Bernstorff family Nicolai Eigtved's masterplan for Copenhagen's new
Frederiksstaden district was presented in 1749. The four most prestigious lots were those of the four
Amalienborg mansions that would surround the central, octagonal plaza of the new district. Then followed the two lots at the corners of the
axially symmetric street
Frederiksgade that marked the entrance to Amalienborg from
Norgesgade (now Bredgade). In return for 30 years of freedom from property taxes, the two privy councilors Frederik Ludvig von Dehn and
Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff committed themselves to building the two identical town mansions that were called for in Eigtved's masterplan. Bernstorff and Dehn commissioned the architect
Johann Gottfried Rosenberg to design and construct the two buildings. Dehn had possibly already used Rosenberg for the design of Gut Ludwigsburg in Schleswig. The plans were approved by Eigtved in 1753 and the Bernstorff Mansion was completed in 1756. The property was marked No. 298 on
Christian Gedde's map of St. Ann's Quarter. It was later referred to as No. 71 OO. The mansion was after Bernstorff's death in 1772 passed to his nephew
Andreas Peter Bernstorff. His property was home to five households at the 1787 census. Andreas Petrus Bernstorff resided in the building with his wife Augusta Lowisa (née Stolberg), their six children (aged six to 20) and the Ferdinant Kock. Their staff comprised 38 people. Jens Jørgensen, a courier at the Royal Danish Library, resided in the building with his wife Sara Hillebrand and their five-year-old son Johan Daniel Jørgensen. Johan Friderick Baumgarten, an inspector at the
Class Lottery, resided in the building with his wife Dorothea Friderica, their daughter Ide Hedevig, one maid and one female cook. After his death in 1797, the building was passed to his son
Joachim Bernstorff.
Changing owners, 1796–1813 The property was acquired by
Jørgen Henrich Rawert and
Andreas Hallander in 1799. It was subsequently divided into three residences. The northern part of the mansion was sold to the landowner
Frederik Hoppe. The southern part of the mansion belonged to
Steen Andersen Bille from 1803. The property was listed in the new
cadastre of 1806 as No. 177 in St. Ann's East Quarter. The central part of the mansion belonged to Prince Ferdinand from 1813.
Ferdinand and Caroline, 1828–1881 In 1829,
Frederick VI purchased the entire building and presented it to
Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, in conjunction with his wedding to Frederick VI's daughter Caroline. It replaced the
Holstein Mansion which he had first bought for them. The mansion was subsequently renovated by
Jørgen Hansen Koch. Prince Ferdinand died in 1863. Princess Caroline kept the building until her death in 1881.
George I of Greece, 1881–1915 In 1881,
George I of Greece purchased the mansion for c.
KK 357,000. The
Supreme Court found a temporary home on the
beletage following the fire of
Christiansborg Palace. The first meeting took place on 21 October 1884. Prince Carl (later
Haakon VII of Norway) resided on the ground floor following his wedding marriage to Princess Maud in 1897.
Company headquarters The property was acquired by Transatlantisk Kompagni in 1916. In 1921, it was acquired by the Baltica insurance company. In 1995, it was acquired by the
Tryg-Vesta insurance company. ==Architecture==