The equestrian statue of Frederik V in the centre of the Castle Square was created by the French sculptor Jacques-Francois-Joseph Saly. The Lord High Steward A.G. Moltke was the driving force behind the project. As head of the Asiatic Company, he persuaded the company to pay for the statue.
Saly came to Denmark in 1753 and began work on the statue a year later. The preparatory work lasted 14 years but the actual bronze casting took a mere three minutes in 1768! The finishing work then took a further 3 years so the statue was finally unveiled on the Castle Square in 1771. The surrounding marble covering, latticework and chains were completed in 1774.
Outstanding statue
In other words, it took two decades to complete Saly's equestrian statue. The finished product, in Roman style, is considered one of the most outstanding equestrian statues in the world.
Last updated:: Wednesday, March 03, 2010
