Zinn House, Historic merchant townhouse in central Copenhagen, Denmark
Zinn House is a three-story merchant townhouse on Kvæsthusgade with distinctive oriel windows, situated in Copenhagen's waterfront district near Nyhavn Canal. Today it holds residential apartments following a thorough renovation by Holsøe Arkitekter and is managed by Nordea Properties.
Merchant Oluf Blach commissioned the building's construction in 1751, and Johann Ludvig Zinn purchased it in 1757, establishing his trading business there by 1765. The house took its name from Zinn and remained a center of commerce in the waterfront district.
The composer Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann made his home here starting in 1829 and left a lasting mark on the building's cultural identity. His presence drew other artists and thinkers to this merchants' quarter near the water.
The building is within walking distance of Nyhavn and easily accessible from central Copenhagen's transit network. Since it is now a private residential building, interior visits are not possible, but the facade with its oriel windows can be viewed clearly from the street.
On January 20, 1794, La Marseillaise was performed during a dinner held here, a notable moment considering Denmark's reserved stance toward revolutionary songs. This performance shows the house had become a venue for bold political and artistic expression.
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