Nyhavn 67


Nyhavn 67 is a listed property overlooking the Nyhavn Canal in central Copenhagen, Denmark. The writer Hans Christian Andersen lived as a lodger with only short interruptions from 1848 to 1865.

History

Early history

The building was constructed in 1737 for merchant Jens Sørensen Bøsholt.
District doctor Johan Buntzen lived in the building from the 1780s and until his death in 1807. The writer Thomasine Gyllembourg, his eldest daughter, grew up in the house. She was engaged to her house teacher Peter Andreas Heiberg when she was just 15 years old and they were married at the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society's premises outside the Western City Gate on 7 May 1790.

Anholm and Hans Christian Andersen

The building was later acquired by ship captain Johannes Anholm. He ran the building as a boarding house under the name stadt Christiania and expanded the building with an extra floor in 1846.
Hans Christian Andersen rented three rooms on the second floor on 1 October 1848. Andersen mentions his home at Nyhavn 67 in a number of letters. He first mentions it in a letter to Bernhard Severin Ingemann where he comments on the magnificent view of Christianshavn, all of Holmen and of Børsen. In a letter written to Henriette Collin on 18 October 1860, Andersen mentions that he wants to move. One of his concerns is that there are too many clocks and he therefore asks her to look for a new apartment, preferably on Kongens Nytorv and the Garrison Square, where he can stay from 1 December. In a letter from 20 November 1860, Henriette Collin answers that Edvard has booked a nice room for him at Hotel d'Angleterre overlooking the square. In a letter from 6 June 1861, Henriette Collin mentions that Mrs. Anholm has asked for his address and that she wants him to move back. Andersen end up accepting the offer but spends the summers in the countryside as a guest at various manor houses and the rooms in Nyhavn are then rented out to other lodgers. In a letter to Edvard Collin from 11 February 1866, Andersen mentions that he gave up his rooms at Nyhavn 67 back in September. He initially went on a journey to Sweden and then stayed at Hotel d'Angleterre before setting out on a new journey on 31 January. After his return to Denmark, Andersen stayed with the Melchior family at their country house Rolighed before lodging with Thora Hallager in Lille Kongensgade from 28 October 1856.

20th century to present

co-founder Axel Monberg purchased the building in the early 1940s. He carried out a comprehensive renovation of the building in 1944–1945 with the assistance of the architect Svend G. Høyrup.

Architecture

The house consists of five floors over a high cellar and is just three bays wide. The key stone above the main entrance features the name "1737" and the initials of the building's first owner. The terrace in front of the recessed fifth floor was created by Høyrup in connection with his renovation of the building for Monberg in the 1940s.

Today

Café H. C. Andersen is based in the ground floor. The upper floors contain apartments and offices. The building was sold for DKK 25 million in 2008.

Cultural references

s biographical Som Svalen about Thomasine Gyllembourg begins when she is eight years old at lives in her father's house at Nyhavn 67.