Jump to content

Valby

Coordinates:55°39′39″N12°30′13″E/ 55.66083°N 12.50361°E/55.66083; 12.50361
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the district of Copenhagen. For other uses, seeValby (disambiguation).
Valby
District of Copenhagen
Single family detached homes south of Valby Langgade
Single family detached homes south ofValby Langgade
Coordinates:55°39′39″N12°30′13″E/ 55.66083°N 12.50361°E/55.66083; 12.50361
CountryDenmark
RegionCapital Region of Denmark
MunicipalityCopenhagen Municipality
Postal code
2500

Valby([vælpyˀ]ⓘ) is one of the 10 officialdistrictsofCopenhagen Municipality,Denmark. It is in the southwestern corner ofCopenhagen Municipality,and has a mixture of different types of housing. This includes apartment blocks, terraced housing, areas with single-family houses andallotments,plus the remaining part of the old Valby village, around which the district has formed, intermingled with past and present industrial sites.

Valby Hillmarks the boundary between Valby and the more central and urban neighbouringVesterbrodistrict. The expression "west of Valby Hill" is in Danish often used as ametonymfor "the provinces" or "outside Copenhagen". Separated from the rest of Copenhagen byVestre Cemetery,Denmark's largest cemetery, towardsVesterbro/Kongens EnghaveandSøndermarken-Frederiksberg GardenstowardsFrederiksberg,theCarlsberg brewery site,and areas of low density, Valby retains a certain air of 'independence', or isolation, even today. With the progressing redevelopment of the Carlsberg area into a new lively, high-density neighbourhood, this is likely to change. Other former industrial sites are also under redevelopment and Valby is today one of the districts in Copenhagen with the fastest growing population.

Geography[edit]

Location of Valby withinCopenhagen

Valby covers an area of 9.23 km2and has a population of 46,161, giving a population density of 5,002 per km2.[1]The district is bounded byKongens EnghaveandVesterbroto the east,Frederiksbergto the north,Vanløseto the north-east andHvidovre Municipalityto the west, while Kalvebod Beach, the shallow-watered area just south of Copenhagen Harbour, separates it from the island ofAmagerto the south.

The most distinctive geographical features of the district areValby Hillin its north-eastern corner andHarrestrup Åwhich marks its western boundary. Valby also borders onDamhus Lakein its extreme north-western corner.

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

TheDanshøjtumulus, along with many other archeological finds in the area, provides evidence that the Valby area has been inhabited since ancient times.[2]Modern Valby has developed around the two villages of Valby and Vigerslev. The first recorded mention of the name Valby is from 1186, asWalbu,[3]but the history of both settlements probably goes back considerably longer. Valby means "village/house on the plain". In the earlyMiddle Agesboth villages came underUtterslev,[4]a Crown estate which included most of the area aroundHavn,the small market town which later became Copenhagen.

In 1167,Valdemar Igranted both Havn and the Utterslev estate to theBishop's Seat of Roskildebut in 1417 the villages came under the Crown once again when KingEric VIImade Copenhagen a royal possession.[5]

16th and 17th century: hard times[edit]

Daniel Vertangen:TheAssault on Copenhagenseen from Valby Hill

Both during the civil war leading up to the Reformation (1533–1536) and during theAssault on Copenhagenin theSecond Northern War,Valby was faced with almost complete destruction (1658–60), leading to deep poverty for the communities.

In 1682, Valby had 13 farms and 25 houses with no more land than a modest garden. The produce from this intensely cultivated area was, in fierce competition with theAmager farmers,sold on the market atAmagertorvinCopenhagen,where KingChristian IVhad granted the Valby farmers trading privileges.[4]

At the time, the Valby community did not have its own church but instead, since 1628, belonged to Hvidovre Parish.[6]In 1675,Hvidovre Churchwas extended with aValby nave,both to bring symmetry into the design and to accommodate a wish among the citizens of Valby not to mingle with the Hvidovre farmers.[7]

18th century: better times[edit]

Valby women atGammeltorvc. 1800, engraving byGerhard Ludvig Lahde

In the 17th century, the road toRoskildewas taken through Valby and an inn opened. The first holder of the license was Hans Pedersen Bladt, a skillful merchant who was elected mayor of Copenhagen in 1675.

Valby also profited from the proximity ofFrederiksberg Palacewhich was constructed from 1699 to 1703 atop Valby Hill as a new summer residence for KingFrederick IV.The royal presence in the area brought along more activity in the village. It is said that QueenMarie Sophie,consort of KingFrederick VI,often rode through Valby, handing out candy to the children.[3]

In 1721, the king granted the community new trading privileges and aRytterskole,a precursor of the Danish public school, was built the following year. Valby became particularly associated with raising poultry which theValby womensold beside theCaritas WellonGammeltorvin Copenhagen. The trade took place on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which were market days, until 1857.[8]

Leisure destination and the first station[edit]

In 1776, theroad to Roskildewas given a new course, a direct continuation ofVesterbrogadeacross Valby Hill, with the effect that it bypassed Valby to the detriment of the inn and other businesses.

