the Caritas Well
/In 1608, the Caritasbrønden or Caritas Well on Gammel Torv was constructed for Christian IV as his gift to the citizens of Copenhagen when a new city hall was built across the south side of this open space to replace a medieval city hall that had been on the east side of the square.
Just over a century later, that 17th-century building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1728 and a new city hall was built on the same site. When that building was, in turn, destroyed in the fire of 1795, a new city hall was built on the west side of Nytorv and the two squares were joined into a single open space.
An outline of the 17th-century hall is marked with stones set into the cobbles of the square.
The group of figures in the centre of the basin of the fountain - representing the virtue of love or charity - was first carved in wood by the German artist Statius Otto but later was cast in bronze.
The fountain was not just ornamental but was part of a system supplying fresh drinking water to the city.
This photograph was taken on the 16th April - on the Queen’s birthday - just after the royal carriage had progressed along Strøget to take the Queen from the palace to a reception at the city hall.