the Ministry of Culture

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the south front of the Ministry of Culture from Thorvaldsens Museum on Slotsholmen

On 19 September 1961, Julius Bomholt was appointed to be the first Minister for Kulturelle Anliggender or Minister of Cultural Affairs so today marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of a Danish Ministry of Culture.

In 1986, after the minister was given additional areas of responsibility, there was a change of name to Kultur - og kommunikationsminister or Minister of Culture and Communications and then in 1988 the title was shortened to Kulturminister or Minister for Culture

The current Kulturminister is Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen. 

As a relatively small country, Denmark has just 20 cabinet minister -including the post of statsminister or prime minister - and, by tradition, the minister for culture also has responsibility for religion and for sport.

Beyond the major departments of government such as Finance, Justice, Defence and Foreign Affairs, the remit of the various ministers and their formal titles reveals much about the priorities set by a government and how ministers divide responsibility.

Denmark has a minister for children and education, a minister for science, technology and higher education and a minister for industry, business and financial affairs - all with some significant overlaps with culture.

On 16 September 1963 - so two years after it was established - the Ministry of Culture moved into the present building after the completion of extensive restoration works guided by the architect Peter Koch.

Kultur ministeriet / Ministry of Culture

now, the Minister for Culture is responsible for .........

cultural heritage in Denmark including:
archaeology, ancient monuments and dikes
buildings and environments worthy of preservation
building conservation

castles and properties through The Palaces and Culture Agency:
castles and castle gardens
construction projects
operation, development and events

cultural institutions including:
libraries
folk high schools
organisations and bodies for the performing arts
zoological facilities

cultural cooperation:
for children and young people
international cooperation
cultural agreements with municipalities

media:
grants for media
radio and TV
written media

 

note:
In France the Ministère des Affaires culturelles or Ministery of Culture was created by Charles de Gaulle in 1959 and he appointed André Malraux - author of Museum without walls as the first minister.

Since 1959, there have been thirteen changes of name as the minister was given new areas of responsibility including the environment, communication and the celebration of the French bicentenary.

In the United Kingdom, the Labour government was, presumably, wary of the idea of 'culture' so Jennie Lee was appointed the first Minister of State for the Arts in 1964. She played an important part in setting up the Open University and she consolidated and strengthened the role of the Arts Council.

In the UK Ministers of Culture rarely stay in the post for long, many seeing responsibility for art and museums as a stepping stone to something more important, so there have been 28 different ministers in all since 1964. As in other countries, the formal title for the minister has changed to reflect additional responsibilities so to Secretary of State for National Heritage from April 1992; Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from May 1997; Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport from 2010; Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from 2012 and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport since 2017.

In Italy ministerial responsibility for culture came under education until 1974 when the Ministero per i Beni Culturali ed Ambientali, the Ministry for Cultural Assets and Environments, was established. There have been 27 ministers since 1974 and the official title of the minister has changed several times, taking on responsibility for cultural heritage and activities in 1998 and then tourism but in 2021 the ministry reverted to the simpler title of Ministero della cultura.

In Germany, presumably with politicians still wary of being seen to promote culture as a strong aspect of national identity, administration for culture is at the level of the Länder rather than under a single minister in the national government. 

the building on Nybrogade and Det Kongelige Assistenshuset

After the fire that destroyed a large area of the city in 1728, the building on this plot at the corner of Gammel Strand and Nybrogade - owned by the wealthy State councillor Christen Bjerregaard - was rebuilt in brick around three sides of a courtyard with the fourth side, towards the canal, closed by a wall and a gateway.

Main rooms were on the north frontage, towards Snaregade, and in the east range and on the ground floor of the west range there was a carriage house.

The building was let to Minister CA von Berckentin from 1740 until 1755 when he moved to a mansion in Bredgade (the Odd Fellow Mansion) and the house on the canal was then sold to two French hat manufacturers who conducted their business from the basement and rented out the rest of the property.

In 1757 the house was sold to the Norwegian Maritime Administrations Kvæsthus and Assistenshus and rebuilt to designs by Philip de Lange - the most fashionable architect of the period - with the work completed in 1765

A range of new rooms was added across the side towards the canal, where there was previously a screen wall. The main feature of the new front to the canal is an ornately-decorated entrance to the courtyard through a central gate arch.

The building was given more prominence in 1857 when the Vejerhus - the Weighing House - and Accisehus or Customs House buildings, immediately to the east, were demolished.

Det Kongelige Assistenshus was a mortgage company established by a royal ordinance in 1688. The privilege was granted first to the merchant Nicolai Wesling and the assistenhus was Initially in a building he owned on Kvæsthusgade close to Nyhavn. On the death of Wesling the privilege passed to Diderik Frandsen Klevenow in Frederikborggade.

Following bankruptcy in the middle of the 18th century, Assistenshus, by then in Snaregade, became a royal institution and appears to have moved to this building at the corner of Nybrogade and Gammel Strand in the late 18th century.

Increasingly unprofitable, presumably because it was unable to compete with commercial banks, the institution was closed by the Folketning in 1974 and unredeemed mortgages were sold at auction.

Daguerretype by T Neubourgh from 1840 showing Gammel Strand with Assistenshus just visible on the left edge behind the
Vejerhus - the Weighing House - and Accisehus or Customs House -
the large building that looks like a warehouse with a yard with low buildings
and, in front with a hipped roof, Pramlaugets Hus - the Bargemens' Guild House
these buildings, at the west end of Gammel Strand were demolished in 1857
- Museum of Copenhagen archive 74210

Assistenshuus in 1902 - Museum of Copenhagen archive 64215

note:
For a detailed assessment of how the harbour at Gammel Strand developed through the medieval and early modern period see Gammel Strand Archaeological Report from Københavns Museum following the excavation of the site in 2014 that was undertaken before the construction of the new metro station at Gammel Strand.

