KONGENS NYTORV
Noble and vast square founded as a link between the historic city and the new extra-mural districts.
The Strøget leads to this large, noble square in the shape of a shield. It was created in 1688 as a link between the historic city and the new extra-mural districts. At the time, the site was more or less a wasteland until Christian V decided to make it the new royal square on which to erect the equestrian statue glorifying him.
Abraham-César Lamoureux was chosen to carry out the project. In addition to the usual allegorical figures, Lamoureux decided to place a naked man under the horse's legs for a double necessity: this poor boy came to symbolize Envy and to help the sculptor keep the rather unstable equestrian group upright... so much so that the statue had to be recast in 1944 to ensure its durability. Known simply by Copenhageners as "the horse", the monument is one of the focal points of student celebrations at the end of the university year: the "dance around the horse" is a highlight of every student's life.
Recently redeveloped, the square is now partly dedicated to pedestrians. Numerous official buildings surround the square: the Théâtre Royal, home to the Royal Ballet Company; Charlottenborg Palace, the former royal castle housing the Royal Academy of Fine Arts; Tott Palace, home to the French Embassy; the prestigious Palace Hôtel d'Angleterre; and the Grand Magasin du Nord. Commerce, art, culture and power share the strategic heart of Copenhagen!
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