Sværtegade 3, property in Copenhagen, Denmark
Sværtegade 3 is a late 1700s building in Copenhagen's old quarter with four stories facing the street and a large three-winged courtyard structure added in the early 1800s. The protected shop facade with its original interior features curved gateway entrances and decorative ceiling work showing skilled craftsmanship from that period.
The property once stood on a larger corner site destroyed in a major fire of 1728. After the fire, land was divided and a house built around 1730, heightened in 1791, then purchased in 1806 by businessman Johan Adam Schwartz who operated it as a workshop and shop.
The street name reflects Copenhagen's medieval past, and the building sits among many other preserved structures that define the neighborhood's character. The white facade with decorative cornice details shows how craftspeople of that era valued careful design even in practical spaces.
The building sits on quiet Sværtegade in the old quarter and is easy to reach on foot, with many other historic houses and narrow streets nearby. The curved gateway entrance and courtyard are visible from public spaces, and the white street facade with its 1801 sign is clearly seen from outside.
The shop name and founding year 1801 remain inscribed above the entrance, marking one of the longest family-run business operations on the street. The Schwartz family continued operations across generations before selling in the 1900s, long after other neighborhood businesses had changed hands.
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