Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads (English: Bertel Thorvaldsen's Square) is a public square located in front of Thorvaldsens Museum on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. The two other sides of the triangular space are defined by the rear of Christiansborg Riding Grounds and Vindebrovej, the street along the Slotsholmen Canal which separates Slotsholmen from Gammel Strand.
When Thorvaldsens Museum was first built in 1848, its architect, Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll, also sketched a project for a square in front of it. Inspired by the at that time newly built Alte Museum which he had seen on his visit to Berlin in 1824, he proposed a round stone basin filled with water in front of the museum. Another inspiration was the antique basins he had seen in Rome, which were used as fountains in the city. Bindesbøll's plans also included a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen's self-portrait statue and some benches. The rest of the square was to be left empty. Bindesbøll's project was never realised and instead the square was laid out with a lawn and beech trees. [1]
In 2001 the square was remodelled by landscape architect Torben Schønherr.
The square is paved with large cobblestones and a single tree and a reflecting pool are the only ornamental features. The pool is designed by Jørn Larsen and has a diameter of 16 metres and a geometrical pattern characteristic of his style. [2]
The square is sometimes used for markets. [3]
Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish and Icelandic sculptor and medalist of international fame, who spent most of his life (1797–1838) in Italy. Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a working-class Danish/Icelandic family, and was accepted to the Royal Danish Academy of Art at the age of eleven. Working part-time with his father, who was a wood carver, Thorvaldsen won many honors and medals at the academy. He was awarded a stipend to travel to Rome and continue his education.
Slotsholmen is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. The name is taken from the successive castles and palaces located on the island since Bishop Absalon constructed the city's first castle on the island in 1167 at the site where Christiansborg Palace lies today.
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark.
The Danish Golden Age covers a period of exceptional creative production in Denmark, especially during the first half of the 19th century. Although Copenhagen had suffered from fires, bombardment and national bankruptcy, the arts took on a new period of creativity catalysed by Romanticism from Germany. The period is probably most commonly associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting from 1800 to around 1850 which encompasses the work of Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg and his students, including Wilhelm Bendz, Christen Købke, Martinus Rørbye, Constantin Hansen and Wilhelm Marstrand, as well as the sculpture of Bertel Thorvaldsen.
The Church of Our Lady is the Lutheran cathedral of Copenhagen. It is situated on the Frue Plads public square in central Copenhagen, next to the historic main building of the University of Copenhagen.
Michael Gottlieb Birckner Bindesbøll was a Danish architect active during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 19th century. Most known for his design of Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen, he was a key figure in the stylistic shift in Danish architecture from late classicism to Historicism. He was the father of the designer Thorvald Bindesbøll and the textile artist Johanne Bindesbøll.
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country. It was during this period that, in a country with little access to stone, brick became the construction material of choice, not just for churches but also for fortifications and castles.
The Thorvaldsen Museum is a single-artist museum in Copenhagen, Denmark, dedicated to the art of Danish and Icelandic Neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844), who lived and worked in Rome for most of his life (1796–1838). The museum is located on the small island of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen next to Christiansborg Palace. Designed by Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll, the building was constructed from 1838 to 1848 following a public collection of funds in 1837.
Gammel Strand is a street and public square in central Copenhagen, Denmark. On the south side it borders on the narrow Slotsholmens Canal while the north side is lined by a row of brightly coloured houses from the 18th and 19th century. Across the canal, Thorvaldsens Museum and Christiansborg Palace are seen on the island Slotsholmen.
Amagertorv is a public square in the district of Indre By in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Today it forms part of the Strøget pedestrian zone, and is often described as the most central square in Copenhagen. Second only to Gammeltorv, it is also one of the oldest, taking its name from the Amager farmers who in the Middle Ages came into town to sell their produce at the site.
Amaliegade is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark, which makes up the longer of the two axes on which the Rococo district Frederiksstaden is centred. Amaliegade extends from Sankt Annæ Plads to Esplanaden, passing through the central plaza of Amalienborg Palace on the way where it intersects Frederiksgade, the other, shorter but more prominent, axis of the district.
Søren Kierkegaards Plads is a harbourside public square on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark, named after Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. It occupies a strip of waterfront between the Black Diamond, whose main entrance faces the square, and the Frederiksholm Canal. Away from the water, the square is faced by Christian IV's Brewhouse as well as his old arsenal, now housing the Royal Military Museum. The thoroughfare Christians Brygge runs through the square which is connected to the water by "ghats" which also serve as seating for spectators for the occasional performances on a floating stage in the harbour basin.
The Royal Library Garden, often referred to simply as the Library Garden, is a small, somewhat hidden garden between the Royal Library, the Tøjhus Museum, ChristianIV's Supply Depot and Christiansborg Palace on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It has a reputation for being one of the most tranquil spots in the city centre.
Højbro Plads is a rectangular public square located between the adjoining Amagertorv and Slotsholmen Canal in the City Centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. It takes its name from the Højbro Bridge which connects it to the Slotsholmen island on the other side of the canal while Gammel Strand extends along the near side of the canal.
Kai Nielsen was a Danish sculptor.
Jørn Larsen was a Danish painter and sculptor. He was a member of Grønningen from 1970 and received the Eckersberg Medal in 1978 and the Thorvaldsen Medal in 1989. He represented Denmark at the Venice Biennale in 1993.
Danish sculpture as a nationally recognized art form can be traced back to 1752 when Jacques Saly was commissioned to execute a statue of King Frederick V of Denmark on horseback. While Bertel Thorvaldsen was undoubtedly the country's most prominent contributor, many other players have produced fine work, especially in the areas of Neoclassicism, Realism, and in Historicism, the latter resulting from growing consciousness of a national identity. More recently, Danish sculpture has been inspired by European trends, especially those from Paris, including Surrealism and Modernism.
The Albertina Foundation was a philanthropic foundation created by Carl Jacobsen in 1879 with the aim of installing sculpture in the public realm, particularly in the parks, of Copenhagen, Denmark. The artworks include both casts of classical Roman and Greek statues and works by contemporary artists. The foundation is named after Bertel Thorvaldsen, who in Italy went by the name of Alberto.
Dantes Plads is a public square located in front of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek where it connects H. C. Andersens Boulevard to Vester Voldgade in central Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gammel Skovgård is a former country house in Gentofte Municipality in the northern suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was originally located at the site where Skovgård School in Ordrup is now located but moved to its current site at Krathusvej 36 when the school was built in the 1950s.
