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222
KØBENHAVNS RAADHUS
stru ctu res in w o o d , an d th e greater p u b lic , w h o en jo y ed h is
liv e ly an d rich ly co lo u red com p o sitio n . It m ay b e m en tio n ed
th a t th e se b u ild in g s w e r e erected on th e v ery g ro u n d w h e r e later
th e n e w C ity H all w a s to b e raised (Fig. 54). In th e final com p eti
tion , th o u g h M artin N y ro p did n ot a ch iev e th e h ig h est aw ard , h e
w o n th e first prize, a n d it w a s d ecid ed that th e artist sh o u ld p re
pare a fresh d esig n (Fig. 44. 45. 55. 56). T h is w a s com p leted in
1892, an d th e M u n icip al C o u n cil, in J u ly o f th e sam e y ea r, e n
tru sted N y ro p w ith th e erectin g o f th e n e w C ity H all, at a co st
o f ab o u t three an d a h a lf m illion c r o w n s , a lm o st o n e m illion
c r o w n s m ore th an origin a lly estim ated .
N y r o p ’s c h ief a ss istin g a rch itect w a s Mr. Em il J o rg en sen . Mr.
Am b t, at that tim e C ity en g in eer, co n d u cted th e m ech a n ica l
co n stru ctio n .
O n D ecem b er th e 10,1892, th e first so d w a s turned, a n d b y J u n e
th e 21st th e fo llo w in g year, th e ex ca v a tin g w o rk w a s fin ish ed .
N o v em b e r 22th the fo u n d a tio n s w e r e c o m p leted , a n d J u ly 28,
1894, th e fo u n d a tio n sto n e w a s laid in th e lo w e s t cellar b en ea th
th e tow er. In th e sum m er o f 1898 th e fram ew ork o f th e sp ire of
th e to w er w a s erected , b u t it w a s n o t b efore J a n u a ry 1899 th at
th e cop p er co v erin g w a s laid an d th e sca ffo ld in g tak en d ow n . It
is th e h ig h est to w e r in D enm a rk , an d from th e footp ath to th e
v a n e is 105,61 m ., o f w h ic h 67,32 m. is m a son ry . T h e to w e r h a s
a co n crete fo u n d atio n 4,55 m. th ick o f w h ic h th e u p p er la y er is
3,14 m. thick. T h e g r o ss w e ig h t o f th e to w e r is g iv e n a s 5,285,000
kg. T h e th ic k n e ss o f th e w a lls at th e b a se is 2,35 m., an d at th e
co rn ice 1,18 m . In sid e th e to w e r is th e „ T o w sm e n ’s S ta ir ca se“
w h ic h lea d s to th e p rincipal flo o rs b oth o f th e fro n t-b u ild in g an d
th e b a ck -b u ild in g (Fig. 80-87.
9
°-
9
1); also th e m ech a n ism o f th e
electric clo ck w o rk w h ic h co n tro ls th e four d ials, a s w e ll a s th e
fiv e b ells w h ic h p la y after th e q u arters an d at 6 an d 12 o ’clo ck
(Fig. 86. 88).
S ep a ra ted from th e C ity H a ll b y a sh o rt street is a sm all
grou p o f b u ild in g s, co n ta in in g th e b o iler-h o u se from w h ic h th e
C ity H a ll is h eated . T h e w h o le stru ctu re w a s read y for o c
cu p ation in th e au tum n o f 1899 (Fig. 104-109). A s ea rly h o w e v e r
a s 1896 th e C ity H all w a s roofed , b u t it w a s n o t b efore 1900 an d
1901 th at th e v a rio u s m u n icip al d ep a rtm en ts en tered in to p o s
se ss io n o f th eir r esp ectiv e q u arters, an d it w a s in J a n u a ry 1903
th at th e C ity C orp oration g a th ered for th e first tim e in th e A s
sem b ly H all in th e C en tral B u ild in g .
O n th e com p letio n o f th e B a n q u etin g H all, S ep t. 12,1905, th e
C ity o f C o p en h a g en in au g u ra ted its newTC ity H all w ith a grand
festiv ity . W h e n th e au d it o f th e v a rio u s ex p en d itu res w a s m ade,
it w a s foun d th at th e w h o le project from its in cep tio n to the
com p letio n o f th e stru ctu re am o u n ted to a grand to ta l o f 6,804,352
C ro w n s (£ 378,000). In th is am ou n t is, h o w ev er, in clu d ed th e co st
o f th e site, am o u n tin g to ab ou t o n e m illion C row n s, an d also th e
la y in g ou t an d arran gem en t o f th e su rro u n d in g s, at a c o st o f ab o u t
825,000 C row n s. In th e origin al sc h em e it w a s laid d o w n a s a c o n
dition , th at th e a rch itect sh o u ld a lso in clu d e th e su rro u n d in g s
o f th e b u ild in g in th e d esign .
