From stately home to maternity institution
– and back to stately home
Amaliegaarden was originally built as private residences for wealthy citizens. In 1750, the southern front building was erected in the Rococo style by royal builder Nicolai Eigtved. Eigtved was the architect star
of the time and was responsible for the planning of the entire Frederiksstaden district. He also designed Amalienborg, Christian’s Church, the Marble Bridge, Frederik’s Hospital (now Designmuseum Danmark) and countless palaces and mansions.
In 1755, master builder Lauritz de Thurah built the northern front house as his private residence. The style is late Baroque with a richly decorated façade and a massive mansard roof. De Thurah was as great an architect as Eigtved, and his buildings include Our Saviour’s Church, the Hermitage Palace, Church of Our Lady (burned in 1807 by the British bombardment) and countless mansions, pavilions, palaces, convents etc.
AMALIE-GAARDEN is built
1750- 1789
Queen Juliane Marie buys the buildings
In 1787, Queen Juliane Marie bought de Thuras buildings and established The Maternity and Caring Institution (Den Kongelige Fødsels- og Plejestiftelse). In 1789, the buildings had become too small, and the central
mansion, designed by Joseph Guione, was added. In 1804, Eigtved’s building was added to the maternity institution. In the following years, up to a third of all Copenhagen births took place here. Quite remarkably, unmarried mothers could give birth anonymously here and thus avoid being
condemned by the strict morality of the time. In addition to providing this service to the citizens, the maternity institution also taught midwives and medical students.
In 1910, the maternity institution moved to the Danish national hospital Rigshospitalet, and the buildings were assigned to the state, which used them until 2014 as offices. During this period, Amaliegaarden has been
under continuous maintenance in accordance with the conservation authorities’ guidelines. All buildings are therefore in excellent condition. Only the interior of the buildings will be carefully transformed into beautiful residences.
