Embassy of Russia in Copenhagen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Embassy of the Russian Federation in CopenhagenПосольство Российской Федерации в Копенгагене Den russiske føderations ambassade i København |
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| Location | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Address | Kristianiagade 5 |
| Ambassador | Teymuraz Ramishvili |
The Embassy of Russia in Copenhagen is where Russia's official representatives work in Denmark. An embassy is like a home base for a country's diplomats in another nation. They help people from their home country and work to keep good relationships between the two countries.
This embassy building is located at Kristianiagade 5 in the Indre Østerbro area of Copenhagen. It is a very special building because it is officially listed as a heritage site. This means it is protected because of its history and unique design.
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The Story of the Embassy Building
The building that now houses the Russian Embassy has a long and interesting past. It was not always an embassy.
Who Built the Mansion?
Back in 1897, a very successful Danish businessman named Otto Mønsted bought three pieces of land in Østerbro, Copenhagen. He was known for making a lot of money from margarine.
Mr. Mønsted hired a famous architect named Vilhelm Dahlerup to design a grand house for him. Dahlerup was an expert in the Italian Renaissance style. He had designed many other famous buildings in Denmark, like the Hotel D’Angleterre and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek art museum.
The mansion was finished in 1899. It cost Mr. Mønsted a huge amount of money at the time – half a million Danish krone. That was like building a palace!
Life in the Grand House
The entrance to the mansion had a special design with the letters AOM. These stood for Anna and Otto Mønsted, the owners.
The Mønsteds had many staff members working in their home. They also had a large and beautiful garden created by gardeners. In their garage, Mr. Mønsted kept one of Copenhagen's most expensive cars. They even bred Scottish hunting dogs and kept race horses in a barn on the property.
New Owners and Wartime Use
In 1934, Anna Mønsted sold the mansion for 265,000 krone. A Danish actress named Countess Musse Scheel bought it. She was the last private owner of the house.
Countess Scheel loved animals and was known for being a bit unusual. She even kept a hen house in the yard and sold fresh eggs to her neighbors!
During World War II, when Nazi Germany occupied Denmark, the mansion was used as the main office for a group called the Northern Society. This group worked to promote cultural connections between Germany and the Nordic countries.
Becoming the Russian Embassy
In 1950, the Soviet Union (which Russia was a part of) signed a deal to rent the mansion. They paid 20,000 krone each year.
Later, in 1982, the mansion and two other nearby buildings (Kristianiagade 3, which is the consulate, and Bergensgade 11, which is an embassy school) were given to the Soviets. This was done for free, based on an agreement called "reciprocity." This means that Russia also gave Denmark a building for their embassy in Russia for free. This agreement lasts for 70 years, until December 31, 2051.
The main embassy building and its garage are both officially listed as heritage listed buildings. They were added to Denmark's heritage register on December 3, 1991. This protects them for future generations.
