Nysø Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nysø Manor |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Baroque |
| Town or city | Præstø |
| Country | Denmark |
| Coordinates | 55°7′36″N 12°1′50″E / 55.12667°N 12.03056°E |
| Completed | 1673 |
| Client | Jens Lauridsen |
| Design and construction | |
| Engineer | Ewert Janssen |
Nysø Manor is a historic mansion located near the town of Præstø on the Danish island of Sealand. It was built in 1673 for a local official named Jens Lauridsen. Today, the manor is famous for holding the Thorvaldsen Collection. This is a special collection of art by the famous Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, who lived and worked at the manor during the last years of his life.
Contents
The Manor's Unique Design
Nysø Manor was the very first manor house in Denmark built in the Baroque style. This style was known for being grand and full of details. The building was constructed with red bricks and sandstone, and it has a red-tiled roof. It sits on a strong foundation made of granite.
It is believed that the master builder Ewert Janssen designed Nysø. He was a skilled builder who also likely worked on the famous Charlottenborg Palace in Copenhagen around the same time.
The main part of the house is long, with 11 sections of windows. Two wings extend forward on the north side, creating an entrance area. The center parts of the building on both the north and south sides have special decorations. They feature four flat columns called Ionic pilasters, which support a triangular top piece called a pediment. On the north side, there is a clock with two figures that strike bells to mark each hour.
Location and Grounds
Originally, a moat (a wide ditch filled with water) surrounded the entire manor for protection. In 1780, the moat on the north side was filled in to make space for other buildings on the estate. The Thorvaldsen Collection is kept in one of these red-brick buildings.
The Nysø Estate is very large, covering 1,041 hectares. It also includes the lands of Jungshovedgaard, Christinelund, Henriklund, and Mariannelund.
A Hub of the Danish Golden Age
Nysø Manor is especially famous for its role during the Danish Golden Age. This was a period in the first half of the 19th century when art and culture flourished in Denmark. The owners of the manor at the time, Baron Henrik Stampe and his wife Christine, invited many famous artists and writers to stay with them.
Their guests included the famous fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen and the great sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. Thorvaldsen spent a lot of time at Nysø during the last six years of his life, from 1838 to 1844. He had a studio inside the house and another one in the garden, which you can see as the white building in the painting.
The Thorvaldsen Collection
Today, Nysø Manor is home to the Thorvaldsen Collection. It is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer months (May 1 to August 31).
Inside, you can see many of Thorvaldsen's works, including clay models, finished sculptures, and drawings. The collection also features art created by other famous artists who visited the manor.
See also
- Thorvaldsen Museum
