Embassy of France in Copenhagen
Encyclopedia
The French Embassy in Copenhagen
is the main diplomatic mission
of France
to Denmark
. It is located in the Thott Palace at Kongens Nytorv
4 in central
Copenhagen
, Denmark. The ambassador since October 2010 is Véronique Bujon-Barré.
from 1683-86 as the just second building on Kongens Nytorv
which, inspired by the royal square
s of Paris
, had been laid out by Christian V of Denmark
in the years following his coronation in 1670. With his victory in the Battle of Køge Bay
Niels Juel had won fame and wealth. His new mansion was designed by Lambert van Haven
as an L-shaped building in the Dutch Baroque style.
After Niels Juel's death in 1697, the king, Christian V of Denmark
, arranged for his official mistress and mother to five of his children, Sophie Amalie Moth
, to take over his mansion. She immediately passed it on to he and the king's eldest son son, Christian Gyldenløve
, who around 1700 extended the building with a third wing.
In 1769 the Palace was acquired by Otto Thott
, who had the facade towards modernized to the design of Nicolas-Henri Jardin
in 1763-64. The property remained in the belonging of the Thott family until 1930 when it was purchased by the French State and turned into the French Embassy in Denmark.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
is the main diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It is located in the Thott Palace at Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The finest and largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with a major extension of the fortified city, and has an equestrian statue of...
4 in central
Indre By
Indre By , also known as Copenhagen Center or K or Downtown Copenhagen or City, is one of the 15 administrative, statistical, and tax city districts comprising the municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark...
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark. The ambassador since October 2010 is Véronique Bujon-Barré.
Thott Palace
The building now housing the French Embassy was built for the Danish naval hero Niels JuelNiels Juel
Niels Juel was a Dano–Norwegian admiral. He was the brother of the diplomat Jens Juel.-Biography:Niels Juel was born the son of Erik Juel and Sophie Clausdatter Sehested, both were descendant of Danish nobility, who lived in Jutland where the father had a career as a local functionary and judge...
from 1683-86 as the just second building on Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The finest and largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with a major extension of the fortified city, and has an equestrian statue of...
which, inspired by the royal square
Place des Vosges
The Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris.It is located in the Marais district, and it straddles the dividing-line between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris.- History :...
s of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, had been laid out by Christian V of Denmark
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
in the years following his coronation in 1670. With his victory in the Battle of Køge Bay
Battle of Køge Bay
The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark-Norway and Sweden that took place in the bay of Køge 1–2 July 1677, during the Scanian War, while Christian V was king of Denmark. It resulted in what may be Denmark's greatest naval victory....
Niels Juel had won fame and wealth. His new mansion was designed by Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven
Lambert van Haven was a Danish architect, master builder and painter. He was born in Bergen, the son of the artist Solomon van Haven who had already succeeded in winning the favour of the Danish monarchy....
as an L-shaped building in the Dutch Baroque style.
After Niels Juel's death in 1697, the king, Christian V of Denmark
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, arranged for his official mistress and mother to five of his children, Sophie Amalie Moth
Sophie Amalie Moth
Sophie Amalie Moth, Countess of Samsø was Christian V of Denmark’s acknowledged official lover. She was the first officially acknowledged royal mistress in Denmark.-Biography:...
, to take over his mansion. She immediately passed it on to he and the king's eldest son son, Christian Gyldenløve
Christian Gyldenløve
Christian Gyldenløve was one of five illegitimate children fathered by Christian V of Denmark with Sophie Amalie Moth. The others, all named Gyldenløve, were:* Christiane Gyldenløve * Sophie Christiane Gyldenløve...
, who around 1700 extended the building with a third wing.
In 1769 the Palace was acquired by Otto Thott
Otto Thott
Otto Thott , was a Danish Count, minister of state, bibliophile, and collector of books. He was one of the greatest private book collectors of his time in Denmark.- Early life and education:...
, who had the facade towards modernized to the design of Nicolas-Henri Jardin
Nicolas-Henri Jardin
Nicolas-Henri Jardin , neoclassical architect, was born in St. Germain des Noyers, Dept. Seine-et-Marne, France, and worked seventeen years in Denmark as an architect to the royal court...
in 1763-64. The property remained in the belonging of the Thott family until 1930 when it was purchased by the French State and turned into the French Embassy in Denmark.
Cultural activities
The Embassy is today also used as a venue for a multitude of activities including conferences, lectures, wine tastings and guided tours.Further reading
Jeanne-Louise Hermite (1933):La vie d’un palais danois Kjær, Ulla and Florence Talbot: Det Thottske Palæ/Le Palais Thott. Copenhagen 2006. Text in Danish and French, forewords by former ambassador Anne Gazeau-Secret and HRH Prince HenrikHenrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...