Matthias Hansen House

The house was built in 1616 for Matthias Hansen, who was a member of the city council and later served as mayor of Copenhagen from 1622 until his death in 1626. Hansen's daughter, Kirsten Madsdatter, was one of Christian IV's mistresses and mother of Christian Ulrik Gyldenløve. Later residents include the composer Emil Hartmann, who lived there first in 1846 and again in 1852.[3]

Marie Fuiren acquired the building in 1677. She was the daughter of Archbishop Hans Svane. Her property was listed in Copenhagen's first cadastre of 1689 as No. 4 in Frimand's Quarter. In 1693, it passed to their daughters, Anne Margrethe and Søster Svane, who were both widows at that time. Anne Margrethe Svane was the daughter of city doctor (stadsphysicus) Jens Foss. Søster Svane was the widow of bishop Hans Bagger.

No. 3 seen on a detail from Christian Gedde's map of Frimand's Quarter.

The next owner of the property was wine merchant Johan Sohl. He was a member of the Council of 32 Men. On his death in 1727 it was sold to Andreas Matthiesen and partners. The next owner was Johan Henrik Syling, a brother-in-law of Johan Sohl. The building was one of very few buildings in the area to survive the Copenhagen Fire of 1728.

Privy Councillor Otto von Blom acquired the building in 1731. In 1738, it was acquired by Anna Sophie Schack.

Justice Minister and bank commissioner Gregorius Klauman acquired the property in 1740. After his death in 1752 it passed to his son, Knud Gregorius de Klauman, who served as mayor of Copenhagen. His property was listed in the new cadastre of 1756 as No. 3 in Frimand's Quarter.

His widow Ulrikke Sophie de Klauman sold the property to wholesale merchant Christian Hansen. He kept it for more than 30 years, from 1763 until 1795.

The property was home to 31 residents in five households at the 1787 census. The owners resided in the building with his wife Mariane Valeue, their four-year-old daughter Charlotte Hansen, three office clerks, a coachman, caretaker, a female cook, a nanny and a maid. Christian Albrecht Fabricius (1734–1715), General Administrator of Tal-Lotteriet, resided in the building with his wife Margretha Friderica Sckreek, their three children (aged eight to 17), a female cook, a male servant and a maid.[4] Johan Henrich Meincke, another employee at Tal-Lotteriet, resided in the building with his wife Marie Tronsen and one maid.[5] Rasmus Hansen West, a fishmonger, resided in the building with his wife Christiana Christen Datter and their 19-year-old daughter.[6] Christian Stavanger, a greengrocer, resided in the building with his wife Ellen Kirstine, their four-year-old daughter, his 76-year-old mother and one maid.[7]

Advert for the Schoustrup Brothers.

The courtyard painted by Sally Henriques in 1848.

Jens Schoustrup acquired the building in 1795. His old property in Vestergade had just been destroyed in the Copenhagen Fire of 1795. He established a vinegar manufactory in the building in 1797. His property was again listed in the new cadastre of 1806 as No. 3 in Frimand's Quarter.

The property was home to 32 residents in five households at the 1801 census. Jens Schoustrup resided in the building with his wife Anne Kirstine Horn, their four children (aged eight to 15), three employees, three male servants and two maids.[8] Corfitz Fischer, a board member of the Royal Danish Mail (Deputeret i Post Amtet), resided in the building with his wife Cathrine Sønderborg, his sister-in-law Cathrine Sønderborg and two maids.[9] Christen Hansen, the former now-retired owner, resided in the building with his wife Mariane Waleur and one maid.[10] Jon Kinderling, an inspector at Klæde Oplaget (textile storage), resided in the building with his wife Friderica Stetzer and one maid.[11] Niels Bolsmann, a fishmonger, resided in the building with his wife Cecilia Bentsen, their two children (aged two and four), a maid and a caretaker.[12]

On 27 January 1809, Schoustrup purchased the country house Oliegren on Amager as a purely speculative investment On 4 February 1812, he sold most of the Oliegren estate to Jacob Holm. He only kept a small house on a 1790 square alen lot.[13]

In 1814, Schoustrup ceded the property to his sons Peter and Johan Henrik Schoustrup. Peter Schoustrup's death in 1717 left Johan Henrik Schoustrup as the sole owner of the enterprise. Shortly prior to his own death, in 1844, he chose to cede it to his eldest son Peter Jacob Schoustrup.

The insurance company Hafnia acquired the building in 1872 and made it their headquarters. Architect Hans Jørgen Holm refurbished the building in 1898 and a café designed by Thorvald Bindesbøll opened on the ground floor the following year.

In 1912, Hafnia relocated to a new building on the corner of Holmens Kanal and Holbergsgade in Gammelholm. The building on Amagertorv was then taken over by the porcelain manufacturer Aluminia, which was merged with Royal Copenhagen in 1962.[3]