B e y o n d th e sm all p lace im m ed ia tely in front of th e C ity H all,
N y ro p h a s co n triv ed a d ep ressio n w ith a figured p a v em en t, th e
so -ca lled „M u ssel-sh ell“, in order to co n cea l th e fact th at th e
sp a ce in front o f th e C ity H a ll slo p e s slig h tly to w a rd s th e b u ild
in g (Fig. 224. 225. 273. 274).
On th e so u th w e st sid e o f th e b u ild in g is a gard en , laid ou t b y
Mr. E d v. G laesel, en clo sed o n three sid e s b y a h igh railing, w ith
corn er p a v ilio n s. In th e p lace b etw een th e M u sse l-sh e ll p a v e
m en t an d th e g a rd en , on th e n orth w e s t sid e o f th e gard en ,
sta n d s th e „D ragon F o u n ta in “, ex ecu ted in b ron ze from m o d els
b y T h o rw a ld B in d e sb o ll and Joak im S k o v g a a rd (Fig. 162-169).
If th e co st o f th e su rro u n d in g s, n o t essen tia lly a part o f th e b u ild
in g itself, is d ed u cted from th e total, th e co n stru ctio n and fur
n ish in g of th e C ity H all w ill h a v e co st ab o u t 4,700,000 C ro w n s
(£ 250,000). A m o n g N y r o p ’s artistic c o llea g u es m ust b e m en
tio n ed A n d ers B u n d gaard , scu lp tor, w h o h a s ex ecu ted th e g rea
ter part o f th e gran ite p la stic w o rk (Fig. 68-72. 82. 84. 119. 126.
I
75
-
177
- J
79
- I
9
°- I
9
I- 227-
237
- 2
39
- 282-83), and J e n s M o ller-J en sen ,
O rn am en tal D ecorator, w h o h a s directed th e artistic o rn am en ta
tio n of th e corrid ors etc., th e m o tiv es o f w h ic h are m o stly tak en
from sea -p la n ts, an d th e lo w e r fauna, and are ex ecu ted in w a te r
co lo u rs on dry p la ster
(a l s e c c o )
(Fig. 142-149).
W h e n N y r o p ’s final d esig n w a s su bm itted for c o n sid er a
tio n b efore th e M u n icip a l C o u n cil, o b je ctio n w a s ra ised th a t th e
d esig n did n o t co n fo rm to a n y o n e h isto rica l sty le , — w h ic h w a s
in d eed true. T h e te n d e n c y h ad b een to d em a n d o f r e ce n t a n d
co n tem p o ra ry a rch itectu re in D enm a rk , a c o n fo rm ity w ith o n e
or a n o th er o f th e a c c e p te d tra d itio n a l sty le s. In N y r o p ’s w o r k th e
in flu e n c e o f N o rth Italian G o th ic w a s d isce rn ib le, a n d th e h a lf
sto ry w ith th e sem i-circu la r p erfo ra tio n s o n th e fron t b u ild in g , is a
m o tiv e th e artist h a s ad a p ted from a grou p o f 16th ce n tu r y D a n ish
m a n o r h o u ses, w h ils t th e lin e o f w in d o w s to th e p rin cip a l floor
b ea rs th e im p r ess o f N o rth ern R e n a issa n c e . T h u s th e s ty le la ck ed
th e u n itie s o f tim e a n d p la ce, b u t, a s w a s rem a rk ed b y a c o lle a g u e
o f N y r o p d u rin g th e co u rse o f th e d isc u s sio n in th e C ity C o u n cil,
N y r o p had o b se r v e d e v ery th in g , an d h ad a d a p ted w h a t w a s e s
se n tia l to h is p u rp o se, y e t h ad a v o id e d p lagiarism . H e h ad s u c
ce ed ed in am a lg am a tin g h is v a r io u s im p r e ss io n s so a s at len g th
to p ro d u ce a d e sig n stam p ed b y p erso n a lity , a n d o f an in d iv id u a l
ch aracter, y e t in a cco rd a n ce w ith th e a rtist’s c o n c e p tio n o f a c iv ic
b u ild in g , b efittin g th e C ap ital C ity o f D enm a rk .
T h e g ro u n d -p la n is a r e c ta n g le , w h o s e larg er sid e s m ea su re
127,11 m. T h e fron t e le v a tio n h a s a len g th o f 71,24 m., a n d th e
b a ck e le v a tio n 70,77 m. T h e m a in -b u ild in g , c o n s is ts o f a fa ca d e
a n d tw o w in g s , a n d to g eth er w ith th e cen tra l b u ild in g e n c lo s e s
th e co v ere d co u r t, k n o w n a s th e C o u n cil H a ll (F ig. 223-40. 280).
