Johan Daniel Herholdt
Encyclopedia
Johan Daniel Herholdt was a Danish
architect
, professor and royal building inspector. He worked in the Historicist
style and had a significant influence on Danish architecture
during the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. His most famous work is the Copenhagen University Library
in Fiolstræde
in Copenhagen
which heralded a new trend. The strong use of red brick in large-scale cultural and civic buildings was to characterize Danish architecture for several decades. He was a leading proponent of the "national" school in Danish architecture of the period as opposed to Ferdinand Meldahl's and Vilhelm Dahlerup
's "European" school.
. From 1841, he travelled in Denmark, Norway
and Northern Germany
, studying buildings and working along the way. In 1845, he returned to Copenhagen to complete his studies in architecture.
Herholdt's first assignments were mainly large villas and a few manor houses. His major breakthrough came when he won the first architectural competition of its kind in Denmark, for the design of a new building for the Copenhagen University Library
. His winning Neo-Gothic
design started a trend in Danish architecture
which was typified by the strong use of red brick in large-scale cultural and civic buildings. It was to last for the next half century. His building was also the first in Denmark to rely on a structural system of cast iron
. The library was completed in 1861 and the same year he became a member of the Academy.
His later works include Copenhagen's second Central Station and a building for the National Bank of Denmark, both demolished, and Odense City Hall. He was responsible for the design of a building complex for the College of Advanced Technology
where he also served as a teacher.
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...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, professor and royal building inspector. He worked in the Historicist
Historicism (art)
Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
style and had a significant influence on Danish architecture
Architecture of Denmark
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country...
during the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. His most famous work is the Copenhagen University Library
Copenhagen University Library
Copenhagen University Library in Copenhagen, Denmark, is the main research library of the University of Copenhagen. Founded in 1582, it is the oldest library in Denmark....
in Fiolstræde
Fiolstræde
Fiolstræde is a pedestrianized shopping street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs from Skindergade, where Jorcks Passage connects it to Strøget, to Nørre Voldgade at Nørreport Station, the busiest railway station in Denmark. On the way it passes the rear side of Copenhagen Cathedral, Vor Frue...
in 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...
which heralded a new trend. The strong use of red brick in large-scale cultural and civic buildings was to characterize Danish architecture for several decades. He was a leading proponent of the "national" school in Danish architecture of the period as opposed to Ferdinand Meldahl's and Vilhelm Dahlerup
Vilhelm Dahlerup
Jens Vilhelm Dahlerup was a Danish architect who specialized in the Historicist style. One of the most productive and noted Danish architects of the 19th century, he is behind many of the most known buildings and landmarks of his time and has more than any other single architect contributed to the...
's "European" school.
Biography
Johan Daniel Herholdt was born in 1818 in Copenhagen. He first trained and worked as a carpenter until 1840. In quiet months when work was scarce, he attended evening classes at the Royal Academy and took drawing lessons in the daytime, studying first under Gustav Hetsch and later Michael Gottlieb BindesbøllMichael Gottlieb Bindesbøll
Michael Gottlieb Birckner Bindesbøll was a Danish architect active during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 19th century. Most known for his design of Thorvaldsens Museum in Copenhagen, he was a key figure in the stylistic shift in Danish architecture from late classicism to Historicism...
. From 1841, he travelled in Denmark, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Northern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, studying buildings and working along the way. In 1845, he returned to Copenhagen to complete his studies in architecture.
Herholdt's first assignments were mainly large villas and a few manor houses. His major breakthrough came when he won the first architectural competition of its kind in Denmark, for the design of a new building for the Copenhagen University Library
Copenhagen University Library
Copenhagen University Library in Copenhagen, Denmark, is the main research library of the University of Copenhagen. Founded in 1582, it is the oldest library in Denmark....
. His winning Neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
design started a trend in Danish architecture
Architecture of Denmark
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country...
which was typified by the strong use of red brick in large-scale cultural and civic buildings. It was to last for the next half century. His building was also the first in Denmark to rely on a structural system of cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
. The library was completed in 1861 and the same year he became a member of the Academy.
