Thorvaldsens Museum

Thorvaldsens Museum

Thorvaldsens Museum (Thorvaldsens Museum) is located in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. It was established as a museum exclusively for Denmark’s greatest Neoclassical sculptor—Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770–1844), who spent most of his life living and working in Rome (1796–1838). The museum is situated on Slotsholmen, in central Copenhagen, near Christiansborg Palace. It was designed by Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll, funded by public subscription in 1837, and constructed between 1838 and 1848.

The overall exterior of Thorvaldsens Museum is built in the style of ancient Greek architecture, encircling an inner courtyard where the great artist Thorvaldsen is buried. Its interior and exterior colors are particularly striking. Each room inside the museum features uniquely shaped ceiling decorations, while the exterior murals depict the scene of Thorvaldsen's return to his homeland from Rome in 1838.

Officially opened in 1848, Thorvaldsens Museum houses hundreds of his paintings and sculptures. Most of the sculptures are originals, some are marble replicas, and there are also a few sculpture design drafts. In addition, the museum displays antiques, paintings, and other items collected by Thorvaldsen during his lifetime from Greece, Rome, and Egypt, as well as personal everyday objects he used while living and working.

Thorvaldsens Museum

Must-visit reason: Museum of Denmark’s greatest Neoclassical sculptor

Continent: Europe

Country/Region: Denmark

Province/State: Capital Region of Denmark

City: Copenhagen