Dantes Plads

The Dantes Plads, in Copenhagen

The Dantes Plads is a public square of the centre of Copenhagen, in front of the Glyptotek Ny Carlsberg, where stands a committed work of the sculptor Jens Galschiøt. The Copenhagen audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this statue realised in 2021 to protest against a parking project, sign of the attachment of the inhabitants to their square, and the protest art of an artist known for his stances.

History

Strange statue, isn't it? Posted in the heart of the Dantes Plads, one of the public squares of Copenhagen, it has a true value for the inhabitants. It is the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt who realised it in 2021, in protest against a project of the city aiming to transform the square into a parking. The work bears an unequivocal name, in reference to a parking company, and delivers a very clear message, supported by many inhabitants and businesses of the district who did not wish to see this square disappear. The artist is known for works that often bear a political message or a clear-cut opinion, notably on human rights and ecology. As for the name of the square, it pays tribute to Dante, of whom we will speak again a little further, in front of the column surmounted by his statue. The Dantes Plads thus illustrates the way in which public art can become the mouthpiece of a citizen mobilisation, in the heart of the medieval city of Copenhagen.

What to see

Here you discover a public square of the medieval heart of Copenhagen, in front of the Glyptotek, where sits a committed work of the sculptor Jens Galschiøt realised in 2021 to protest against a parking project; supported by the inhabitants, it illustrates protest art and the attachment of the Copenhageners to their square. The Dantes Plads is a symbol of citizen mobilisation. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Dantes Plads lies in the centre of Copenhagen, in front of the Glyptotek Ny Carlsberg, reachable on foot. It is a square in free access in the public space, that you discover during a walk in the centre.

What does the statue of the Dantes Plads represent in Copenhagen?

It is a committed work of the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt, realised in 2021 to protest against a project of the city to transform the square into a parking; supported by many inhabitants and businesses of the district, it illustrates the protest art of this artist, known for his stances on human rights and ecology.

Where is the Dantes Plads in Copenhagen?

In the centre of Copenhagen, in front of the Glyptotek Ny Carlsberg, in Denmark.