Larsens Plads

{{short description|Historic waterfront in Copenhagen}} [[Image:Larsens Plads from the water.jpg|thumb|300px|The [[Amaliehaven|historical warehouses]] along Larsens Plads viewed from the water]] '''''Larsens Plads''''' ({{Transliteration|en|Larsen's Place}}) is a waterfront in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]], which runs along the [[Zealand]] side of the [[Inner Harbour, Copenhagen|Inner Harbour]] from the [[Nyhavn]] canal in the south to the [[Nordre Toldbod]] area just south of [[Langelinie]] to the north. The name refers to a shipyard which used to occupy the grounds but is now more associated with [[Danish emigration to the United States|emigration to America]] after it became a major hub for trans-Atlantic traffic later in the century. Today, the area is dominated by [[Amalienborg Palace]] with the [[Amaliehaven|Amalie Garden]] and a number of late 18th-century warehouses which have been converted to other uses. The buildings facing the waterfront have their address on the parallel street [[Toldbodgade]].

==History== ===Warehouses and ship building=== [[Image:Dahl View of Larsen Square near Copenhagen Harbor 1840.jpg|thumb|200px|Larsen's Place painted by [[Carl Dahl]] in 1840]]

The waterfront was created by extensive land fills which led to the establishment of [[Toldbodgade|Ny Toldbodgade]] in 1719 and expanded the port northwards. The new quay was used for storage of timber that arrived to the city by ship.

When [[Frederiksstaden]] was founded and the area along the waterfront came under redevelopment as an elegant new residential district, it was decided to relocate the timberyards from the area due to the risk of fires. They found a temporary home at Greenland, a greenspace next to [[Nyboder]], and were later moved to a filled site south of [[Langebro|Lange Bridge]], at present day [[Tietgensgade]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kobenhavnshistorie.dk/bog/khsd/1700/1755.html|title=1755|language=Danish|publisher=Selskabet for Københavns Historie|accessdate=2012-01-02|archive-date=2016-08-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803122625/http://kobenhavnshistorie.dk/bog/khsd/1700/1755.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, in spite of the wealthy new neighbours, the waterfront remained in use for port activities,

In 1802, the site was acquired by a wealthy shipowner, [[Lars Larsen (1758–1844)|Lars Larsen]], who established a shipyard in the grounds which became known simply as Larsen's Place after its founder.<ref name=Portal>{{cite web|url=http://www.copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Amaliehaven.asp |title=Amalie Garden - Amaliehaven |publisher=Copenhagen Portal |accessdate=2010-07-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923072701/http://copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Map/CPH-Amaliehaven.asp |archivedate=2010-09-23 }}</ref>

In 1844, when Larsen died, Larsens Plads was acquired by [[Jacob Holm (industrialist)|Jacob Holm]], the owner of the largest shipping company in Denmark at the time as well as a shipyard on [[Christianshavn]]. He used Larsens Plads for repairing ships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Dansk_Biografisk_Leksikon/Handel_og_industri/Fabrikant/Jacob_Holm|title=Jacob Holm|date=17 July 2011 |language=Danish|publisher=Dansk Biogradisk Leksikon|accessdate=2012-10-30}}</ref>

===Trans-Atlantic hub=== [[File:Edvard Petersen - Udvandrere på Larsens Plads (1890).jpg|thumb|240px|''Emigrants at Larsens Plads'', painting by [[Edvard Petersen]] from 1890]]

In 1870, the shipyard was closed and a new port terminal was established at the site in 1879 by the [[Thingvalla Line]] which began operating a direct route between [[Scandinavia]]n ports and America, offering the growing number of Scandinavian emigrants affordable, comfortable and safe voyages. In 1898, the Thingvalla Line was acquired by [[DFDS]], another Danish-based shipping company, and the Scandinavian-American passenger service was operated under the name [[Scandinavian America Line]].<ref name=Portal/>

===Later history=== The route to America with Scandinavian America Line was discontinued in 1935. The quay area was later taken over by Oslo Ferries, which started in 1866 and have since relocated to the Free Port Terminal at [[Amerika Plads|Amerika Quay]] further north.

==Buildings== [[Image:Larsens Plads - Amaliehaven and the Double Warehouse.jpg|thumb|200px|The southern end of Larsens Plads with the Double Warehouse]] * [[Vestindisk Pakhus|West Indies Warehouse]] (1780–81) * [[Det Blå Pakhus|Blue Warehouse]] (1781–83) * [[Det Gule Pakhus|Yellow Warehouse]] (1777–78) * [[Copenhagen Admiral Hotel|Double Warehouse]] (granaries) (1785–87).

==Public art== An untitled sculpture by [[Søren Georg Jensen]] was installed at the quay in 1979. Outside the West India Warehouse is a replica of [[Michelangelo]]'s ''[[David (Michelangelo)|David]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kk.sites.itera.dk/apps/kk_monumenter/index.asp?lang=uk&mode=detalje&id=130|title=David|publisher=Copenhagen Municipality|accessdate=2014-11-06}}</ref>

==See also== {{Commons category|Larsens Plads}} * ''[[Amerikabåt]]'' * [[Amerika Plads]] * [[Wilders Plads]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons}} * [http://www.jmarcussen.dk/maritim/mart/lexref/rederier.html Source]

[[Category:Squares in Copenhagen]] [[Category:Waterfronts]] [[Category:Port of Copenhagen]] [[Category:Danish-American history]] [[Category:History of immigration to the United States]]