Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads

When Thorvaldsens Museum was first built in 1848, its architect, Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll, also sketched a project for a square in front of it.

Bindesbøll's plans also included a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen's self-portrait statue and some benches.

Bindesbøll's project was never realised and instead the square was laid out with a lawn and beech trees.

The square is paved with large cobblestones and a single tree and a reflecting pool are the only ornamental features.

The pool is designed by Jørn Larsen and has a diameter of 16 metres and a geometrical pattern characteristic of his style.

The square with the house row at Gammel Strand on the other side of Slotsholmen canal as a backdrop
The square seen in a painting by Constantin Hansen from 1858 with the previous Christiansborg Palace seen to the right
Photograph from the late 19th 19th century
The square with Jørn Larsen 's water feature and Thorvaldsens Museum