Sorø Academy (

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 ...

, ''Sorø Akademi'') is a

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

and gymnasium located in the small town of

Sorø Sorø () is a town in Sorø municipality in Region Sjælland on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in east Denmark. The population is 7,999 (2022).

, Denmark. It traces its history back to the 12th century when Bishop Absalon founded a monastery at the site, which was confiscated by the Crown after the Reformation, and ever since, on and off, it has served as an educational institution, in a variety of forms, including as a

knight academy Knight academies were first established in Western European states in the late 16th century. They prepared aristocratic youth for state and military service. It added to the hitherto rudimentary education of the aristocratic youth natural science, ...

founded by Christian IV and a venue for higher learning during the

Danish Golden Age The Danish Golden Age ( da, Den danske guldalder) covers a period of exceptional creative production in Denmark, especially during the first half of the 19th century.Kulturnet DanmarkGuide to the Danish Golden Age Although Copenhagen had suffered ...

. Danish writer and academian Ludvig Holberg bequested most of his fortune to re-establishing the academy in 1750 after a devastating fire.

History

Christian IV's equestrian academy (1623–1665)

Resens Atlas fra 1677 over Sorø Akademies bygninger

Sorø Academy traces its history back to 1140 when Archbishop Absalon founded the

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

Sorø Abbey Sorø Abbey was the preeminent and wealthiest monastic house in all of Denmark during the Middle Ages. It was located in the town of Sorø in central Zealand. After Denmark became Lutheran in 1536, the abbey was confiscated by the Crown. The ab ...

in a remote woodlands setting on the shores of Lake Sorø on the island of Zealand. It developed into the most prominent and wealthy monastery in Denmark. After the Reformation in 1536, the Crown confiscated the Catholic Church's properties and the former abbey served first as an educational institution for Protestant priests before Frederick II turned it into a boarding school for an equal number of noble and commoner boys. Sorø Academy was founded in 1623 when Christian IV turned the boarding school into an Equestrian Academy. Later attempts were made to transform it into a university proper but it only existed as such for about 20 years before closing in 1665.

Second academy: The Holberg era (1747–1793)

Sorø Academy - Lauritz de Thurah Building

After the closure the premises continued as a school until 1737. Efforts were made to reestablish the academy and around 1740, under the reign of

Christian VI Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

, the old buildings were rebuilt by

Lauritz de Thurah Laurids Lauridsen de Thurah, known as Lauritz de Thurah (4 March 1706 – 5 September 1759), was a Danish architect and architectural writer. He became the most important Danish architect of the late baroque period. As an architectural writer ...

, yet the plans did not materialize until Ludvig Holberg, who had no heirs, was persuaded to bequest his considerable fortune to the institution. The agreement which was ultimately settled upon exempted Holberg from paying taxes from the proceeds of his lands and to reach this end he was ennobled with title of

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

. Holberg was also consulted on the organization of the academy and the appointment of professors.

Jens Schielderup Sneedorff Jens Schielderup Sneedorff (22 August 1724 – 5 June 1764) was a Danish author, professor of political science and royal teacher and a central figure in Denmark in the Age of Enlightenment. Biography Sneedorff was born in Sorø, the son of the ...

was appointed professor in political sciences on his recommendation in 1751.

Golden Age venue

Frederik Christian Kiaerskou - Sorø Academy

The main wing burnt down in a fire in 1813 but was rebuilt from 1822 to 1827 to the design of Peder Malling. In 1825, before the rebuilding had been completed, the Sorø Academy reopened once again. Over the next decades it became a central venue of the

with Bernhard Severin Ingemann as a central figure. Both N. F. S. Grundtvig,

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...

and

Bertel Thorvaldsen Bertel Thorvaldsen (; 19 November 1770 – 24 March 1844) was a Danes, Danish and Icelanders, Icelandic Sculpture, sculptor medallist, medalist of international fame, who spent most of his life (1797–1838) in Italy. Thorvaldsen was born in ...

visited the Academy during this period.

Buildings

Main wing and gardens

The current main wing is designed by Peder Malling in a Neoclassical style which relies more on Greek than Roman architecture for its inspiration. It interior has decorative works by

Georg Hilker Georg Hilker (5 June 1807 – 13 January 1875) was a Danish decorative painter active during the Danish Golden Age in the first half of the 19th century. He collaborated with painter Constantin Hansen (1804–1880). Early life and career Hilk ...

