Vænget is a historic building in

Sorø Sorø () is a town in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in east Denmark with a population of 8,433 (2025).

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. It is owned by neighbouring

Sorø Academy Sorø Academy ( Danish: ''Sorø Akademi'') is a boarding school and gymnasium located in the small town of Sorø, Denmark. It traces its history back to the 12th century when Bishop Absalon founded a monastery at the site, which was confiscated by ...

and contains an exhibition of physical instruments from before 1800 in its ground floor.

History

Vænget was built as residence for the local magistrate (''amtmand'') by chamberlain and magistrate Anton Vilhelm Heinrich Groothoff in 1902. In 1925, it was acquired by

and converted into a dormitory. The ground floor contained communal facilities, such as a living room, a study room and a dining room. The first floor contained a residence for an unmarried teacher as well as for a "house mum". The second floor contained beds for 42 pupils. The dormitory was decommissioned in 1973.

Current use

The first floor contains offices and meeting rooms for the director of the foundation that owns the academy. The building is also home to the head gardener's office, a lunchroom for personnel of the gardening department and administrative offices of the Sorø Cemetery.

Hauch's Physical Cabinet

Hauchs Physiske Cabinet ("Hauch's Physical Cabinet"), a collection of scientific instruments from before 1800, is on display in the ground floor of the building. The collection was gathered by the scientist Adam Wilhelm Hauch (1753–1833) on his journeys abroad. He sold it to the crown, and Frederick VI donated it to Sorø Academy in 1827. It reopened in 2005.

Cultural references

Vænget was used as a location in the 1995 film ', an adaption of

Lise Nørgaard Lise Nørgaard (born Elise Jensen; 14 June 1917 – 1 January 2023) was a Danish journalist and writer known for her precise and often humorous portrayals of Danish cultural life. Nørgaard wrote novels, compilations of essays and short stories. ...

's autobiographical novel of the same title.

References

{{Sorø Municipality Buildings and structures in Sorø Municipality Houses completed in 1902 Tourist attractions in Sorø Municipality