Cafe à Porta

Facts

Café for artists

Coffee houses were invented in the Middle East in the 15th century and turned up in Western Europe for the first time in Venice in 1647. The first Danish cafés were created by the Swiss and Italians. Stefan à Porta, from Switzerland, opened his café in 1857 on the corner of Lille Kongensgade and Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The building was designed by Tivoli architect H.C. Stilling, and as it was just across from the Royal Theatre, quickly became popular with actors and artists. After a turbulent time that almost ended in demolition in the 1950s, it was restored to its former glory in 1999.

Public place

Selected entry

The art of idling

Story written by Martin Zerlang

Time / Periode 1857

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The art of idling was very popular in 20th century capital cities. New times meant that the pace was hotting up in factories, and the business community was kept on its toes. As a result, it was lovely to take a break and stroll along the streets enjoying the sights and being seen. This was called idling". In Copenhagen, the idlers drifted up and down Østergade and liked to end up in a café. The Café à Porta gave them a new destination. It was the perfect setting for discussing literary topics, new plays and the latest Paris fashions. "Fundamentally, the entire literary community lives at cafés," according to writer Herman Bang. By then, Café à Porta was so popular that in 1886 Bernhard Olsen made a copy of the café in his newly opened Scandinavian Waxwork Show. "