His later works include Copenhagen's second Central Station and a building for the National Bank of Denmark, both demolished, and Odense City Hall. He was responsible for the design of a building complex for the College of Advanced Technology
Technical University of Denmark
The Technical University of Denmark , often simply referred to as DTU, is a university just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1829 at the initiative of Hans Christian Ørsted as Denmark's first polytechnic, and is today ranked among Europe's leading engineering institutions, and the...
where he also served as a teacher.
Selected buildings
- Erholm Manor, FunenFunenFunen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
(1851–1854, listed) - Selchausdal Manor, KalundborgKalundborgKalundborg is a city with a population of 16,434 in Kalundborg municipality in Denmark and the site of its municipal council. Kalundborg is on the main island Zealand, with Copenhagen, but opposite on the far western edge....
(1856, listed) - Copenhagen University LibraryCopenhagen University LibraryCopenhagen University Library in Copenhagen, Denmark, is the main research library of the University of Copenhagen. Founded in 1582, it is the oldest library in Denmark....
, FiolstrædeFiolstrædeFiolstræde is a pedestrianized shopping street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It runs from Skindergade, where Jorcks Passage connects it to Strøget, to Nørre Voldgade at Nørreport Station, the busiest railway station in Denmark. On the way it passes the rear side of Copenhagen Cathedral, Vor Frue...
, Copenhagen (1857–1861) - Own Villa, 8 Ewaldsgade, Copenhagen (1858)
- Villa for P. C. SkovgaardP. C. SkovgaardPeter Christian Thamsen Skovgaard , , Danish national romantic landscape painter, was born near Ringsted to farmer Tham Masmann Skovgaard and his wife Cathrine Elisabeth. He is one of the main figures associated with the Golden Age of Danish Painting...
, Østerbro, Copenhagen (1869, listed) - Villa for Johanne Luise HeibergJohanne Luise HeibergJohanne 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:...
, Østerbro, Copenhagen (1862–1863, listed) - Grøns Warehouse, Holmens KanalHolmens KanalHolmens Kanal is a short street in central Copenhagen. Part of the main thoroughfare of the city centre, it extends from Kongens Nytorv for one block to a junction with a statue of Niels Juel where it turns right towards Holmens Bro while the through traffic continues straight along Niels Juels...
, Copenhagen (1862–1863, listed) - Enrum Manor, VedbækVedbækVedbæk is a small town in the municipality of Rudersdal , Denmark. It is located on the Øresund coast of Zealand, between Rungsted to the north and Skodsborg to the south. The town has a station on the busy Kystbanen railway line, approximately midway between Copenhagen and Helsingør...
(1862–1864, listed) - 2nd Copenhagen Central Station (1862–1864, demolished in 1917)
- National Bank of DenmarkDanmarks NationalbankDanmarks Nationalbank is the central bank of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is a non-eurozone member of the European System of Central Banks . The bank issues the Danish currency, the krone....
, Holmens Kanal, Copenhagen (1865–1870, demolished) - Glasshouses, Gisselfeld Castle (1876, rebuilt by Hans Jørgen HolmHans Jørgen HolmHans 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 1894, listed) - Odense City Hall, OdenseOdenseThe city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
(1881–1883) - Bikuben Bank, Silkegade, Copenhagen (1883–1884, listed)
- Botanical Laboratory, Copenhagen Botanical GardenUniversity of Copenhagen Botanical GardenThe University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden , usually referred to simply as Copenhagen Botanical Garden, is a botanical garden located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark...
, 140 Godtersgade, Copenhagen (designed 1881–1883, built 1889–1890) - College of Advanced TechnologyTechnical University of DenmarkThe Technical University of Denmark , often simply referred to as DTU, is a university just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1829 at the initiative of Hans Christian Ørsted as Denmark's first polytechnic, and is today ranked among Europe's leading engineering institutions, and the...
, Sølvgade, Copenhagen (1887–1890) - Helsingør Custom House, Helsingør (1887–1891, listed)
- Næstved Custom House, Næstved (1887–1891)