Renaissance

The word Renaissance means “rebirth,” referring to the rebirth of ideas, art, and architecture from classical antiquity. The Renaissance began in late 14th-century Florence, Italy, and quickly spread across the country. By around 1500, the movement had reached most of Europe. In Denmark, however, Renaissance architecture did not take hold until after the Reformation in 1536, when visible changes began to appear.

In architecture, the Renaissance broke with the medieval use of organic, asymmetrical forms. The new ideal emphasized simple floor plans, flat surfaces, and straight lines. Buildings were designed with layered facades, where columns and pilasters (flat wall columns) became part of the decoration. In Southern Europe, domes were central features, while in Denmark Renaissance expression was more evident in facade decoration and gable shapes.

The Greek triangular pediment and classical column orders were revived as central elements in architectural language. From the Roman tradition came the rounded arch and the use of columns as ornaments – not only as structural supports.

Human at the Center

The Renaissance marked a decisive shift in the view of humanity. For the first time, the individual – the human being – emerged as important in its own right. Although lineage, rank, and social status remained vital, human life on earth increasingly came to be seen as meaningful in itself, rather than merely preparation for eternal life in heaven.

This new mindset showed in many ways, especially in art, where portraiture became a dominant genre. Depicting an individual’s face and expression was itself an acknowledgment of personal importance. In architecture, it sparked new interest in scale, proportion, and spatial understanding, with the human body serving as the standard for all building dimensions.

Geometric Idealism

Artists of antiquity worked with geometric forms and carefully calculated proportions. Renaissance architects revived these principles, aiming to create buildings where nothing was accidental. Every part had to relate mathematically to the whole. For example, the height of a story had to correspond precisely to the width of its windows, and the total length of a building had to harmonize with its height.

The human body played a key role as a measuring standard. Ratios such as the hand to the forearm, and the forearm to the rest of the body, were studied and transferred to architecture. Building elements were thus designed to reflect the same proportional harmony found in anatomy. The ideal was harmony, symmetry, simplicity, regularity, and balance – all governed by geometry and mathematics.

The Role of Perspective

Another innovation in Renaissance architecture was the discovery and systematization of perspective. Perspective is a drawing technique that represents three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface using mathematical rules. With it, architects could sketch a building as it would appear from a specific viewpoint before construction began.

Perspective drawing enabled precise and symmetrical planning. It required defining a central point – the spot from which the viewer would experience the building. All perspective lines converged at this point, which then guided the building’s entire design. Thus, human sight shaped not only architectural drawings but also the finished constructions. Central perspective became a symbol of the Renaissance view of humans as the measure of all things.

Cities in Order

The geometric principles used in Renaissance buildings were also applied to city planning. Medieval towns had typically grown around marketplaces and squares without any master plan. In the Renaissance, planners sought control. Cities were to be orderly and regular. Streets and houses were laid out according to fixed patterns, often inspired by hexagons, octagons, or star shapes with an even number of points.

A city’s central square served as its hub, with main streets radiating outward in straight lines. This symmetry created impressive visual effects but also had practical value. The layout made orientation and surveillance easier – an important consideration in an age of gunpowder warfare. Bastions and angled walls strengthened defenses against attack.

The Renaissance in Denmark

It took more than a century before Renaissance ideas transformed Danish architecture. The period is considered to stretch from the Reformation in 1536 until the establishment of absolute monarchy in 1660. The Reformation shifted the balance of power: the church weakened while the state and monarchy grew stronger.

In the Middle Ages, the church had driven most building projects – primarily churches and monasteries. Now the new elite, the nobility, expressed their status through architecture. They built manor houses, while the state constructed castles and administrative buildings. Both function and style changed, gradually replacing medieval traditions with new ideals drawn from abroad – especially the Netherlands.

The Danish Variation

What we today call Renaissance architecture in Denmark differs markedly from the Italian version. Instead of looking to Italy, Danish builders drew inspiration from Holland. The style is often referred to as Dutch Renaissance in Denmark.

Where Italian Renaissance emphasized symmetry, columns, triangular pediments, and clear proportions, the Danish version favored curved gables and tiered spires – features that often contradicted Italian ideals. Many of these elements resembled medieval architecture, showing that Denmark did not break as radically with tradition. Often, only the decoration and facade design changed, while construction methods remained much the same.

The Manor House as Symbol

After the Reformation, the nobility gained political and economic power, spurring the construction of manor houses. One early example is Hesselagergård on Funen, built in 1538 for Chancellor Johan Friis. The building shows Renaissance traits such as rounded gable ends, horizontal cornice bands, and distinctive window designs.

But manor houses were not just symbolic or representative. They also served defensive purposes, shaped by events like the Count’s Feud (1534-36), a violent civil war that left many nobles insecure. Hesselagergård and similar estates were built with defense in mind, combining Renaissance ideals with needs for security and control.

Townhouses in the New Style

Renaissance influence also reached urban homes. Wealthy citizens began building houses in the new style. Notable examples include Mathias Hansen’s House (1616) on Amagertorv in Copenhagen and Jens Bang’s Stone House (1623–24) in Aalborg. Built in brick, they feature monumental facades with sandstone-framed windows and doors, as well as large, curved gables. Some gables were “false,” allowing the installation of hoisting equipment to lift furniture through windows when staircases were too narrow.

Not all houses were built of brick. Many continued in timber-framing, adapted to Renaissance design. Some combined both: brick facing the street, timber in the courtyard. In brick houses, timber-framing patterns were sometimes imitated decoratively. Regardless of material, builders typically covered facades with strong colors, concealing the raw construction. Examples still survive in towns like Køge and Ribe, where Renaissance-era timber houses remain.

Christian IV and the Dutch Style

One of the most influential figures in Danish architectural history was King Christian IV. Known as Denmark’s great “builder king,” he commissioned an extraordinary number of projects. His preferred style was Dutch Renaissance, used in many of his major works.

Famous examples include Frederiksborg Castle, the Stock Exchange (Børsen), the Round Tower, and Rosenborg Castle. Rosenborg, begun in 1606 as a small summer residence outside Copenhagen’s walls, was later expanded with towers and wings. The term Rosenborg style is now used for this distinctive Dutch Renaissance form. It remains one of Denmark’s most remarkable examples of Renaissance architecture, showcasing the era’s design language and traditions.

The King as City Planner

Christian IV did not stop at castles, churches, and public buildings. He also laid out entire districts and towns according to Renaissance ideals. A prime example is Christianshavn, planned in 1617 as both a trading district and a coastal defense. While Copenhagen’s land side was protected by fortifications, its seaward side relied only on the navy. Christianshavn strengthened the city’s defense.

Built on an artificial island, the district features a regular grid of streets. Its central square served as a gathering point, while surrounding bastions, still visible today, formed its defenses. Inspiration came from both Italian “ideal cities” and Dutch canal towns. Though not perfectly symmetrical, Christianshavn clearly reflected Renaissance planning principles.

The Ideal City and Its Principles

In Italy, the Renaissance introduced a new way of designing cities. Unlike the organic growth of medieval towns around markets and monasteries, Renaissance planners sought order. An ideal city had a central square, with main streets radiating outward in straight lines, allowing full visibility of the layout.

Geometry was crucial. City plans often used pentagonal, hexagonal, or star-shaped designs, surrounded by strong walls. Such layouts both organized urban life and provided defense. Corners offered good vantage points, and fortifications made cities easier to defend. Planning thus embodied both control and functionality.

Besides Christianshavn, the Danish town of Fredericia was also laid out along these lines. Its structure still shows the imprint of Renaissance ideals today.