. The Academy is surrounded by an English-style park known as the Academy Garden. Located in the park is the ''Vænget'' building which contains Adam Wilhelm Hauch's ''Physical Cabinet'', one of the largest collections of scientific instruments in Europe.

Chapel

The conventual church is an example of Cistercian craftsmanship. It is the third longest church in Denmark, and is one of the first Danish churches built of

brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

. The Reformation whitewashed the traditional decorations of the church; recently the ancient murals have been uncovered and in part restored. Holberg is buried in the church, as are King

Valdemar Atterdag Valdemar IV Atterdag (the epithet meaning "Return of the Day"), or Waldemar (132024 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance w ...

(1340–1375) and his father King Christopher II (1276–1332).

Other buildings

The gatehouse is the oldest inhabited building in Denmark today. It is where Saxo Grammaticus wrote the famous

chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

s ' Gesta Danorum', a medieval historical work recounting the early Christian history of Scandinavia. Two former professor's residences, today known as Molbech's House and Ingemann's House, survived the fire in 1813 and date from

's rebuilding of the Academy in 1740. The old well, stemming from the original abbey, was in 1915 topped by a well house designed by

Martin Nyrop Martin Nyrop (11 November 1849 18 May 1921) was a Danish architect. Early life and education Nyrop was born on 11 November 1849 at Holmsland, Ringkøbing, the son of parish priest Christopher Nyrop (1805–1879) and Helene Ahlmann (1807–1874). ...

, one of the schools former students. Other buildings are the Rector's House, the ''Alumnatet'' and the Library Building.

Sorø Academy today

The school

The current school has 630 students, of which 140 are boarders and the rest day students from Sorø, Ringsted and the surrounding countryside.

Collections

The library has a large collection of old and rare books. Wilhelm Hauch's physical'' Physical Cabinet'', one of the largest collections of scientific instruments in Europe.

Sorø Academy Foundation

Sorø Academy Foundation (''Stiftelsen Sorø Akademi'') owns approximately 6000 hectares of land, mainly covered by forest. The foundation also owns a number of properties in the town of Sorø including

Sorø Klosterkirke Sorø Klosterkirke (i.e. ''Sorø Abbey Church'') is located in the Danish town of Sorø. It was founded by Danish archbishop Absalon and built by Cistercians in the period from 1161 to 1201. It is made of red brick, which was a new material for th ...

Notable people

Former staff

Reinhold Timm Reinhold Timm (died 12 January 1639) was a Danish painter. From 1619 he participated in the decoration in the Long Hall at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen with 7 or 8 large allegorical paintings of which only one, ''Unge mænd brydes på en bro'', ...

(1623), painter * Abraham Wuchters (1639), painter * Johann Elias Schlegel (1748-1749), history, political sciences, trade sciences *

(1751), political sciences *

Johann Bernhard Basedow Johann Bernhard Basedow (11 September 1724 – 25 July 1790) was a German educational reformer, teacher and writer. He founded the Philanthropinum, a short-lived but influential progressive school in Dessau, and was the author of "''Elementarwe ...

(1753), moral philosophy * Ove Høegh-Guldberg (1761–1764), statesman, historian, and de facto prime minister *

Johan Theodor Holmskjold Johan Theodor Holmskiold (14 June 1731 – 15 September 1793) was a Danish noble, botanist, courtier and administrator. He was noted for his scientific work with fungi and development of the Charlottenborg Botanical Garden. His career included wo ...

(1762–1765), medicine and natural history * Bernhard Severin Ingemann (1822), Danish literature *

Frederik Johnstrup Johannes Frederik Johnstrup (12 March 1818– 31 December 1894) was a Danish professor, geologist and paleontologist. He was the founder of the Danish scientific periodical ''Meddelelser om Grønland''. Biography Johnstrup was born at Chr ...

(1818–1894), mineralogy, natural science * Christen Dalsgaard (1862–1892), painter * Aage Blumensaadt (1889-1939), painter

Former students

* Ulrik of Denmark (1611–1633),

administrator Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, military * Esaias Fleischer (1633–1697), printmaker

Students after 1825

* Hinrich Johannes Rink, geologist *

Frederik Vermehren Johan Frederik (Frits) Nikolai Vermehren, also known as Frederik Vermehren (12 May 1823 – 10 January 1910), a genre and portrait painter in the realist style. His artistic career took place during the period of Danish art known as the Golden ...

