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Palatial Mansions in Copenhagen Dansk


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Contents

Thotts palæ 1683 Kongens Nytorv
Holsteins palæ 1687 Stormgade
Moltkes palæ 1702 Bredgade
Kancellibygningen 1721 Slotsholmsgade
Marskalsgården 1729 Købmagergade
Barchmanns palæ 1740 Frederiksholms Kanal
Prinsens palæ 1744 Frederiksholms Kanal
Odd Fellow Palæet 1751 Bredgade
Lindencrones Palæ 1751 Bredgade
Bernstorffs Palæ 1752 Bredgade
Dehns palæ 1752 Bredgade
Amaliegade 15-17 1754 Amaliegade
Det gule palæ 1764 Amaliegade


Thotts palæ
1683-86

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Now the French embassy on the square Kongens Nytorv. Built by admiral Niels Juel 1683-86, therefore also known as Juels palæ. Alterations by privy councillor Otto Thott 1763-64.
The most significant alterations by Thott are visible in the third picture. The right-hand facade towards Bredgade has the original Tuscan capitals; these were replaced by composite Ionic-Corinthian capitals on the main facade towards Kongens Nytorv. The main facade was also  decorated with festoons and a balustrade was added with statues and vases. A triangular pediment replaced a belvedere. Also the original dark red brick wall between the pilasters was painted.
The original architect was possibly Ewert Janssen. The alterations of 1763 were the work of Nicolas-Henri Jardin.
The Thott family sold the house to the French government in 1930. Interiors can be seen here (the website of the French embassy)


Holsteins palæ
1687

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In Stormgade. Originally known as Lützows palæ. Erected around 1687 by the lord chamberlain Henning Ulrich von Lützow, shortly after Juels palæ above and in a similar style. Consisted originally of two floors above a cellar, nine bays with pilasters, and a hipped roof. It was extended at either end by a slightly wider bay in the period 1711-40. In 1756 there were more extensive alterations designed by Jacob Fortling for the then owner Johan Ludvig Holstein. He heightened the building with by one floor (where there previously had been a triangular pediment) and placed statues along the top. He also added an entrance in the middle.


Moltkes palæ
1702

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On the corner of Bredgade and Dronningens Tværgade. Erected 1702 by Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve ("Gyldenløves little palace"). Two floors and cellar, nine bays with giant pilasters in the centre. The rich sandstone decorations and the balustrade with sculptures were added slightly later by the architect Johan Cornelius Krieger. The side towards Dronningens Tværgade was extended by seven bays at the end of the 19th century in the same style (last picture). 


Kancellibygningen
(The Chancery Building)
1721

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On Slotsholmsgade, next to Christiansborg  palace. A large Baroque building completed 1721 by King Frederik IV for the state administration - it was never a residential mansion as were the others on this web page.
The architect was the king's master builder Johan Conrad Ernst.
The large eye-catching frontispiece carries in relief the nation's coat of arms, a bust of Frederik IV, and various symbols of war and peace.


Marskalsgården
(Marshal's Court)
1729

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In Købmagergade on the corner of Valkendorfsgade. Inner city post office, earlier the central post office for Copenhagen. Built as a mansion in 1729-33. Started by Christian Møinichen, but changed hands a couple of times during its construction, and then sold to the king in1734. For a short time after that it was the residence of the lord chamberlain (lord marshall, hence the name). Post office since 1779 when it was renovated by Harsdorff.
The Baroque design is believed to be by the Dutchman Philip de Lange. Seven bays with a projecting central bay richly decorated on all floors. The windows were originally sash windows, unusual in Denmark, but also used by de Lange elsewhere.


