Nysø Manor

Praesto, Denmark

Nysø Manor was built in 1673 for Jens Lauridsen. It was the first manor house in Denmark to be designed in the Baroque style. It is built in red brick and sandstone with a red-tiled roof and a granite plinth as a foundation. Nysø is thought to be the work of master builder Ewert Janssen who probably also built Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen shortly afterwards.

The house consists of a main wing with 11 bays and lateral wings to the north with an entrance in between. The central projects on the north and south sides are decorated with four Ionic pilasters which support triangular pediments. On the north side, there is a clock with two figures whose bells strike the hour. A moat originally encircled the entire building but in 1780 on the north side it was filled in to accommodate estate buildings. The Thorvaldsen Collection is housed in one of the red-brick buildings to the east.

Nysø is especially known for its role in the Danish cultural Golden Age of the early-to-mid-19th century when baron Hendrik Stampe and his wife Christine played host to many famous writers and artists, including Hans Christian Andersen and the sculptor Thorvaldsen. The latter spent much of his last six years here (1838–44), where he had a studio in the house and in the garden (the white structure in the picture above).

In the 19th century, Nysø was a popular venue for Golden Age artists including as Hans Christian Andersen, Bertel Thorvaldsen andNikolaj Grundtvig who visited baron Hendrik Stampe and his wife Christine. Thorvaldsen who had a studio in the house spent much of his last six years there. Today Nysø houses the Thorvaldsen Collection which is open to the public in the summer months.

The Thorvaldsen Museum including the Thorvaldsen collection is open for visitors in summer season. The collection contains Thorvaldsen's clay models, sculptures and drawings as well as artwork from other famous visitors.

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Address

Nysøvej 3, Praesto, Denmark
See all sites in Praesto

Details

Founded: 1673
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Denmark
Historical period: Absolutism (Denmark)

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