Store Strandstræde is a street 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...

, 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 extends diagonally from 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...

, at the corner of Nyhavn

Nyhavn

Nyhavn is a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse, it is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants...

 and Bredgade

Bredgade

Bredgade is one of the most prominent streets in Copenhagen, Denmark. Running in a straight line from Kongens Nytorv for just under one kilometre to the intersection of Esplanaden and Grønningen, it is one of the major streets in Frederiksstaden, a Rococo district laid out in the middle of the...

, to Sankt Annæ Plads

Sankt Annæ Plads

Sankt Annæ Plads is a public square which marks the border between the Nyhavn area and the Frederiksstaden district in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a long narrow rectangle which extends inland from the waterfront, at a point just north of the Royal Danish Playhouse at the base of the Kvæsthusbroen...

.

Nordic Council

Nordic Council

The Nordic Council is a geo-political, inter-parliamentary forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. It was established following World War II and its first concrete result was the introduction in 1952 of a common labour market and free movement across borders without passports for the...

 is headquartered at No. 18 and operates an art gallery

Art gallery

An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...

 featuring Nordic

Nordic countries

The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...

 art and artists at the ground floor.

No. 3: Grandjean's House

The property 3 Storestrandgade-4 Bredgade was built from 1853–54 to a design which is typical of many late Empire houses in Copenhagen. The main facade of the house faced Store Strandstræde while a long wall shielded a courtyard from Bredgade.
Jonas Collin lived at the address from 1802–38. He was a prominent citizen and leading patrons

Patronage

Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...

 of the arts during the Danish Golden Age as well as a close friend and loyal supporter of 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."...

. At that time there was an old and somewhat ramshackel house at the site which, back in the mid 17th century, had served as the residence of Bernardino de Rebolledo

Bernardino de Rebolledo

Bernardino de Rebolledo y Villamizar, was a Spanish poet, soldier and diplomat , and one of the most original poets, of the 17th century in Spain...

, the Spanish ambassador to Denmark at that time. Allegedly, Jonas Collin decided to move when it rained through the ceiling and onto the table in the presence of Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bertel Thorvaldsen

Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...

. In 1839 the Collins moved to 8 Amaliegade and later sold the property at Store Strandstræde to the pastery chef Christian Frederik Bredo Grandjean who was already operating a conditori

Konditorei

Konditorei is the German word for a pâtisserie and confectionery shop. A Konditorei typically offers a wide variety of pastries and is like a little café. In Germany and Austria it is a very popular custom to go to a Konditorei to have a cake and some coffee or hot chocolate mid-afternoon...

from a pavilion in the courtyard behind the mainhouse.

Grandjean built the current house in 1854 with the assistance of the architect Christian Tyberg. Grandjean took up residence in the house and operated a restaurant and a conditori from the lower floors. It was frequented by a number of actors of artists, most notably Hans Christian Andersen who was a private friend of the Grandjean's.