The main building of the University of Copenhagen (danish Hovedbygningen Københavns Universitet) is located at Frue Plads in the center of the city, not far from Radhuspladsen (town hall square). Directly opposite of the main facade the For Frue Kirke (Womens Church) is situated. After the old university buildings burnt down during the english bombardement of 1807, the new main building was erected in 1829-1836 after plans by Peter Malling (1761-1865), a pupil of C.F. Hansen. He created a seven-gabled façade in neo-gothic style, which created a balanced view with the monumental church building by C.F. Hansen on the opposite side. In front of the building there are six busts, portraits of the philologist Vilhelm Thomsen, the philologist J. N. Madvig, the theologian H.N. Clausen, the botanist J.F. Schouw, the zoologist Japetus Steenstrup and the physicist Niels Bohr (from left to right).
Left of the main building we see the Kommunitetsbygningen on the corner of the Norregade, which runs along the Norregade. It is named after the Kommunitet founded by Frederik II in 1569, which supported and supplied the students and the university. It was built in the 1620s. On the other side of the university building, on the corner of the Fiolstraede, we see the university library, which was built in 1861 following Denmark’s first architectural competition. It was designed by Johan Daniel Herholdt. The pediment on the Frue Plads side was designed as a harmonious counterpart to the Kommunitetsbygningen and its use of a brick façade, which had been unusual since the middle ages and only now gained popularity in architecture again, was innovative at the time. In the background to the left we see the tower of St. Petri Kirke.