, painter * Carl Steen Andersen Bille, journalist, politician and civil servant * Fredrik Bajer (student 1848-54, did not graduate) * H.R. Hiort-Lorenzen, journalist and writer *

Christian Henrik Arendrup Christian Henrik Arendrup (25 March 1837 – 1913) was Governor-General of the Danish West Indies from 1881 to 1893. Biography Arendrup was born at Frederikshavn in Jutland, Denmark. He was the son of Christian Rasmus Arendrup, councilor of Fye ...

, governor of the Danish West Indies *

(attended 1859–1865), architect *

Kristian Zahrtmann Peder Henrik Kristian Zahrtmann, known as Kristian Zahrtmann, (31 March 1843 – 22 June 1917) was a Denmark, Danish Painting, painter. He was a part of the Danish artistic generation in the late 19th century, along with Peder Severin Krøyer and ...

, painter * Hans Egede Budtz, actor *

Herman Bang Herman Joachim Bang (20 April 1857 – 29 January 1912) was a Danish journalist and author, one of the men of the Modern Breakthrough. Biography Bang was born in Asserballe, on the small Danish island of Als, the son of a South Jutlandic vicar ...

, writer *

Poul Rasmusen Poul is a Danish masculine given name. It is the Danish cognate of the name Paul. Poul may refer to: People * Poul Andersen (1922–2006), Danish printer * Poul Anderson (1926–2001), American writer * Poul Erik Andreasen (born 1949), Danish f ...

, politician * Sigurd Langberg, actor * Ebbe Hamerik, composer *

Hans Kirk Hans Kirk (11 January 1898 – 16 June 1962) was a Danish lawyer, journalist and celebrated author, who penned the best-selling novel of all-time in his native Denmark, '' The Fishermen'' (1928). From 1926 to 1928 he was among the contributors of ...

, writer * Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen, writer *

Aage Kann Rasmussen Aage is a Danish masculine given name and a less common spelling of the Norwegian given name Åge. Variants include the Swedish name Åke. People with the name Aage include: *Aage Bendixen (1887–1973), Danish actor *Aage Berntsen (1885–1952) ...

, engineer * Ove Arup, structural engineer * Erik Seidenfaden, journalist * Gunnar Seidenfaden, diplomat and botanist, *

Mogens Boisen Mogens is a Danish masculine given name (specifically Danish shake-up of Magnus), and may refer to: * Mogens Ballin, Danish artist, one of a group of painters who gathered in the Breton village of Pont-Aven *Mogens Berg (born 1944), Danish former ...

, officer and translator *

Dan Fink Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa ** Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Iv ...

, businessman * Villum Kann Rasmussen, engineer *

Hans Engell Hans Engell (born 8 October 1948) is a Denmark, Danish former politician and journalist, who until 6 September 2007 was the editor-in-chief of the tabloid ''Ekstra Bladet'', a position he had held for seven years. As a member of the Conservative Pe ...

, journalist, politician *

Hans Ole Thers Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

, composer *

Christian Karsten Hansen Christian Karsten Hansen (born 18 August 1966) is a Danish biotechnology entrepreneur, investor and inventor, with work in new drugs, molecular biology and biochemistry. Personal background Originally from Copenhagen (Denmark), he spent his chi ...

, biotechnology entrepreneur *

Trygvi Samuelsen Samuel Georg Trygve Samuelsen (September 16, 1907 – February 19, 1985) was a Faroese lawyer and politician in the Faroese Union Party. Life Samuelsen was born in Fuglafjørður i 1907, the son of Andrass Samuelsen and Beate Emilie Lindenskov. ...

, lawyer * Lars Faaborg-Andersen, ambassador * Eigil Nielsen, paleontologist Other Danes associated with the Academy include 19th-century painters

and Christen Dalsgaard, writer

, sculptor

Johannes Wiedewelt Johannes Wiedewelt (1 July 1731 – 17 December 1802), Danish neoclassical sculptor. He became a court sculptor, introducing neoclassical ideals to Denmark in the form of palace decorations, garden sculptures and artifacts and, especially, mem ...

who created the monument to Holberg in the Academy chapel, and geologist Hinrich Johannes Rink.

References

External links

Sorø Akademi website

Stiftelsen Sorø Akademi website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soro Academy Gymnasiums in Denmark Boarding schools in Denmark Listed buildings and structures in Sorø Municipality 1625 establishments in Denmark Tourist attractions in Sorø Municipality Ludvig Holberg