Instead Valby began to develop into an area where members of the bourgeoisie took up summer residency, a practice which spread from adjoining Frederiksberg. One of the first to arrive in Valby proper was the actor James Price who spent his first summer there in 1795, shortly after his arrival in Denmark. He was followed by other members of the bourgeoisie.

When the first railway out of Copenhagen opened in 1847, a 30 kmrailway line to Roskilde,it had anintermediate stationslightly east of whereValby railway stationlies today. The station was originally meant to serve mostly leisure trips to nearby Frederiksberg; it had a booming traffic in the railway's first years, which however dwindled as the novelty wore off. The station was closed in 1864 when thesecond main station in Copenhagenopened and the railway was rerouted throughFrederiksberg railway stationinstead.

Carlsberg arrives[edit]

Carlsberg, c. 1883
Map detail showing Valby in 1896

During the construction of the new railway, when the tracks were dug through Valby Hill, a natural spring was discovered. This attracted the brew masterJ. C. Jacobsento the site and he founded hisCarlsberg Breweryin 1847 on the eastern slopes of the hill. In 1882,Carl Jacobsen,J. C. Jacobsen's son, opened his own brewery at a neighbouring site after a controversy with his father. Over the following decades both breweries grew and were later merged.

Carl Jacobsen also became the driving force behind Valby's first church, the largeJesus Church,which he financed with money he inherited from his father. The new church was consecrated on15 November 1891but it remained under Hvidovre Parish for another decade.[6]

20th century[edit]

In 1901, the Valby area was transferred toCopenhagen Municipalityand became increasingly urbanized, with both new residential areas and industry.Ole Olsenestablished theNordisk Filmfilm studios in 1906. The following year theDanish Cotton Factoriesopened theirValby Spinning Millin central Valby. Other companies established in the area early in the century wereCarl Aller'sAller PressandC.F. Rich & Sønner,a manufacturer ofcoffee substitutes.F L Smidth & Corelocated its activities to a huge site in central Valby in 1956.

Neighborhoods[edit]

Houses on Smedestræde in Old Valby dating from the 1880s when Valby was transformed from a village to a suburb

The remains of Old Valby are located in the northern part of the district onValby Langgade,the old road to Roskilde, which today extends from Carlsberg, as the continuation of Pile Allé, and runs west along the municipal border with Frederiksberg until it finally joins the new Roskildevej atDamhus Lake.

City centre[edit]

The centre of modern-day Valby is the area aroundToftegårds Pladswhich was refurbished in 2011. New facilities on the square includeball cages,aclimbing wallmade out of glass and a mobile stage.[9]Valby Cultural Centre,Valby railway stationandSpinderietshopping centre are all located next to the square, the latter with direct access to the station platforms. Two major arteries connect to the square. Vigerslev Allé extends west along the railway tracks fromEnghavevej,at the border betweenVesterbroandKongens Enghave,and passes Toftegårds Plads before turning into Allingevej at the intersection withHvidovrevejfurther west.Gammel Køge Landevejextends south and forms part of the secondary route 151.

White Houses[edit]

The White Houses viewed from Valby Langgade, 1930.
The White Houses viewed from Valby Langgade, 1909.

The White Houses in Valby (Danish:Den Hvide By i Valby), also known as Trekanten (lit."The Triangle" ), is one of several developments ofbuilding societyhouses in theValbydistrict ofCopenhagen,Denmarkand are located on the south side ofValby Langgadeand the streets Søndre Allé, Nordre Allé and Østre Allé. They are similar to anotherdevelopment of white houses in Frederiksberg.

Valby Arbejderes Byggeforening(English:Valby Workers' Building Society) was founded on 17 May 1898 and quickly acquired an approximately five-hectare, triangular site from a local farmer forDKK47,000. The 34-year-old architectChristian Mandrup-Poulsenwas commissioned to design the development and the foundation stone for the first house was set on 26 November 1899.[10]All of the development's original houses were then built between 1899 and 1903.

Mandrup-Poulsen's plan created three tree-lined avenues—Søndre Allé, Nordre Allé and Østre Allé—which form a large "A" off the south side of Valby Langgade. The development consists of a total of 81 houses of which 77 are double houses and four are single houses. Each house contained originally two apartments, one for the owner and one for a tenant. Mandrup-Poulsen created seven different house types but all were white with red tile roofs and green window frames and fences. Most have details in red brick.

