During the Golden Age, architects and master craftsmen gave Copenhagen a completely new appearance – that of neo-classicism. This is the city as we know it today. There was plenty to be done, for after the great fires and the British bombardment a vast area of the city had been devastated.
Neo-classicism was the dominant style of the day. It was international, but in Copenhagen it achieved an expression entirely its own – partly because of the old winding streets and irregularly shaped squares.
C.F. Hansen, Harsdorff and Abildgaard were some of the men who treated the style in the most skillful fashion. They took their inspiration from classical antiquity. Both the official buildings and the new homes of the bourgeoisie were provided with columns, ornamentation and triangular gables. But neo-classicism also dictated regular rhythms, well-balanced proportions and discreet colour combinations.
The rebuilding of the city produced a milieu that was at once intimate, light and airy. The houses of the bourgeoisie entered into a harmonious dialogue with buildings representing the State, the Church and the City in a surprising and unique manner.
City walk in the Copenhagen of the Golden Age |
