Halmtorvet
Encyclopedia
Halmtorvet is a public square
in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen
, Denmark
. It is located next to Copenhagen Central Station in front of the Meat District. The oblong square eventually turns into Sønder Boulevard
, a broad street with a park strip in its central reserve, which continues to Enghavevej at Enghave station
.
Up through the 20th century, with improved infrastructure, livestock moved out of the city and horses lost their role in transportation, and the haymarket finally closed. The area fell into despair and became associated with prostitution and drug dealing. The site was also dominated by through traffic, buses and goods transport.
The area underwent gradual gentrification
up through the 1990s and Halmtorvet was thoroughly refurbished from 1999 to 2003 as part of a major programme for urban renewal
in the Vesterbro area. The first stage was designed by the office of the City Architect and completed in 2000. The second and third stages were designed by the Park Office of the City and carried out in 2003. In order to obtain a coherent space in the area a large gas regulator in front of the Brown Meat District was removed.
In the centre of the square, in front of Øksnehallen, there is an oval pool surrounded by large open spaces and playgrounds. Other areas have elevated lawns and flower beds with terraced sides. Other elements in the refurbishment include new paving and items of street furniture.
Built in 1961, Borgenhus, at No. 20, is the only building in Inner Vesterbro under City Plan West, a municipal plan from 1958 for condemnations and urban renewal
in the area.
The south side of the square, from the roundabout up to the beginning of Sønder Boulevard, borders on the Meat Packing District. The original meat market was planned and designed by Hans Jørgen Holm
in 1878 but over the years new buildings were added to the design of other architects, including Øksnehallen by Ludvig Fenger
in 1901.
The section closest to the Central Station is known as the Brown Meat District. It is the older part and generally dates from about 1900. The section closest to Sønder Boulevard is known as the White Meat District and was built in the first half of the 1930s to the design of City Architect Poul Holsøe
Borgenhus, the modern building at No. 20, houses Station City, the Copenhagen Police Department's police station for the city centre.
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
in the Vesterbro 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...
. It is located next to Copenhagen Central Station in front of the Meat District. The oblong square eventually turns into Sønder Boulevard
Sønder Boulevard
Sønder Voulevard is a boulevard in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, whose broad central reserve has been turned into a park strip with various facilities for sports and other activities...
, a broad street with a park strip in its central reserve, which continues to Enghavevej at Enghave station
Enghave station
Enghave station is an S-train station in Copenhagen, Denmark. The station opened on November 11, 1911. S-train service commenced on November 1, 1934, and today the station is serviced by trains on Vestbanen and Frederikssundbanen....
.
History
Copenhagen's haymarket was originally located just inside the Western City Gate where the City Hall Square lies today. It closed on 1 January 1888 and relocated to the area outside the new Livestock Market which had opened at the site in 1879. Market days were Wedensday and Saturday and up to several hundred loads of hay and straw were traded and distributed to cattle and horse stables around the city.Up through the 20th century, with improved infrastructure, livestock moved out of the city and horses lost their role in transportation, and the haymarket finally closed. The area fell into despair and became associated with prostitution and drug dealing. The site was also dominated by through traffic, buses and goods transport.
The area underwent gradual gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
up through the 1990s and Halmtorvet was thoroughly refurbished from 1999 to 2003 as part of a major programme for urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
in the Vesterbro area. The first stage was designed by the office of the City Architect and completed in 2000. The second and third stages were designed by the Park Office of the City and carried out in 2003. In order to obtain a coherent space in the area a large gas regulator in front of the Brown Meat District was removed.
Square layout
The square has an oblong shape. To make the space more attractive to urban life, the new layout introduced one-way traffic which is taken along a single lane on the south side of the square. A roundabout on the corner of the Brown Meat District, distributes traffic south and north of the Central Station.In the centre of the square, in front of Øksnehallen, there is an oval pool surrounded by large open spaces and playgrounds. Other areas have elevated lawns and flower beds with terraced sides. Other elements in the refurbishment include new paving and items of street furniture.
Buildings
The north side of the square is lined with residential buildings from the 1890s. The building between Lille Istedgade and Abel Cathrine Gade was built from 1897 to 1898 to the design of Emil Blichfeldt who has also designed the main entrance of Tivoli Gardens on the other side of the Central Station.Built in 1961, Borgenhus, at No. 20, is the only building in Inner Vesterbro under City Plan West, a municipal plan from 1958 for condemnations and urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
in the area.
The south side of the square, from the roundabout up to the beginning of Sønder Boulevard, borders on the Meat Packing District. The original meat market was planned and designed by Hans Jørgen Holm
Hans Jørgen Holm
Hans Jørgen Holm was a Danish architect. A pupil of Johan Daniel Herholdt, he became a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and a leading Danish proponent of the National Romantic style.-Biography:...
in 1878 but over the years new buildings were added to the design of other architects, including Øksnehallen by Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Peter Fenger was a Danish architect. He was a proponent of the Historicist style and from 1886 to 1904 he was City Architect in Copenhagen....
in 1901.
The section closest to the Central Station is known as the Brown Meat District. It is the older part and generally dates from about 1900. The section closest to Sønder Boulevard is known as the White Meat District and was built in the first half of the 1930s to the design of City Architect Poul Holsøe
Halmtorvet today
Halmtorvet is now lined on either side by cafés and restaurants. Part of the Brown Meat Distrct, Øksnehallen at No. 11, a former market building, now serves as an exhibition venue which houses a broad variety of events, exhibitions and flea markets.Borgenhus, the modern building at No. 20, houses Station City, the Copenhagen Police Department's police station for the city centre.