T h e d ep a rtm en ta l o ffices are situ a te d o n th e g ro u n d a n d first
floors. O n th e first floor, to o n e sid e o f th e m a in en tra n ce, are
situ a ted th e o ffices o f th e M a y o r of th e first d iv isio n a n d h is
co u n cillo rs, co n tro llin g th e e d u ca tio n a l a n d sta tistic a l d ep a rt
m en ts; o n th e o th er sid e are situ a te d th e o ffices o f th e m a y o r o f
th e se c o n d d iv isio n a n d h is c o u n c illo r s c o n tr o llin g th e C ity ’s
fin a n ce s (F ig. 230-32). O n th e se c o n d , th e p rin cip a l floor, are
situ a te d th e cerem o n ia l a p a rtm en ts, an d a lso th e lo b b ie s an d
o ffices o f th e e le c te d ch a irm a n o f th e C ity C o u n cil a n d th e S ta te ’s
su p rem e r e p resen ta tiv e (F ig. 250-78). T h e rear b u ild in g c o n s is ts
o f a facad e a n d tw o w in g s, w h ic h , to g eth er w ith th e cen tra l b u ild
in g , e n c lo s e th e o p en , p la n ted C ou rt, to w h ic h th ere is en try b y
a ca rria g e-d riv e th r o u g h a g a te in ea ch w in g (F ig. 171-78. 281).
A s th e gro u n d o n w h ic h th e b u ild in g sta n d s slo p e s d o w n w a r d
from th e fron t to th e b ack , th e sto ry in th e rear b u ild in g , c o r r e s
p o n d in g to th e b a sem e n t o f th e fron t b u ild in g , b e c o m e s th e
g ro u n d floor, a n d is d e sig n e d for o ffices etc. T h e rear b u ild in g
is th e b u sin e s s sid e prop er, a n d h ere are fo u n d m o st o f th e m u n i
cip al o ffices o f th e m a y o r o f th e third d iv isio n a n d h is c o u n c il
lo rs, co n tro llin g th e relief o f th e p oor, a lso th e m a y o r o f th e
fou rth d iv isio n , th e „ tech n ica l m a y o r“ a n d h is c o u n c illo r s (F ig.
130-60). T h e c e ilin g s o f all th e o ffices are o f m a so n ry , sm o o th ,
an d b a rrel-v a u lted , w h ils t th e flo o rs are eith er laid w ith b o a rd s
or w ith c o n crete; all are lin o le u m co v ered .
In th e b a sem en t, g ro u n d -flo o r a n d first-flo o r of th e C en tral
b u ild in g are th e ro om s w h e r e are p reserv ed th e m u n icip a l a r
c h iv e s a n d a m u seum (F ig. 243-44). O n th e se c o n d floor, o n a
le v e l w ith th e fron t b u ild in g ’s cerem o n ia l a p a rtm en ts, is th e C ity
C o u n c il’s ch am b er, w h e r e th e C o u n cil a n d th e M a g istra cy a s
sem b le for th e p u b lic tra n sa ctio n o f m u n icip a l b u sin e s s. W ith
carefu l co n sid er a tio n th is ch am b er, is situ a te d in th e v e r y h eart
o f th e b u ild in g , a b o v e th e a r c h iv e s a n d th e m u seu m h all: th e
liv in g p resen t a b o v e th e d ead p a st (F ig. 210-21). T h e w in d o w s
lo o k o u t o n th e C o u n cil h all, an d on th e o p en co u rt w ith th e
b u sin e s s part o f th e b u ild in g.
In th e lo w e s t cella r is in sta lled th e h ea tin g sy stem . F rom th e
b o ile r -h o u se th e steam is c o n d u c te d th ro u g h a w r o u g h t-ir o n m ain,
em b ed d ed in a co n crete tu n n el, to th e cella r u n d er th e m id d le o f th e
rear b u ild in g (F ig. 125). T h e h ea tin g o f a lm o st all th e a p a rtm en ts
is effected b y m ea n s o f h ea ted air. D u rin g th e w in te r, fresh air is
a dm itted to th e rear b u ild in g th ro u g h tw o a ir-sh a fts situ a te d at
th e co rn ers o f th e o p en co u rt; d u rin g th e sum m er, air ca n lik e
w is e b e adm itted th ro u g h four o th er sh a fts in th e co u rt a n d tw o
in th e stree t at th e b a ck o f th e C ity H all. F r e sh air for th e fron t
b u ild in g an d th e cen tra l b u ild in g is a dm itted th ro u g h a sh a ft in
th e o p en cou rt, b y th e sid e o f th e cen tra l b u ild in g .
T h e fa ca d es o f th e C ity H a ll are b u ilt o f red h a n dm a d e brick ,
a s w e ll a s th e sid e s lo o k in g u p o n th e o p en cou rt, lim e sto n e from
S tæ v n s b ein g em p lo y ed for th e flat su rfa ces, a n d ca rv ed g ra n ite
from B o r n h o lm for th e p lin th s, co rn ices, c o rb els etc. T h e ro o fin g
is sla te, co p p er, a n d g la ss; co p p er is a lso u se d for th e g u tters, th e
sp ires o n th e great to w er, a n d th e fiv e sm a ller to w e r s, a n d for