Government[edit]

TheDanish Maritime Authorityand theDanish Maritime Accident Investigation Boardhave their head offices in Valby.[11][12]

Amenities[edit]

TheSpinning Mill,now a mixed use development

Located off Gammel Køge Landevej,Valby Sports Parkcontains amulti-purpose stadiumwhich is mainly used for football. A new aquatics centre is currently under construction and will open on February 2+12.[clarification needed][needs update]

The major green spaces in the district areValby Park,the largest park in Copenhagen, andVigerslev Parkwhich runs alongHarrestrup Åand the western boundary of the district, fromGammel Køge Landevejin the south toRoskildevejat the Damhus Lake with theDamhus Meadowin the north. The Carlsberg area also contains two historic gardens one of which is now open to the public.

Future development[edit]

Some major plans for the Valby district include:

  • Carlsberg:A masterplan for the redevelopment of the Carlsberg area has been made by the architectural firmEntasis.[13]
  • Grøntorvet:There are plans to redevelop Grøntorvet, Copenhagen's vegetable wholesale market, following a move of the current market activities to the new and largerCopenhagen MarketsinHøje Taastrupin 2013. After that there are plans to redevelop the 30 ha area into a new dense neighbourhood. Juul & Frost andDorte Mandrup Architectshave made a masterplan for the area.[14]A pamphlet about the plans can be seenhere.
  • Harrestrup Å:Copenhagen Municipality, in collaboration with some of the neighbouring municipalities, have launched a project for theecological restorationof the natural environment of Harrestrup Å and the creation of a sandy beach along Valby's shoreline at Valbyparken. It is expected to cost more than DKK 500,000,000, making it the most expensive such restoration project in Denmark.[15]
  • Infrastructure:A new lightrail line through Valby is currently under consideration. Atkins gas was commissioned to make a preliminary report which was published in 2011.[16]The proposal involves a line fromEnghave Pladsthrough the Carlsberg and along Valby Langgade toHvidovre Hospital.More information about the project can be foundhere(in Danish).

Transport[edit]

S-trains[edit]

Valby station

Valby is well served byS-trains.Valby stationis centrally located next toToftegårds Plads.It is located where theTåstrupandFrederikssundradials diverge, and is served by trains on either radial. Some regional and intercity trains also stop at Valby, mainly to provide transfers to the Frederikssund S-trains.Langgade stationnear Valby's eastern border withKongens Enghaveis also located on the Frederikssund line.

Ny Ellebjerg stationis becoming a major hub which serves as an interchange station between theKøge radialand thering linewhich connects the station toHellerup stationnorth of Copenhagen through the suburbs.Danshøj stationserves mainly as an interchange station betweenB trains(on the Tåstrup radial) andF trainson the ring line. Other stations in Valby serving the ring line areÅlholm stationandVigerslev Allé station.

Cultural references[edit]

The 1989 Swedish-Danish drama filmThe Miracle in Valbytakes place in Valby. Also, in theOlsen-bandenfilms, the eponymous gang lives in Valby.

Notable people[edit]

  • Duke Jordanretired here after his extensive solo career

Gallery[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Københavns bydele".Københavns Kommune. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-05-10.Retrieved2009-11-02.
  2. ^"Kortfattet gengivelse af Valby's historie".Valby Lokalhistoriske Selskab.Retrieved2011-06-06.
  3. ^ab"Valby"(in Danish). Selskabet for Københavns Historie. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-03-24.Retrieved2011-06-07.
  4. ^ab"Valby"(in Danish). Gyldendal.Retrieved2010-01-04.
  5. ^"De gamle landsbyer. Tiden før 1700"(in Danish). Frederiksberg Kommune. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-24.Retrieved2011-06-06.
  6. ^ab"Aalholms Kirkes historie"(in Danish). Aalholm Church.Retrieved2011-06-15.
  7. ^"Hvidovre Kirke"(in Danish). danskfilm.dk.Retrieved2011-06-15.
  8. ^"Valbykoner, Gammel Torv, ca. 1800"(in Danish). Museum of Copenhagen. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-05-06.Retrieved2011-06-07.
  9. ^"Københavns største eksperimenterende byrum ser dagens lys"(in Danish). Københavns Kommune. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-03-25.Retrieved2011-06-07.
  10. ^"Historie"(in Danish). Trekantens Vejlaug.Retrieved11 May2016.
  11. ^"Contact."Danish Maritime Authority.Retrieved on April 30, 2013. "Danish Maritime Authority Carl Jacobsens Vej 31 DK-2500 Valby"
  12. ^"Home."Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board.Retrieved on 30 April 2013. "Carl Jacobsens Vej 29 DK-2500 Valby"
  13. ^"A city for the people".World Architecture News.Retrieved2011-06-16.
  14. ^"Grønttorv bliver nybyggerområde"(in Danish). PolitikenPolitiken.Retrieved2011-06-16.
  15. ^"Ny å og strand til københavnerne"(in Danish). Berlingske.Retrieved2011-06-16.
  16. ^"Letbane fra Enghave Plads via Carlsberg, Valby til Hvidovre".Valby Lokaludvalg.Retrieved2010-01-04.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valby&oldid=1228268397"