Bakkehuset facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bakkehuset
Bakkehuset viewed from the courtyard
General information
Architectural style	Traditional Danish
Town or city	Frederiksberg, Copenhagen
Country	Denmark
Completed	1520s

Bakkehuset (which means The Hill House) is a historic house in Frederiksberg, a part of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built way back in the 1520s! Over the years, this old house has been many things. It was a farmhouse, an inn (like a hotel and restaurant), a private home, a hospital for people with mental health challenges, and even an orphanage for children without parents.

Bakkehuset is especially famous because of the Danish Golden Age. This was a time when Denmark had many amazing artists, writers, and thinkers. The house was owned by Knud Lyne Rahbek and his wife, Kamma Rahbek. Kamma used their home to host special gatherings called salons. Here, important people would meet to talk about art, literature, and ideas.

History of Bakkehuset

How it Started

Bakkehuset has a long history, going back to the 1520s. It was built in a great spot, right on the main road that went from Copenhagen to Roskilde. Because of its location, it was used as an inn for a very long time. Travelers could stop there to rest and eat.

In 1649, the owner, Claus Wendorff, passed away. His wife tried to keep the inn running, but she wasn't able to get the license renewed.

Later, in 1755, a new owner named Captain Claus Wendorff got a fresh license for the inn. The next year, a former prime minister, Count Johan Ludvig Holstein, bought the property. He wanted to build a new country house there, but he died in 1763 before his plans could happen. His building manager, Johan Christian Conradi, took over. Conradi finished fixing up the property, and it continued to be an inn. In 1777, Conradi faced money problems, and the house changed owners again.

The Rahbek Family Years

Knud Lyne Rahbek was a regular guest at Bakkehuset from 1787. In 1802, he bought the house and made it his family's private home.

A Place for Culture

Once the Rahbeks moved in, Bakkehuset quickly became a very popular spot for writers and thinkers in Copenhagen. Many famous people visited regularly. These included Adam Oehlenschläger (who was married to Kamma's sister), Anders Sandøe Ørsted, and even Hans Christian Andersen, the famous fairy tale writer! Other important guests were Jens Baggesen, Poul Martin Møller, and Bernhard Severin Ingemann.

Having so many guests was fun, but it cost a lot of money. The Rahbeks didn't have much wealth. To help pay the bills, they rented out rooms in their house. Kamma was very good at managing their money and making the most of what they had.

Later, other famous people used the house as a summer home. These included Johan Ludvig Heiberg, Johanne Luise Heiberg, and N. F. S. Grundtvig.

Kamma's Special Garden

The Bakkehuset property was quite large, with about 3.5 hectares of land. Kamma loved gardening and put a lot of effort into creating a beautiful garden. She designed it with a small pond, green lawns, colorful flowers, and many unusual plants. Her garden was one of the first private gardens in Denmark to be designed in the English style. This style looks more natural and less formal than older garden designs.

Later Life of the House

Originally, Bakkehuset had three parts, or wings. One of these wings eventually fell apart and had to be taken down. For a while, the building was used as a hospital for people with mental health issues. Later, this hospital moved to a different location.

In 1925, Bakkehuset opened its doors as a museum.

Bakkehuset Today

Today, Bakkehuset is a museum. Inside, you can visit special rooms that remember the famous people who lived there or visited often. It's like stepping back in time to see how they lived!

The museum is located right next to the Carlsberg area. This used to be a big industrial site for the Carlsberg Breweries. Now, it's being turned into a new, busy neighborhood in Copenhagen. A small park will be created right next to the museum, giving visitors a nice green space to enjoy.

Images for kids

• 

  A panorama view of Bakkehuset.

See also

• Store Godthåb