The early Viking settlement was defended by moats and ramparts to the north, west and south. During the
Middle Ages the city grew beyond the boundaries marked by these defenses and at the same time advents in warfare had made such structures less useful for defense. Some time before 1500 the ramparts and moats were dismantled and the street Volden was established on the former westernmost rampart. The street
Badstuegade runs parallel to Volden to the west and archaeological excavations have shown evidence of a former moat and the foundations of an old city gate by the building
Borgporten (
Lit. Castle Gate). It is believed the surplus earth from the rampart was used to fill in the moat
Badstuegade was established on. Until 1867 the southern section of Volden, nearest
Store Torv, was called
Pustervig which is a common name known from other Danish cities. The word "puz" means water-filled hole or mud-pit so some theories speculate that the area may have been swampy. Another theory is that it is related to blacksmiths which at the time were called ''
(coal-blowers) for their use of bellows. Additionally, blacksmiths in medieval towns tended to be located at the outskirts or by open areas to protect thatched housing from fire and embers. The building on the corner of Volden and Rosensgade
was called '' (smith's house) until 1562 and was owned by the blacksmiths' guild. The name '
can then best be translated as ' (Smith street) and it was likely where blacksmiths plied their trade in the
Middle Ages. == Gallery ==