Valencia: Conference Center with a Colorful Past

From beer hall to variety theater, from nightclub to the conference center of the future.

Valencia, a hidden gem on Vesterbrogade, has a colorful past. On the outside, nothing has changed since 1861. On the inside, everything has changed.

Behind the elegant Hotel Savoy on Vesterbrogade hides one of Vesterbro’s oldest buildings. It started as the beer hall Thors Hal, was converted into the Figaro dance hall, and then, around WWI, it became the luxury variety theater Palais de danse, which was known as “Scandinavia’s largest variety theater and dance hall”. 

Valencia is one of Copenhagen’s  best-kept and most historical secrets with roots dating back to the early days of the construction of Vesterbro after the city walls came down.

Kind restoration

In 2014, Valencia was finally bathed in the love it deserves after having been overshadowed by all the buildings around it. 

The building was opened up and renovated by Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter, which carried out a kind restoration of the old meeting place. 

The building is home to the Association of Danish Law Firms and has become a meeting place for the entire sector. 

Valencia is owned by the Dreyer Foundation, which oversaw the renovation and modernization of the building. 

The newest approaches in energy renovation have been employed while retaining the building’s authenticity – enlivened with a tasteful dash of yellow. 

Historical facade

To the architects, probably the most important part of the transformation was exposing the historical facade, which was designed by Tivoli architect H.C. Stilling. 

Dorte Mandrup’s architectural studio, which is also located on Vesterbrogade, transformed the building into a conference center of the highest caliber by exploiting Valencia’s spatial qualities. The old architecture has respectfully been given a new look, making it more beautiful than ever. 

So while the old variety theater is still hidden away from busy Vesterbrogade, it stands out once again, just as it did back in the day when it was Copenhagen’s answer to the Moulin Rouge.