor’s lower jaw—likely belonging to one of the 19 crew members listed as missing.

The Battle of Copenhagen, in which the British fleet under Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated the Danish fleet, lasted several hours and resulted in thousands of casualties. The goal of the attack was to force Denmark to leave an alliance of Northern European states that included Russia, Prussia, and Sweden.

The excavation site will soon be overtaken by construction of a new residential district as part of the Lynetteholm project, which is expected to be completed by 2070.

By Nazrin Sadigova