Bertel Thorvaldsens Square

A good city lives in the duality between lush, green parks and the defined, coherent spaces of cultural heritage. The square in front of Thorvaldsens Museum forms the southern corner of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen. In addition to the museum, Slotsholmen houses Christiansborg Palace, the Palace Chapel, the Riding Hall, the Royal Library, and several museums. It is one of Denmark’s most historically significant places.

With its simple expression, the square provides a calm base for Gottlieb Bindesbøll’s neoclassical museum building. The transformation from an urban space of asphalt, parking, and fenced grass into a unified surface of cobblestones has restored the square’s dignity. The new paving consists exclusively of reused cobblestones — carefully hand-sorted and relaid — which both strengthens the connection to the site’s historical layers and ensures a conscious, sustainable use of materials.

A solitary acacia tree has been preserved as the central green element, and Jørn Larsen’s circular water feature has become the square’s landmark and natural gathering point. Placed on the axis of Knabrostræde, it establishes a visual dialogue with the rest of the medieval city.

Thorvaldsens Square endures both emptiness and November rain as well as lively summerdays - like the city’s Italian marketplace, a social meeting ground, and a place for children’s play in the reflecting water.

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