Remembered as a sanctuary, Hvidøre stands as more than just a building. It is a testament to royal bonds and historical shifts. Today Hvidøre serves as a conference and training center for the Novo Group. But its story begins long before that.
King John of Denmark built a royal residence here in the 16th century. This guarded the only landing place north of Copenhagen. Later King Christian II used it for his mistress after his marriage in 1515.
Centuries passed and Counsellor Frederik Bruun acquired the property in 1871. He demolished the old structure. Bruun commissioned Johan Schrøder to design a summer house for his family. From then on Hvidøre denoted the house.
In 1906, King Christian IX’s daughters acquired Hvidøre. These daughters were Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom and Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia. They purchased the building for DKK 280,000. The sisters used it as a summer residence during visits to Denmark.
They commissioned Johan Schrøder to modernize Hvidøre. Central heating was installed and Waring & Gillow handled the interior decoration. A tunnel provided direct beach access from Hvidøre.
The sisters often stayed at Hvidøre from September to November. This tradition ended with World War I in 1914.
After the Russian Revolution in 1917, Maria Feodorovna fled to Hvidøre. She lived here until her death in 1928. Her daughter Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna and family accompanied her.
Olga and her sister Xenia sold Hvidøre in 1930. In 1932, Musse Scheel bought her childhood home to save an old tree. She only lived there for two years.
Novo Industry acquired Hvidøre in 1937. Thorvald Pedersen, the company’s director, had Arne Jacobsen adapt it. Hvidøre became a diabetes sanatorium in 1938. It housed 25 patients.
An underground extension was constructed between 1978 and 1980. Hvidøre served as a diabetes hospital until 1991.
Hvidøre showcases Historicist design. It blends Italian and Victorian Renaissance features. Otto Evens created the five Neo-Grecian caryatids on the upper balcony. Carl Theodor Sørensen designed the beach park. Povl Baumann designed the wall and pergola.