Larsens Plads

Last updated
The historical warehouses along Larsens Plads viewed from the water Larsens Plads from the water.jpg
The historical warehouses along Larsens Plads viewed from the water

Larsens Plads (Larsen's Place) is a waterfront in Copenhagen, Denmark, which runs along the Zealand side of the Inner Harbour from the Nyhavn canal in the south to the Nordre Toldbod area just south of Langelinie to the north. The name refers to a shipyard which used to occupy the grounds but is now more associated with emigration to America after it became a major hub for trans-Atlantic traffic later in the century. It is dominated by Amalienborg Palace with the Amalie Garden and a number of late 18th-century warehouses which have been converted to other uses. The buildings facing the waterfront have their address on the parallel street Toldbodgade.

Contents

History

Warehouses and ship building

Larsen's Place painted by Carl Dahl in 1840 Dahl View of Larsen Square near Copenhagen Harbor 1840.jpg
Larsen's Place painted by Carl Dahl in 1840

The waterfront was created by extensive land fills which led to the establishment of Ny Toldbodgade in 1719 and expanded the port northwards. The new quay was used for storage of timber that arrived to the city by ship.

When Frederiksstaden was founded and the area along the waterfront came under redevelopment as an elegant new residential district, it was decided to relocate the timberyards from the area due to the risk of fires. They found a temporary home at Greenland, a greenspace next to Nyboder, and were later moved to a filled site south of Lange Bridge, at present day Tietgensgade. [1] However, in spite of the wealthy new neighbours, the waterfront remained in use for port activities,

In 1802, the site was acquired by a wealthy shipowner, Lars Larsen, who established a shipyard in the grounds which became known simply as Larsen's Place after its founder. [2]

In 1844, when Larsen died, Larsens Plads was acquired by Jacob Holm, the owner of the largest shipping company in Denmark at the time as well as a shipyard on Christianshavn. He used Larsens Plads for repairing ships. [3]

Trans-Atlantic hub

Emigrants at Larsens Plads, painting by Edvard Petersen from 1890 Edvard Petersen - Udvandrere pa Larsens Plads (1890).jpg
Emigrants at Larsens Plads, painting by Edvard Petersen from 1890

In 1870, the shipyard was closed and a new port terminal was established at the site in 1879 by the Thingvalla Line which began operating a direct route between Scandinavian ports and America, offering the growing number of Scandinavian emigrants affordable, comfortable and safe voyages. In 1898, the Thingvalla Line was acquired by DFDS, another Danish-based shipping company, and the Scandinavian-American passenger service was operated under the name Scandinavian America Line. [2]

Later history

The route to America with Scandinavian America Line was discontinued in 1935. The quay area was later taken over by Oslo Ferries, which started in 1866 and have since relocated to the Free Port Terminal at Amerika Quay further north.

Buildings

The southern end of Larsens Plads with the Double Warehouse Larsens Plads - Amaliehaven and the Double Warehouse.jpg
The southern end of Larsens Plads with the Double Warehouse

Public art

An untitled sculpture by Søren Georg Jensen was installed at the quay in 1979. Outside the West India Warehouse is a replica of Michelangelo's David . [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scandinavian America Line</span>

The Scandinavian America Line (Skandinavien-Amerika-Linien) was founded in 1898, when Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskap (DFDS) took over the steamship company Thingvalla Line. The passenger and freight service between Scandinavia and New York City was operated under the name Scandinavian America Line until 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiral Hotel (Copenhagen)</span> Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark

Admiral Hotel is a hotel in central Copenhagen, Denmark, located on the waterfront of the Inner Harbour between the mouth of the Nyhavn canal and the royal residence Amalienborg Palace. The building is a former warehouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sankt Annæ Plads</span> Square in Copenhagen, Denmark

Sankt Annæ Plads is a public square which marks the border between the Nyhavn area and Frederiksstaden neighborhoods of central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a long narrow rectangle which extends inland from the waterfront, at a point just north of the Royal Danish Playhouse at the base of the Kvæsthus Pier, now known as Ofelia Plads, until it meets Bredgade. A major renovation of the square was completed in 2016.The Garrison Church is located on the south side of the square. Amaliegade, one of the two axes on which Frederiksstaden is centered, extends from the square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amaliehaven</span> Historic park in Copenhagen

Amaliehaven is a small park located between Amalienborg Palace and the waterfront in the Frederiksstaden neighbourhood of central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was established in 1983 as a gift from the A.P. Møller and the Chastine McKinney Møller Foundation. The park is part of the so-called Frederiksgade axis, the shorter but more distinctive of the two axes on which Frederiksstaden is centred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thingvalla Line</span> Shipping line

Thingvalla line was a shipping company founded by Danish financier, industrialist and philanthropist Carl Frederik Tietgen in 1879 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It maintained a route between Copenhagen and New York City calling at Kristiania and Kristiansand on the way. At its peak, it had ten ships in its fleet. In 1898, the company was bought by DFDS, another Danish shipping company, and the name was changed to Scandinavian America Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilders Plads</span>

Wilders Plads is a waterfront area located just north of Wilders Kanal, a branch of Christianshavns Kanal, in the north-western corner of the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. The area is bounded by Christianshavn Canal to the east and Krøyers Plads to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Warehouse</span>

The Blue Warehouse, is an 18th-century warehouse located at Toldbodgade 36 on the Larsens Plads waterfront in Copenhagen, Denmark. Completed in 1783 to the design of Caspar Frederik Harsdorff, it was converted into dwellings in the late 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amerika Plads</span>