 

Loppemarkeder, Gammel Strand / the antique market on Gammel Strand

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The flea market or antique market on Gammel Strand has been described as both “the most exclusive” and “the most beautiful” antique market in Copenhagen.

With first extensive construction work for the new Metro Station at Gammel Strand and then the rebuilding of the quay along the canal here and the resurfacing of the area with new cobbles, the market was moved across to the other side of the canal to the area at the front of Thorvaldsens Museum.

After several years the move seemed permanent and there were rumours that much of the space on the Gammel Strand side would now be needed for bike racks and that the City Council would no longer licence the antique stalls but now the market has been allowed to return to the sunny side of the canal and the stalls will be open here on Saturdays and Sundays through to October.

L1198266.JPG

Slægt Løfter Slægt by Svend Wiig Hansen

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Slægt Løfter Slægt - a monumental bronze figure group by the Danish sculptor and painter Svend Wiig Hansen (1922-1997) has returned to a key position at the west end of Gammel Strand.

This long triangular space was redesigned and has been resurfaced since the new metro station at the east end of the space opened a year ago.

The site is in front of GL Strand - the art gallery of the Art Society / Kunstforeningen - and close to Kultur Ministeriet / Ministry of Culture Denmark at Nybrogade 2

Gammel Strand

Kultur Ministeriet
GL Strand

 

Slow down you move too fast ...... just kicking down the cobblestones

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Work on Gammel Strand is now almost finished.

This very long and narrow triangular space - over the canal from Christiansborg - was the location of the old fish market.  There are large old houses across the long north side - facing across towards Thorvaldsens Museum and the Christiansborg Castle Church - and the long south side is defined by the quay of the canal itself,

The space has been a building site for almost a decade with the construction of one of the new stations of the circle line of the metro here at the east end of the space. The entrance to the metro is close to the bridge over the canal to Christiansborg - Højbro or High Bridge with its ornate stone balustrade. The other key feature of the space is a magnificent tree at the west end in front of a large courtyard house that steps forward from the main line of facades, to enclose the space, although the quay continues on as the narrower Nybrogade.

The metro station opened in September and work then started on laying a new arrangement of cobbles.

Whereas before there was traffic cutting through the space with a relatively narrow pavement in front of the houses, this has now been restricted to access and bikes are encouraged to follow a long curve through the space marked by a relatively narrow strip of smoother cobbles or setts. There are no pavements, as such, but again changes in the arrangement of the cobbles and the line of shallow gullies for drainage mark in a subtle way a suggested line for people to follow. The new design allows much more space for restaurants here to move more tables and seating outside.

It is actually at night that you see the real gains from this new arrangement of the space. Lighting is kept relatively low and people seem to appreciate and respect the calm space. 

There are steps down to a lower level of walk along the canal itself where, because it faces south, people can sit in the sun so it is actually a complicated space, in terms of hw people move through or stop in and use the public space but it is all demarcated by subtle and careful differences in the hard landscaping and with street furniture and artificial lighting kept to a minimum. Copenhagen planning at its best.

looking along Gammel Strand from the east end with the canal to the left and the clock tower of the city hall in the distance

the fish market on Gammel Strand with the balustrade of Højbro and the houses of Ved Stranden beyond - painted by Paul Fischer a century ago

update - Gammel Strand

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the official site for the city Metro has news, general information, drawings and a short description of the new stations along with pdf plans of the area around each station at street level

Work is moving forward fast on the hard landscaping at street level above the new metro station at Gammel Strand … a station on the new circle line that will open later in the summer.

The steps down to the platforms and the glass covered lift tower are in place and setts are now being laid in the traditional scallop pattern across the main area so the new arrangement for this important historic street is becoming clear.

There was consultation with local businesses and local residents. Vehicles will be excluded, apart from deliveries, so the only through traffic will be a new narrow bike lane but with markings showing lanes to cycle in both directions.

The existing road, now being removed, runs parallel to the building frontages with just a narrow pavement so with little space for outside tables and chairs for the restaurants here. With the bike lane set forward closer to and parallel to the canal there should be much more space for people to sit outside and the gentle curve of the bike lane takes that bike traffic along the side of the canal further west rather than running as the road does now through in a straight line to Snaregade.

There will be steps down from the street level of Gammel Strand to a lower canal-side level for access to boats but as a sun trap it will certainly be used by people simply wanting to sit and watch what is happening on the water.

read more

 
 

lettering on Gammel Strand

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A good choice of typeface and imaginative graphics, even in prominent use for signs or logos, is often taken for granted - so many people often only register a font if it is clearly wrong or jars in some way - but a good use of an appropriate font not only makes our lives easier - when you are looking for a particular shop in a street or a particular brand in a store - but can enrich our lives enormously.

The sunlight on Gammel Strand in Copenhagen was good this weekend so it was an opportunity to take photographs to show how very different styles of lettering have been used on just a dozen or so buildings over a street frontage of little more than 150 metres ….. so from the name of the street on the pilaster of a corner building to the various fonts used imaginatively by a fish restaurant to plaques that identify interesting residents of the street in the past.  And the signs vary not just in style but in form ... from lettering painted directly onto the stone or on the plaster of the building or painted directly onto the glass of windows to carved lettering, lettering cut from metal and applied and, of course, lettering on the ubiquitous Copenhagen hanging signs.

 

street lettering in Copenhagen

shop signs in Copenhagen