“A royal vineyard?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at the unassuming Vingehuset. “Right here in the heart of Copenhagen?” Vingehuset, or King John’s Wine House, stands before us, a quiet witness to centuries of Copenhagen’s history. It’s hard to imagine grapevines flourishing where bustling city life now thrives. Vingehuset’s history stretches back to the 15th century. King Hans, also known as King John, had a vineyard planted here, lending the street its name, Vingårdstræde, and eventually, the name of this very building. Look closely, because while the current facade dates from 1796, built just after the devastating Copenhagen Fire of 1795, the vaulted cellars beneath our feet are echoes of that royal vineyard. Imagine the clinking of glasses filled with locally grown wine, enjoyed perhaps by King Hans himself. These very cellars, it’s believed, also served as the first home of the Royal Mint in Copenhagen. Before coins were stamped at the former St. Clare’s Monastery after 1541, the first Copenhagen coins might have been struck right under where we stand now at Vingehuset. Over the centuries, Vingehuset has seen transformations. The building was expanded in the 1780s and again in 1830. In the 1970s, it was acquired by the neighboring department store, Magasin du Nord. Today, it houses a small museum dedicated to the department store’s history and a Michelin-starred restaurant, Kong Hans Kælder, nestled in those ancient cellars. So, as you dine in Kong Hans Kælder, remember the whispers of royal vineyards and clinking coins that echo within Vingehuset’s walls. A reminder of a time when Copenhagen was a little greener, a little slower, and perhaps, just a little bit sweeter.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to