Gammel Strand 48

Gammel Strand is the name of the street that runs along Slotsholmskanalen. It’s also the name of the metro station located at one end of the street, and the name of the art gallery at number 48: the Art Association Gl. Strand or just Gammel Strand.

Gammel Strand is characterised by the row of 18th century townhouses that line the canal. The architecture is reminiscent of the canal-lined streets of the Netherlands, but with some local Danish flair. Since 1941, the house at number 48 has been owned by the Art Association Gl. Strand. Besides presenting exhibitions of modern art, the association also invites visitors inside to experience the characteristic and well-preserved building.

Fishing Port and Fires

Gammel Strand 48 is testament to how the middle classes, fires and international influences have made a lasting impact on Copenhagen’s identity. Fishermen were still selling their catch directly from their boats and booths at Gammel Strand as late as the 1950s. The entire row of houses date back to the 1700s, a period when the more wealthy commoners began building their own properties. Many of the houses along Gammel Strand were burned down by the fire in 1795, but the house at number 48 survived almost unscathed.

Help from the Netherlands

The house was built in 1750-51 by architect and master builder Philip de Lange for a merchant called Peter Isenberg. Philip de Lange would become a central figure of this period of Danish architectural history. He came to Denmark to help rebuild Copenhagen after the fire of 1728 had left much of the city in ruins. He was originally from the Netherlands, which had already developed its own architectural tradition, and this would now leave its mark on Copenhagen. Or rather, would leave its mark again. Because the Dutch had also inspired the design of Christianshavn almost a century earlier.

The Century of Extensions

De Lange’s architectural style was influenced by the Dutch Late Baroque era with its heavy ornamentation, particularly of facades. You can still see the well-preserved sandstone portal created by stonemason Andreas Gercken the Younger in 1750, as well as the somewhat simpler interior decor of high, oil-painted panels and stucco ceilings. The building originally only had two floors. The Baroque attic was added after yet another fire in the late 1700s. Additions and refittings to older buildings in central Copenhagen are quite common due to the many destructive fires that have ravaged the city over the centuries.

It is to Gammel Strand’s credit that the building and its courtyard convey such well-preserved architectural history. Through their ownership of the building, they have ensured that it was restored with an eye to history. As recently as just a few years ago, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects carried out a comprehensive renovation of the courtyard.

Near Gammel Strand

If you stand with your back to Gammel Strand, your gaze will immediately land on the gable of Thorvaldsen’s Museum: the first purpose-built public museum in Copenhagen. To the right you’ll find the National Museum of Denmark. And if you look to your left, you’ll see the spire of Nikolaj Kunsthal. All of these pre-eminent institutions are part of the Copenhagen Cultural District in the heart of the Danish capital.