Diakonissestiftelsen facts for kids
Diakonissestiftelsen (which means "the Deaconess Foundation") is a large and important place in the Frederiksberg area of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is owned by a Danish group called the Deaconess Community. This place is used for many helpful activities, especially in social care and healthcare. For example, it has a home for older people and helps train nurses.
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History: How it Started
The Diakonissestiftelsen was created in 1866. It all began because of Crown Princess Louise, who was married to the future King Christian IX of Denmark. She really wanted to help people.
Crown Princess Louise asked Louise Conring to travel and learn about similar groups. Louise Conring visited Sweden, where a deaconess group had been active for ten years. She also went to Germany, where a pastor named Theodor Fliedner had started the very first Deaconess motherhouse in 1836 in Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth.
After learning from these places, the Diakonissestiftelsen opened its first building in Smallegade, which was close to its current location. This first building had a small hospital and homes for the Deaconess sisters.
The current large site was officially opened in 1876. The small hospital in Smallegade then closed in 1880.
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The Site Today: What it Looks Like
Today, the Deaconesses' area covers about 33,000 square meters of buildings on 4 hectares of land. The main building is long and has three wings. It runs along Peter Bangs Vej. This building was designed by Hans Jørgen Holm. He used a style called Neo-Gothic, which looks like old medieval monasteries and manor houses. Later, other architects like Gotfred Tvede (in 1922–1923) and Harald Gad (in 1937–1939) added more parts to the complex.
Behind the main buildings, facing a garden, there are a couple of old wash houses. Other buildings on the grounds include Søster Sophies Minde, which is on Sønder Fasanvej. This building was made in the 1950s to be homes for Deaconess sisters who had retired.
Diakonissestiftelsen also owns a house called Marthabo. It is on the other side of Peter Bangsvej (at number 12). This building, built in 1885 and designed by C. Lendorff, now has a kindergarten inside.
Future Plans for the Site
In 2011, Diakonissestiftelsen shared plans for a big project to improve their site. They wanted to spend 500 million Danish kroner. The main goals were to make the area feel more connected to the city around it and to create a central place for social and healthcare activities. In 2012, two teams, led by Tegnestuen Vandkunsten and Cubo Arkitekter, won a competition for the overall plan. Later, in 2013, Arkitema won a competition to expand and update the Søster Sofies Minde building.
UC Diakonissestiftelsen: Learning and Education
Diakonissestiftelsen is also home to an education center called UC Diakonissestiftelsen. This center offers several different courses. You can study to become a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or learn about Social and Health Care. There's also a Bachelor of Christianity, Culture, and Communication program. Plus, they have an HF program that focuses on health and new ideas.
Images for kids
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Diakonissestiftelsen seen from Peter Bangs Vej
