Bakkehuset
Encyclopedia
Bakkehuset is a historic house museum in the Frederiksberg
district of Copenhagen
, Denmark
. Dating from the 1520s, it is has served a number of functions over the years, including as a farmhouse, inn, private home, psychiatric hospital
and orphanage
. It is particularly associated with the Danish Golden Age when it was ovned by Knud Lyne Rahbek
and his wife, Kamma Rahbek
, used it as a venue for her salons
.
, it long served as an inn. Former prime minister Count Johan Ludvig Holstein acquired it in 1756, probably with the intention to make it his countryside home, had he not died 1763. Instead the property was taken over by his building master, J. C. Conradi, who completed his refurbishment of the property which still served as an inn the year after. When Conradi went bankrupt in 1777 the estate once again changed owners. Knud Lyne Rahbek
was a permanent guest from 1787 until 1802 when he acquired the property and made it his private home.
, who was married to Oehlenschläger's sister Sofie, Hans Christian Andersen
, Jens Baggesen, Jens Collin, Rahbek's fellow director at the Royal Theatre
—Poul Martin Møller
, Bishop Mynster
and Bernhard Severin Ingemann
.
The maintenance of the he busy social life was expensive and neither Rahbek, nor Kamma had much means to make do with. They rented out rooms to supplement their incomes, and Kamma managed to make the most out of their meagre means.
Later the house has served as a summer residence for people such as Johan Ludvig Heiberg
, Johanne Luise Heiberg
and Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig
.
gardens to be laid out in Denmark.
. The museum at Bakkehuset opened in 1925.
The building is located next to the Carlsberg area
, the former industrial site of the Carlsberg Breweries, which is now under redevelopment into a new dense district in Copenhagen. A small park will be located next to the museum.
Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg Kommune is a municipality on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The municipality, co-extensive with its seat, covers an area of and has a total population of 98,782 making it the smallest municipality in Denmark area-wise, the fifth most...
district of 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
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...
. Dating from the 1520s, it is has served a number of functions over the years, including as a farmhouse, inn, private home, psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
and orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
. It is particularly associated with the Danish Golden Age when it was ovned by Knud Lyne Rahbek
Knud Lyne Rahbek
Knud Lyne Rahbek was a Danish literary historian, critic, writer, poet & magazine editor.Knud Lyne Rahbek was son of the clergyman Jacob Rahbek, but he had always wanted to become an actor. In his youth he tried out as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre, but because of his looks he was...
and his wife, Kamma Rahbek
Kamma Rahbek
Kamma Rahbek , née Heger , was a Danish artist, salonist and lady of letters....
, used it as a venue for her salons
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
.
Early history
Bakkehuset can be traced back to the 1520s. Strategically located on the main road from Copenhagen to RoskildeRoskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
, it long served as an inn. Former prime minister Count Johan Ludvig Holstein acquired it in 1756, probably with the intention to make it his countryside home, had he not died 1763. Instead the property was taken over by his building master, J. C. Conradi, who completed his refurbishment of the property which still served as an inn the year after. When Conradi went bankrupt in 1777 the estate once again changed owners. Knud Lyne Rahbek
Knud Lyne Rahbek
Knud Lyne Rahbek was a Danish literary historian, critic, writer, poet & magazine editor.Knud Lyne Rahbek was son of the clergyman Jacob Rahbek, but he had always wanted to become an actor. In his youth he tried out as an actor at the Royal Danish Theatre, but because of his looks he was...
was a permanent guest from 1787 until 1802 when he acquired the property and made it his private home.
Cultural venue
After the Rahbek's took over Bakkehuset, it quickly became a popular social venue for the city's literary and intellectual establishment. Among the many regular visitors were Adam Oehlenschläger, who was married to Kamma's sister Christina, Anders Sandøe ØrstedAnders Sandøe Ørsted
Anders Sandøe Ørsted was a Danish politician and jurist. He served as the Prime Minister of Denmark in 1853-1854 as leader of the Cabinet of Ørsted....
, who was married to Oehlenschläger's sister Sofie, Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
, Jens Baggesen, Jens Collin, Rahbek's fellow director at the Royal Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
—Poul Martin Møller
Poul Martin Møller
Poul Martin Møller was a Danish academic, writer, and poet. During his lifetime, he gained renown in Denmark for his poetry. After his death, his posthumously published fiction and philosophical writings were well received. He also devoted several decades of study to classical languages and...
, Bishop Mynster
Jacob Peter Mynster
Jacob Peter Mynster was a Danish theologian and Bishop of Zealand, Denmark from 1834 until his death....
and Bernhard Severin Ingemann
Bernhard Severin Ingemann
Bernhard Severin Ingemann was a Danish novelist and poet.Ingemann was born in Thorkildstrup, on the island of Falster, Denmark. The son of a vicar, he was left fatherless in his youth. While a student at the University of Copenhagen he published his first collection of poems Bernhard Severin...
.
The maintenance of the he busy social life was expensive and neither Rahbek, nor Kamma had much means to make do with. They rented out rooms to supplement their incomes, and Kamma managed to make the most out of their meagre means.
Later the house has served as a summer residence for people such as Johan Ludvig Heiberg
Johan Ludvig Heiberg
Johan Ludvig Heiberg may refer to:* Johan Ludvig Heiberg , Danish poet and dramatist, husband of Johanne Luise Heiberg* Johan Ludvig Heiberg , Danish philologist and historian of mathematics...
, Johanne Luise Heiberg
Johanne Luise Heiberg
Johanne Luise Heiberg was one of the greatest Danish actresses of the 19th century. She is most famous for her work at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, where she achieved great success.-Early life:...
and Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig
Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig
Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig , most often referred to as simply N. F. S. Grundtvig, was a Danish pastor, author, poet, philosopher, historian, teacher, and politician. He was one of the most influential people in Danish history, as his philosophy gave rise to a new form of nationalism in...
.
Kamma's garden
The Bakkehuset estate included 3.5 hectares of land. Kamma enthustically, almost scientifically, established a garden with a small pond, lawns, flowers and many rare plants on the premises. It was one of the first private English styleEnglish garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
gardens to be laid out in Denmark.
Later history
One of the originally three wings was allowed to fall into despair and was ultimately demolished. For a while the building was used as a psychiatric hospital before it moved to Ebberødgård outside BirkerødBirkerød
Birkerød is a town and was a municipality in Frederiksborg County on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark...
. The museum at Bakkehuset opened in 1925.
Bakkehuset today
The museum consists of a series of memorial rooms dedicated to some of the notabilities who have lived in the building over the years.The building is located next to the Carlsberg area
Carlsberg (district)
Carlsberg is an area straddling the border of Valby and Vesterbro districts in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It covers an area of 33 hectares and is the former industrial site of the Carlsberg Breweries, which decommissioned their Valby brewery at the end of 2008, concentrating their production of...
, the former industrial site of the Carlsberg Breweries, which is now under redevelopment into a new dense district in Copenhagen. A small park will be located next to the museum.