Ferdinand Meldahl

Ferdinand Meldahl (16 March 1827 – 3 February 1908) was a Danish architect best known for the reconstruction of Frederiksborg Castle after the fire in 1859. Meldahl was one of the leading proponents of historicism in Denmark.

Biography 

He was the son of architect Heinrich Meldahl. He worked in his father’s iron foundry and was also trained as a bricklayer. He joined the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where he was educated as an architect. He conducted several study trips to Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, England, Egypt and Syria.  As a member of the municipal council of Copenhagen Municipality for 27 years from 1866, Meldahl managed to significantly influence the city. 

In 1857, he became a member of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and in 1863 a professor at the academy. He was its manager from 1873 to 1890. In 1904, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on the occasion of the visit of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. At the time he was Chamberlain to the King Christian IX of Denmark and Vice President of the Danish Royal Academy of Arts. He was appointed Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (1861, Dannebrogsmand (1864), Commander of the 2nd degree of Dannebrog in (1874) and of the 1st degree that year and awarded the Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog (1904).

Selected works

Charlottenlund Palace

City Hall of Fredericia (1859)

Alþingishúsið in Reykjavík, Iceland/Denmark at the time (1880–81)

Hotel d’Angleterre, Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen (1873-75, with Vilhelm Dahlerup og Georg E.W. Møller)

Søtorvet, Copenhagen (1873-76, with Ferdinand Vilhelm Jensen and Vilhelm Petersen)

Completion of Frederik’s Church in Copenhagen (1878–94)

Reconstruction of

• Frederiksborg Slot (1860-84)

• Fredensborg Slot (1865)

• Kronborg (1866-1900)

• Rosenborg Slot (1867-70, 1884-90)

• Børsen (1878-83, with Ludvig Fenger 1884-85)

• Esrum Kloster (1881-82)

• Eremitagen (1884-92)

• Sorgenfri Slot (1898)

• Løvenholm (1901-02)

Source

Heinrich Wenck

Vilhelm Dahlerup

Martin Nyrop

Denmark

Danish Castles

Fortifications of Copenhagen

Kastellet and the Fortification Ring, Copenhagen, Denmark

Københavns Toldbod – Copenhagen Custom Tax Buildings

Københavns Frihavn – Copenhagen Freeport

Rosenborg Castle

Christiansborg Slot – Christiansborg Castle

Christiansborg Bunker

Amalienborg Palace

Frederiksberg Palace, Frederiksberg City Hall / Command Central

Moltke’s Mansion

The Lur Blowers Monument

Copenhagen 1960s

Copenhagen, Denmark

Winter in Denmark

Tuborgflasken

King of the hill: Elephants, elegance and 170 years of Carlsberg

Holmen

Retired crane becomes luxury-retreat