Dantes Plads

Dantes Plads (lit. "Dante's Square") is a public square located in front of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek where it connects H. C. Andersens Boulevard to Vester Voldgade in central Copenhagen, Denmark.

The name Dantes Plads was introduced in connection with the installation of the Dante Column in front of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in 1924. The name originally referred to the section of Vestre Boulevard (now H. C. Andersens Boulevard) between Kongensgade and Stormgade. The boulevard was redesigned in 1955 in response to the increase in traffic that followed from the inauguration of the new Lange Bridge. The whole street was at the same event renamed H. C. Andersens Boulevard to mark the 150 years anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen's birth and the name Dantes Plads was instead transferred to the trapezoid space between the boulevard and Vester Voldgade, which had until then been part of Ny Vestergade.

The square was redesigned by COBE and GHB Landskabsarkitekter in 2011. Its floor is paved with slender, yellow tiles and rises in four waves with perforated rusty red iron sides. The vegetation consists of Robinia trees and geometrically shaped flower beds.

In 1921, it was decided to mark the 600-years anniversary of Dante Alighieri's death with a monument in Copenhagen. A collection among Danish expats in Rome raised money for the monument which was designed by the sculptor Einar Utzon-Frank in collaboration with the architect Carl Brummer. It consists of a statue of Beatrice Portinari mounted on an antique statue which was a gift from the city of Rome. A relief on the plinth shows Dante's portrait.

The block on the north side of the square is known as Holckenhus after Holck's Bastion, which used to be located at the site. It was built in 1891-93 to a design by Philip Smidth which draws on inspiration from French Renaissance architecture. The two lower floors have granite rustication. The upper floors stand in blank red brick with decorations in painted cement.

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