The Prince Wilhelm Mansion (

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 ...

: Prins Wilhelms Palæ) is a historic property on the corner of

Sankt Annæ Plads Sankt Annæ Plads (English: St. Ann's Square) is a public square which marks the border between the Nyhavn area and Frederiksstaden neighborhoods of central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a long narrow rectangle which extends inland from the waterfron ...

and Amaliegade in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is owned by the property investment company Jeudan which is headquartered in the building.

History

18th century

The mansion was built from 1749 to 1752 for Wilhelm August von der Osten. It was located in the former grounds of Sophie Amalienborg which were now up for redevelopment into the new district

Frederiksstaden Frederiksstaden is a district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Constructed during the reign of Frederick V of Denmark, Frederick V in the second half of the 18th century, it is considered to be one of the most important rococo complexes in Europe and was in ...

. Robert Tuite (1746-1811), a plantation owner from Saint Croix in the Danish West Indies, purchased the building in 1777. He also acquired the Andreas Bjørn House and an associated sugar refinery, Union House, in

Christianshavn Christianshavn (literally, "ingChristian's Harbour") is a neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. Part of the Indre By District, it is located on several artificial islands between the islands of Zealand and Amager and separated from the rest of th ...

. He married Mary Ann (-1807), the widow of Robert Cotton Trefusis. in London in 1780. The couple lived in the mansion on Sankt Annæ Plads but divorced in 1787 and Tuite moved back to Saint Croiz in 1792. Charles August Selby, Tuite 's cousin and business partner, purchased the building in 1794. Selby had previously lived at Strandgade 24 in Christianshavn.

19th century

In 1804, Selby sold the mansion to Imperial Roman Vice consul Johan Nicolai Adam Romeis. In 1808, he sold it to Major-General

Peter Lotharius Oxholm Peter Lotharius Oxholm (10 July 1753 – 27 July 1827) was a Danish army officer and governor-general of the Danish West Indies from 1815 to 1816. He also participated in the Battle of Køge against the British troops in 1807. In 1814, Oxholm w ...

, He was the owner of several plantations on Saint Croix and served as

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

of the Danish West Indies from 1814 to 1816. In 1826, the mansion was acquired by King Frederick VI of Denmark, Frederick VI who put it at the disposal of Prince William of Hesse-Kassel. He lived there until his death in 1867. After that, the building came to new use. The Nobel Prize-winning medical doctor Niels Finsen for a while lived in the building as a young student and is now commemorated with a plaque on the building's facade. In 1878, it was acquired by a restaurateur, Lars Larsen, who ran it an event venue under the name Larsens Lokaler. He later changed the name back to Prins Wilhelms Palæ which gave rise to the popular name Prins Larsens Palæ. The Medical Society for Women (Danish: Kvindelig Læseforening) was founded in the building's great hall on 28 November 1907.

20th century

In the 1920s, the building came to serve as headquarters for the oil company ''Det Danske Petroleums Aktieselskab'' (later Danish Esso) and later

Statoil Equinor ASA (formerly Statoil and StatoilHydro) is a Norwegian state owned enterprise, state-owned multinational energy company headquartered in Stavanger. It is primarily a petroleum company, petroleum company, operating in 36 countries with ad ...

's activities in Denmark.

Architecture

Today

The building is now owned by the property company Jeudan.

References

{{Copenhagen historic houses Houses in Copenhagen Houses completed in 1751 1751 establishments in Denmark