Niels Sigfred Nebelong


Niels Sigfred Nebelong was a Danish architect who worked in the Historicist style. He was city architect in Copenhagen from 1863 and also designed many lighthouses around Denmark in his capacity as resident architect for the Danish lighthouse authority.

Biography

Early life and education

Niels Sigfred Nebelong was born in Copenhagen, Denmark.
He was the son of Johan Henrik Nebelong and Anna Christine Schreyber.
He was the brother of architect Johan Henrik Nebelong.
In 1819 he was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under German-born, Danish architect Gustav Friedrich Hetsch and won both the small and large gold medal, in 1833 and 1837 respectively.
Nebelong taught at the Academy for several years before he went abroad on its travel scholarship from 1839 to 1842. He first studied with Henri Labrouste in Paris and then continued to Italy and Greece.
After a few years as a teacher at the Academy, he travelled to Paris, where he studied under Henri Labrouste, and then continued to Italy and Greece, before returning to Denmark in 1842.

Career

Back in Denmark, he had two commissions in Kolding. In 1846 he returned to Copenhagen.
He became a member of the Academy in 1855 and the following year was appointed City Architect in Copenhagen. He also had many private clients.
Nebelong also served as resident architect for the Danish lighthouse authority, designing numerous lighthouses around the country. He also designed many town jails and court houses.
His restorations included Ribe Cathedral, Store Heddinge Church, Garnisons Kirke, Copenhagen, Tranekær Manor and Hårby Church on Funen. He headed the re-building of Viborg Cathedral but died before its completion.

Style

Typically of the Historicist period, Nebelong worked in a number of different styles, including the late Neo-Classicism, Gothic Revival, and Romanesque Revival.

Selected works