Herkules og Løven

Herkules og Løven stands in Kongens Have, Copenhagen’s oldest surviving garden, beside the historic Herkules Pavilion. Giovanni Baratta shaped the early-eighteenth-century sculpture around Hercules fighting the Nemean Lion. King Frederik IV bought it during his Italian journey in 1708 or 1709. Two Tuscan columns frame the restored figure, giving the setting its neoclassical appearance.

Christian IV originally used the pavilion as a private retreat for guests and meetings away from the palace. Hidden sound channels once carried music from the lower floor to rooms above. In 1671, Christian V transformed the building into an eremitage with a table-lift for discreet dining. C. F. Harsdorff remodelled it in 1773, preserving older architecture while restoring the statue. Later, the pavilion became a tavern, a refreshment house, staff accommodation and, since 1999, a café. The protected building has stood within a public garden shaped by royal plans, winding paths and everyday Copenhagen life.