Vilhelm Klein
Vilhelm Klein (6 March 1835 – 10 February 1913) was a Danish architect who adopted the Historicist approach, frequently emulating the so-called Rosenborg style and the Italian Renaissance style.
Vilhelm Klein

Vilhelm Klein · Public domain
- Name
- Vilhelm Klein
- Born
- 6 March 1835
- Birthplace
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Died
- 10 February 1913
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Denmark
- Occupation
- architect · university teacher
- Education
- Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole
- Honours
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog · Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog
- Languages
- Danish
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Documentary summary
Vilhelm Klein (6 March 1835 – 10 February 1913) was a Danish architect who adopted the Historicist approach, frequently emulating the so-called Rosenborg style and the Italian Renaissance style.
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q3183812 · wikipedia · Vilhelm Klein
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Vilhelm Klein • Birth Name — Vilhelm Klein • Born — 6 March 1835 • Birthplace — Copenhagen, Denmark • Died — 10 February 1913 • Parents — Ditlev Vilhelm Klein (1793-1868) and Marie Kirstine Skousboe
Early life
Early life
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, as the son of Ditlev Vilhelm Klein (1793-1868) and Marie Kirstine Skousboe (1806-1891). He first trained as a stonemason before studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he was awarded the grand silver medal in 1856. From 1851 to 1856, he worked as a draftsman for Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll who he always considered to have been his main instructor.
Career
Career
From 1857 to 1862, he worked as an architectural designer for Ferdinand Meldahl who also influenced his style. He also worked for Johan Daniel Herholdt during the construction of Selchausdal Manor (1857) in Kalundborg, thus receiving insights for the most prominent architects of the day. Klein was particularly fond of the Rosenborg style based on the Dutch Renaissance trends under Christian IV, crediting Bindesbøll for its prominent place in Danish architecture. From 1866 to 1872, he undertook substantial extensions to Bindesbøll's Lægeforeningens boliger social housing development in the Østerbro District of Copenhagen. His masterpieces include the Industriforeningen Building in the Italian Renaissance style on Vesterbro (erected 1872 in conjunction with the Nordic Exhibition, demolished 1976-77), the Danish Museum of Art & Design (Kunstindustrimuseet) in the Rosenborg style on Rådhuspladsen (1893), and the main building at the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse (1901) also in Italian Renaissance style.
Culture canon
Culture canon
Vilhelm Klein is listed in the Danish Culture Canon together with Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll in connection with the social housing development in Lægeforeningens boliger—Brumleby.
List of works
List of works
• Garden Wing of Selchausdal (1857, listed) • Organ in Frederiksborg Chapel, Hillerød (1861) • Villa Sommariva, Nordre Strandvej, Helsingør (c. 1865) • Provost Monrad's villa, Falkoner Allé, Frederiksberg (1866, demolished in 1907) • Freemasons' Lodge (Lundegade wing), Helsingør (1866–67) • Ringsted Oharmacy, Ringsted (1867) • Extension of Brumleby, Østerbrogade 57, row J-S (1867–72, listed) • Sparekassen for Kjøbenhavn og Omegn, Niels Hemmingsens Gade 24, Copenhagen (1867–68, with H. C. Stilling) • Extension of Sparekassen for København og Omegn, Valkendorfsgade, Copenhagen (1873 and 1876) • Industriudstillingsbygning, Vesterbrogade 1, Copenhagen (1868, built 1870-72 and 1879, demolished 1977) • Langkilde House, Helsingør (1868, possibly only project) • Ganløse Workhouse, Ganløse (1869) • Aalborg By og Omegns Sparekasse, Aalborg (1873–74, altered) • Centralhotellet, Rådhuspladsen 16/Vesterbrogade 2 A, Copenhagen (1873–74, demolished 1934) • Jernbanegade 3-5, Copenhagen (1874, demolished) • Holbergsgade 14, Copenhagen (1874) • Peder Skrams Gade 15, Copenhagen (1874) • Rådhuspladsen 14, Copenhagen (1875, demolished 1960) • Store Kongensgade 63, Copenhagen (1875) • Holbergsgade 16, Copenhagen (1876) • Frederiksborggade 28-30, Copenhagen (1876) • Karens Minde, Wagnersvej 19 (1877 and 1894) • Extension of Brumleby, Copenhagen (1878, demolished) • Døvstummeskole, Baldersgade (1880, 1903-1974 Balders Hospital) • Tegne- og Kunstindustriskolen for Kvinder, H.C. Andersens Boulevard 10, Copenhagen (1880-1881, listed) • Facade of Sparekassen for Helsingør og Omegn, Stengade, Helsingør (1883) • Mellem- og Realskole, Klosterstræde, Holbæk (1884–85) • Kronprinsesse Louises Asyl, Østerbrogade 57 A, Copenhagen (1886, now Sankt Jakobs Sogns Børnehave) • Buerup Kirke, Buerup (1887) • Lillemosegård, Søborg (1887–88, renovated) • Gammelmosehus, Vangede (designed 1888, built 1892, demolished) • Exhibition Building for the French Exhibition (1888, demolished) • Danish pavilion for the World Expo in Paris (1889) • H.C. Andersen Slottet, H.C. Andersens Boulevard 22-24 (1892–94) • G.E.C. Gad Building, Vimmelskaftet 32, Copenhagen (1897) • De Kellerske Anstalter, institutions for the mentally disabled in Brejning by Vejle Fjord (1898-1901, renovated) • Brejning Watertower, Brejning (1901) • Vestbanegård Watertower, Varde (1901) • Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse, Carlsberg, Copenhagen (1901, based on initial sketch by Carl Jacobsen, listed) • Main building, bottling plant and gatekeeper's house, Carlsberg, Vester Fælledvej 100 (1902–03, altered)
Gallery
Gallery
• Illustration — Industruforening Building (1872) • Illustration — Lægeforeningens boliger in Brumleby (completed 1872) • Illustration — Tegneskolen for Kvinder, Copenhagen (1880–81) • Illustration — Kunstindustri Museum (1894) • Illustration — Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse (1901)

Brejning Strand 1, tidligere De Kellerske Anstalter i Brejning, nær Vejle Fjord
Nico/ Nils Jepsen

Møllegårdsvej 1, Brejning, tidligere De Kellerske Anstalter. Nu Brejning Efterskoles hovedbygning.
Nico/ Nils Jepsen
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1835
Vilhelm Klein born at Copenhagen.
1913
Vilhelm Klein died at Frederiksberg.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Copenhagen.
Birth place
Frederiksberg.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Vilhelm Klein”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3183812: Vilhelm Klein
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Design
11,558 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Vilhelm FischerDesigner
- Vilhelm FriederichsenDesigner
- Vilhelm HelanderDesigner
- Vilhelm HvalsøeDesigner
- Vilhelm LauritzenDesigner
- Vilhelm PetersenDesigner
- Vilhelm Theodor WaltherDesigner
- Vilhelm TvedeDesigner
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