Barchmanns Palæ
1740

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On the corner of Frederiksholms Kanal and Ny Kongensgade. A Baroque mansion built in 1740-41 by Philip de Lange for Jacob Barchmann. A seven-bay extension along the canal in 1748 and a little later a three-bay extension along Ny Kongensgade.
The original building of is seven bays towards the canal and nine towards the street, in red brick with sandstone pilasters, cornice, decorations and portal, and a mansard roof.
The extension along the canal also has pilasters, but in red brick not sandstone. The cornice is also abandoned.
The Baroque style required symmetry and the facade to the right of the portal is, in fact, covering the stables.


Prinsens palæ
1744

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The National Museum on Frederiksholms Kanal. The original house was built in 1684 but altered twice: In 1726 for Crown Prince Christian (later Christian VI) and in 1743-44 for Crown Prince Frederik (V). The later alteration was done in the latest French style by the court architect Nicolai Eigtved and is one of the oldest Rococo buildings in Denmark. It has three wings with a courtyard closed to the street by a single-floor gallery with entrance portal in the middle. Balustrade with vases and statues. The statues together with window decorations on the garden side were saved from the building of 1726 by Krieger. 


Odd Fellow Palæet
1751-56

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In Bredgade. Originally Berckentins Palæ. Built 1751-56 for privy councillor C.A. Berckentin by the architect J.G. Rosenberg. The design possibly also influenced by the court architect Nicolai Eigtved. Owned by the Order of Odd Fellows since 1900.
The house, in Rococo style, stands behind highly decorative wrought iron railings. Originally there were single-floor wings with pavilions at the front to the street. These were replaced at the end of the 19th century by pastiche Rococo buildings (last picture).
The main facade resembles Amalienborg. Eleven bays, slight two-bay projections at either end and a more strongly projecting three-bay centre. Shallow niches and lesenes with square "ears", a feature used by Eigtved. Balustrade with Berckentin's coat of arms. The entrance has a balcony carried by four pairs of Ionic columns.


Lindencrones Palæ
1751

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On the corner of Bredgade and Skt. Annæ Plads. Designed by Nicolai Eigtved og built 1751-53 for Christen Lintrup (raised to the peerage in 1756 under the name Lindencrone). Built of limestone from Lintrup's estate Gjorslev at Stevns.
The building is not as simple a design as it first appears, especially the facade towards Bredgade. The central and end bays are slightly projecting and above the ground floor they have "ear"-lesenes (as in previous building), corbels and decorative reliefs. The bays between the projections have  niches and no lesenes. The ground floor has horizontal grooves but only on the projections. The whole is brought together, however, by a horizontal moulding above the ground floor along the full length of the building. The facade towards Skt. Annæ Plads has niches and "ear"-lesenes, also on the ground floor where they carry the horizontal grooves.


Bernstorffs Palæ and Dehns Palæ
1752-56

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Externally two identical but mirror-image palaces on the corners of Bredgade at the entrance via Frederiksgade to Amalienborg Square. Built in 1752-56 for the two privy councillors J.H.E. Bernstorff and F.L. Dehn. The designs were by J.G. Rosenberg but approved by the Court master builder Nicolai Eigtved, who had overall supervision of the new town district of Frederikstad.
The style is Late Baroque/Rococo. The main facades towards Bredgade consist of three pavilions on three floors over a cellar and mansard roofs. The piano nobile, the main floor, has tall round-arched windows with decorations above. Vases and cartouches on the roofs. The pavilions are connected by lower, two-floor sections. All facades have "ear"-lesenes (i.e. small square "ears" at the top) and the central pavilions also have pilasters with highly decorated capitals and grooves at the ground floor level.


Amaliegade 15-17
1754

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Amaliegade15-17 was built 1754-56. It was designed by Nicolai Eigtved as two symmetrical houses of which one has been heightened.


Det Gule Palæ
(The Yellow Palace)
1764

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In Amaliegade. Built 1764 by the architect Nicolas-Henri Jardin for the timber merchant H.F. Bargum.
The style is Neoclassical, which now replaced the Rococo.

More palatial mansions

Amalienborg - the mansions constituting Amalienborg, the royal palace  

Charlottenborg

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