Lars Larsen (25 March 1758 – 18 January 1844) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

merchant,

ship-owner A ship-owner is the owner of a merchant vessel (commercial ship) and is involved in the shipping industry. In the commercial sense of the term, a shipowner is someone who equips and exploits a ship, usually for delivering cargo at a certain freig ...

and shipbuilder. The Lars Larsen House, (''Lars Larsens Gård'') his former home in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, was listed on the Danish registry of protected buildings and places in 1918. He has also lent his name to

Larsens Plads Larsens Plads (English: Larsen's Place) is a waterfront in Copenhagen, Denmark, which runs along the Zealand side of the main harbour from the Nyhavn canal in the south to the Nordre Toldbod area just south of Langelinie to the north. The name refe ...

, a former dockyard located adjacent to

Amalienborg Palace Amalienborg () is the official residence for the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Queen Magrethe ll lives here in winter and autumn. It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors arou ...

Early life and education

Larsen was born in

, the son of silk weaver and later brewer Peder Larsen (c. 1729–1809) and Charlotte Margaretha Larsen née Holm. He apprenticed as a shipbuilder under Erik Eskildsen at Østersøisk-guineisk Handelsselskab's shipyard.

Career

Larsen became master shipbuilder for the consortium. He was also involved in overseas trade. In 1797, he had the third largest commercial fleet in Copenhagen, only surpassed by the

Danish Asiatic Company Danish Asiatic Company ( Danish: Asiatisk Kompagni) was a Danish trading company established in 1730 to revive Danish trade on the Danish East Indies and China following the closure of the Danish East India Company. It was granted a 40-year mon ...

and Duntzfeldt. He made large investments on the property market in Copenhagen. In 1802, he purchased

from Duntzfeldt, Meyer & Co. for 42,000 rigsdaler and established a shipyard in the grounds. He was also the owner of the Blue Warehouse and a site on

Slotsholmen Slotsholmen (English: The Castle Islet) is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. The name is taken from the successive castles and palaces located on the island since Bishop Absalon constructed the ci ...

Property

Larsen constructed the first house in the street

Kronprinsessegade Kronprinsessegade ( lit. "Crown Princess Street") is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Noted for its fine Neoclassical houses, it extends from Gothersgade and runs along the southern boundary of Rosenborg Castle Garden, passing Sølvgade ...

, now known as the Lars Larsen House. It was completed in 1801 and he lived there until his death in 1844.

Philanthropy

In 1786, Larsen established a public bath for men at

Langelinie Langelinie (English: Long Line) is a pier, promenade and park in central Copenhagen, Denmark, and home of ''The Little Mermaid'' statue. The area has for centuries been a popular destination for excursions and strolls in Copenhagen. Most cruise s ...

. In 1787, he established a public bath for women at

Langebro Langebro (literally "Long Bridge") is a bascule bridge across the Inner Harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, connecting Zealandside H. C. Andersens Boulevard to Amagerside Amager Boulevard. It is one of only two bridges to carry motor vehicles across t ...

. He received a gold medal ''pro meritis'' from the king for the initiative.

Family and death

He married Jacobine Ursin (25 March 1772 – 3 October 1819) on 20 March 1807 in the

Church of Holmen The Holmen Church ( da, Holmens Kirke) is a Parish church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having ...

. She was a daughter of Captain Lieutenant and later Counter Admiral Svend Martin Ursin (1728–1810) and Frederikke Marie Ursin (1741–1816). The couple had two daughters. Caroline Emilie Henriette Larsen (1801–1891), their eldest daughter, married jurist, ''overpresident'' and head of police Andreas Christian Kierulff (1782–1846). Charlotte Margrethe Larsen (1809–1887), their younger daughter, married Wilhelm Huth Krag (1800–1887). Lars Larsen died on 18 January 1844 and is buried at

Assistens Cemetery Assistens Cemetery ( da, Assistens Kirkegård) is the name of a number of cemeteries in Denmark. The common nominator is, as the first part of the name implies (Latin: ''assistens'' meaning assisting), an assisting cemetery for a town's churches. ...

in Copenhagen.

References

External links

Lars Larsen
at geni.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lars Larsen (1758-1844) 18th-century Danish businesspeople Danish merchants Danish businesspeople in shipping 19th-century Danish shipbuilders Businesspeople from Copenhagen