Shell House

Shell House is an office and apartment building located at the corner of Kampmannsgade and Nyropsgade in central Copenhagen. The structure rises across multiple floors with a distinctive facade featuring deep-set windows and pronounced vertical ribs running across its surface.

During World War II, the building served as the headquarters of the Gestapo until British forces conducted a targeted bombing raid in March 1945. The attack destroyed the Nazi occupation authority's base of operations in the Danish capital.

The building's form reflects post-war modernist thinking that shaped Copenhagen's urban recovery. Its recessed windows and ribbed facade became a statement about moving forward while maintaining practical design for both offices and homes.

The site is easily reached from Vesterport railway station nearby in the heart of Copenhagen. The building remains an active office and residential space, so access to the interior is limited or not available to the public.

A memorial with engraved stone slabs at the site honors 86 children and 18 adults who died when a nearby Catholic nursery was struck during the 1945 bombing campaign. Few visitors notice this quiet memorial despite its deep significance to the city's wartime history.

Location: Copenhagen Municipality

Inception: 1932

Architects: Gerhard Rønne

GPS coordinates: 55.67780,12.56170

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:57