The half-
finished building began to sink, and the completion of the
undertaking became for ever impossible.
Many other streets rival the "Broad Street" in size and
magnificence. Foremost among them comes the Amalienstrasse. The
most bustling, but by far not the finest, are the Oster and
Gotherstrasse. To walk in these is at first quite a difficult
undertaking for a stranger. On one side of the pavement, which is
raised about a foot above the carriage-way, he comes continually in
contact with stairs, leading sometimes to warehouses above, at
others to subterranean warehouses below the level of the street.
The approaches to the latter are not guarded by railings as in
Hamburgh. The other side of the pavement is bounded by a little
unostentatious rivulet, called by unpoetical people "canal," into
which tributaries equally sweet pour from all the neighbouring
houses. It is therefore necessary to take great care, lest you
should fall into the traitorous depths on the one side, or stumble
over the projecting steps on the other. The pavement itself is
covered with a row of stone slabs, a foot and a half wide, on which
one walks comfortably enough. But then every body contends for the
possession of these, to avoid the uneven and pointed stones at the
side. This, added to the dreadful crowding, renders the street one
which would scarcely be chosen for a walk, the less so as the shops
do not contain any thing handsome, the houses are neither palace-
like nor even tastefully built, and the street itself is neither of
the broadest nor of the cleanest.
The squares are all large and regularly built. The finest is the
Kongensnytorf (King's New Market). Some fine mansions, the chief
guard-house, the theatre, the chief coffee-houses and inns, the
academy of the fine arts, and the building belonging to the
botanical garden, the two last commonly known by the name of
"Charlottenburg," are among the ornaments of this magnificent
square, in the midst of which stands a beautiful monument,
representing Christian V. on horseback, and surrounded by several
figures.
Smaller, but more beautiful in its perfect symmetry, is the
"Amalienplatz," containing four royal palaces, built exactly alike,
and intersected by four broad streets in the form of a cross. This
square also is decorated by a monument standing in the midst, and
representing Frederick V. In another fine square, the "Nytorf" (New
Market), there is a fountain. Its little statue sends forth very
meagre jets of water, and the fountain is merely noticeable as being
the only one I could find at Copenhagen.
The traveller can hardly fail of being surprised by the number and
magnificence of the palaces, at sight of which he could fancy
himself in the metropolis of one of the largest kingdoms. The
"Christianensburg" is truly imperial; it was completely destroyed by
fire in the year 1794, but has since been rebuilt with increased
splendour. The chapel of this palace is very remarkable. The
interior has the appearance rather of a concert-room than of a
building devoted to purposes of worship. Tastefully decorated
boxes, among which we notice that of the king, together with
galleries, occupy the upper part of the chapel; the lower is filled
with benches covered with red velvet and silk. The pulpit and altar
are so entirely without decoration, that, on first entering, they
wholly escape notice.
In the "Christianensburg" is also the "Northern Museum," peculiarly
rich in specimens of the ornaments, weapons, musical instruments,
and other mementoes of northern nations.
The Winter Riding-school, in which concerts are frequently given, is
large and symmetrical. I admired the stalls, and yet more the grey
horses which occupied them - descendants of the pure Arabian and wild
Norwegian breeds - creatures with long manes and tails of fine silky
hair. Every one who sees these horses, whether he be a connoisseur
or one of the uninitiated, must admire them.
Adjoining the "Christianensburg" is Thorwaldsen's Museum, a square
building with fine saloons, lighted from above. When I saw it, it
was not completed; the walls were being painted in fresco by some of
the first native artists. The sculptured treasures were there, but
unfortunately yet unpacked.
In the midst of the courtyard Thorwaldsen's mausoleum is being
erected. There his ashes will rest, with his exquisitely finished
lion as a gravestone above them. {15}
The largest among the churches is the "Woman's Church." The
building has no architectural beauty; the pillars, galleries, and
cupola are all of wood, covered with a mixture of sand and plaster.
But whatever may be wanting in outward splendour is compensated by
its contents, for this church contains the masterpieces of
Thorwaldsen. At the high altar stands his glorious figure of our
Saviour, in the niches of the wall his colossal twelve apostles.
In the contemplation of these works we forget the plainness of the
building which contains them. May the fates be prosperous, and no
conflagration reach this church, built as it is half of wood!
The Catholic Church is small, but tasteful beyond expression. The
late emperor of Austria presented to it a good full-toned organ, and
two oil-paintings, one by Kuppelweiser, the other by a pupil of this
master.
In the "Museum of Arts" I was most interested in the ancient chair,
used in days of yore by Tycho de Brahe. {16}
The Exchange is a curious ancient building. It is very long and
narrow, and surmounted by nine peaks, from the centre of which
protrudes a remarkable pointed tower, formed of four crocodiles'
tails intertwined.
The hall itself is small, low, and dark; it contains a full-length
portrait in oil of Tycho de Brahe.
