Facts about...

...The Nyhavn Room

Hans Christian Andersen lived in the apartment in Nyhavn 18 from October 23 1871, until he on June 12 moved to the Melchior Familys country house “Rolighed” as a guest confined to his sickbed. There he was affectionately nursed, until he on August 4 died of cancer of the liver. Until 1873 his hostess in Nyhavn was Thora Hallager (1821-84), Denmark’s first professional female photographer, who is shown here on the picture. From 1873 and on the hostess was Miss Clara Ballin (1824-87).

 
 
Did you know that...

...The poet very much disliked committing himself to wordly goods

“I am afraid of buying even bed and furniture. Think about how much I would  have to move when once in a while I should like to come out and breathe the 'world’s air'”, Hans Christian Andersen wrote in 1866 before he – contrary to his usual practice – rented a unfurnished room. 

 
 

Hans Christian Andersen in Vingårdsstræde

Vingårdsstræde 6, the front

In Copenhagen Hans Christian Andersen’s old attic room is situated at Vingårdsstræde 6. The room is one of the best preserved residences which the poet has lived in.

In connection with the celebration of Hans Christian Andersen’s bicentennial in 2005 admission for the public was made for a period of two years. The department store, Magasin, and Odense City Museums reconstructed – with aid from the Hans Christian Andersen Fund 2005 – the apartment, where Hans Christian Andersen’s old room could be seen. Likewise, in an adjoining room there was an exhibition about Hans Christian Andersen’s time in Vingårdsstræde.

Hans Christian Andersen has lived several places in Copenhagen, but the room in Vingårdsstræde 6 on the third floor is the only place, which still looks like he just has left the room. Since then, the room has been inhabited by other people for short periods, and it has also functioned as a dressmaker’s workroom. Hans Christian Andersen’s furniture e.g. alcove, cupboard and table was therefore removed but has now been reconstructed.

The attic room, alcove and cupboard             Window sill/writing desk

Hans Christian Andersen was 22 years old when he moved into the attic room on April 18 1827, and he lived there until 1828. The poem 'The Student' which was published in 1829 is about Hans Christian Andersen and his thoughts in the room in Vingårdsstræde, where he prepared for the school-leaving certificate. Further references to his time in the attic room appeared in Hans Christian Andersen’s later works, among them in his first play, the vaudeville Love at Nicholas' Tower, in the novel Only a Fiddler, in Picture Book Without Pictures, and in the fairy tale 'The Goblin and the Grocer'.

Since 1917, the department store, Magasin, has owned the building in Vingårdsstræde 6, but Magasin’s connection to Hans Christian Andersen ends not there. From 1837 to 1848 the poet lived in, at that time, Hotel du Nord, which was situated at the same place where Magasin is now, and which the department store derives its name from.

Here you can read extracts from the exhibition text.

 

From the exhibition in Vingårdsstræde