Amerika Plads is a public square and surrounding neighbourhood in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the result of a redevelopment of an area in the southern part of the former Freeport of Copenhagen into a mixed-use neighbourhood which consists of dwellings, offices and retail establishments, combining converted historic buildings and modern architecture. The former Free Port Station building was put in storage during the redevelopment and is now located in the middle of the square where it serves as a café. The area is to the west bounded by Kalkbrænderihavnsgade, part of a major thoroughfare, and to the east by Dampfærgevej connected to Kalkbrænderihavnsgade in both ends and separating Amerika Plads from America Quay, the western quay of the Southern Free Port dock. The name of the area, like that of the quay, is a reference to the Amerikabåten, large passenger ships which used to transport Danish emigrants to New York City during the first half of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toldbodgade</span> Street in Copenhagen, Denmark

Toldbodgade is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It extends north from Nyhavn at the Nyhavn Bridge, continuing Holberggade, passes Sankt Annæ Plads after just one block, and continues straight until it reaches West India Warehouse where it makes a sharp left turn which connects it to Amaliegade, its parallel street, at the rear of the Design Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nordre Toldbod</span>

Nordre Toldbod is a waterfront area in Copenhagen, Denmark, located at the north end of Larsens Plads and just south of Kastellet. It takes its name after the custom house or toldbod which used to be located in the area. Most of the historic buildings in the area were torn down in 1973 when the site was redeveloped but its central waterfront space has remained intact and features a number of structures which bear testament to its former use. Among the modern buildings in the area are the headquarters of Mærsk and the Danish Energy Agency. The area is adjacent to Churchill and Langelinie Parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiatisk Plads</span>

Asiatisk Plads is a waterfront area by the Inner Harbour in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is bounded by Torvegade to the south, next to Knippel Bridge, Strandgade to the east and the Old Dock area to the north. It takes its name from Danish Asia Company which was based at the site from its foundation in 1732 until 1843 when it was dissolved. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now based in the area, in a purpose-built office complex from 1980 as well as in the surviving buildings of the Danish Asia Company, its former head office and two converted warehouses, all of which are listed. Asiatisk Plads is frequently used as a metonym for the Ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Holm (industrialist)</span> Danish industrialist, ship owner and merchant

Jacob Holm was a Danish industrialist, ship owner and merchant. He founded the company Jacob Holm & Sønner, which still exists today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applebys Plads</span>

Applebyes Plads is a triangular area located between Langebro Bridge and the southernmost portion of Christianshavn Canal at the southern tip of the Christianshavn neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. The area takes its name from Peter Applebye, Christian VI's rope maker, who ran his manufactury from the site in the late 18th century, although no buildings remain from that time. The Danish Sugar Factories' building along the waterfront dates from 1912 while the rest of the grounds have undergone residential redevelopment in later years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeport of Copenhagen</span> District of Copenhagen, Denmark

The Free Port of Copenhagen is a bonded area in the northern part of Port of Copenhagen of Copenhagen, Denmark. Created to consolidate Copenhagen's position as an important maritime hub in Northern Europe, it was established in the area just north of the fortress Kastellet and later expanded northwards several times. The original grounds, now known as Søndre Frihavn, has since been released for other uses. It comprises Amerika Plads, a modern mixed-use development, America Quay, India Quay, Langelinie and Marble Pier, the four quays which bounded the harbour, and Midtermolen, a pier which divides it into an east and west basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amerikakaj</span>

Amerikakaj is a 700 metre long quay along the west side of the Søndre Frihavn dock in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name commemorates the transatlantic passenger ships of the Scandinavian America Line which used to berth along the quay during the first half of the 20th century. Today DFDS's ferries to Oslo berth at its north end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grønlandske Handels Plads</span>

(Kongelige) Grønlandske Handels Plads is a waterfront area at the end of Strandgade in the northwestern corner of the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. The area is bounded by the Trangraven canal to the north, Christianshavn Canal to the east, Krøyers Plads to the south and the main harbor to the west. The waterfront is also known as Nordatlantens Brygge. It is named for the Royal Greenland Trading Department and was for more than 200 years a hub for Danish trade on Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The most notable building is North Atlantic House, an 18th-century warehouse now used as a cultural centre for the North Atlantic area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow Warehouse</span>

The Yellow Warehouse, is an 18th-century warehouse located at Toldbodgade 38 on the Larsens Plads waterfront in Copenhagen, Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Holm House</span> Building in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Jacob Holm House is a historic property located at Strandgade 4B in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was owned by the wealthy industrialist and shipowner Jacob Holm from 1819 to 1845.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krøyers Plads</span>

Krøyers Plads is a waterfront mixed-use development in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located between Wilders Plads to the south and Grønlandske Handels Plads to the north. The current buildings were completed in 2016 and are inspired by the historic warehouses that dominate the waterfront.

Lars Larsen was a Danish merchant, ship-owner and shipbuilder. The Lars Larsen House, his former home in Copenhagen, was listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places in 1918. He has also lent his name to Larsens Plads, a former dockyard located adjacent to Amalienborg Palace.

References

  1. "1755" (in Danish). Selskabet for Københavns Historie. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  2. 1 2 "Amalie Garden - Amaliehaven". Copenhagen Portal. Archived from the original on 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  3. "Jacob Holm" (in Danish). Dansk Biogradisk Leksikon. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  4. "David". Copenhagen Municipality. Retrieved 2014-11-06.

55°41′05″N12°35′47″E / 55.6846°N 12.5964°E / 55.6846; 12.5964