Statue of Michael Drewsen, Silkeborg Town Square

The founder watching over Silkeborg

Michael Drewsen arrived in Silkeborg in 1844 to lead the new paper mill by the Gudenå River, and over the next three decades he reshaped a rural estate into a purposeful industrial town. His efforts went far beyond the factory floor: he pushed for proper roads, a railway connection, gasworks and telegraph lines, all of which tied Silkeborg into the wider Jutland economy and helped it grow from a handful of residents into a market town with national significance. The statue on Torvet captures him as the driving force behind this transformation. Cast in bronze and set on a stone pedestal, the figure shows Drewsen standing upright in contemporary dress, gaze directed across the square he helped bring into being. The work is by sculptor Hans Peder Pedersen‑Dan, later known for the famous Holger Danske statue at Kronborg, giving this modest provincial monument a strong artistic pedigree. Here, though, the subject is not myth but modern industry and civic ambition.

From controversy to enduring symbol

When Drewsen died in 1874, the idea of a memorial quickly surfaced but took years to realize. A committee proposed placing the statue on Torvet in the 1890s, sparking debate about whether the industrialist had primarily served the town or himself. Some critics argued he had not safeguarded his workers’ future well enough, and the project stalled amid arguments over public space and private legacy. Eventually the memorial went ahead, and the statue was unveiled on the square in 1892, eighteen years after Drewsen’s death. Its presence fixed him in the cityscape as “Silkeborg’s powerful man,” a shorthand for the entrepreneurial spirit that drove the town’s early growth. Over time the controversy faded, and the monument became less a point of argument than a convenient, almost taken‑for‑granted reference point in the daily life of the town.

Life on Torvet around the bronze figure

The Statue of Michael Drewsen stands in the heart of Torvet, Silkeborg’s old market square, now a broad pedestrian plaza paved in stone. Around it rise key civic buildings: the former town hall, which today houses the tourist office, the city church and the historic Hotel Dania. Two fountains add movement and sound, and in good weather pavement cafés spill into the open space, so the statue is rarely isolated or silent. At certain times of year, the square hosts markets and cultural events, and the monument becomes a natural backdrop to stalls, music and informal gatherings. A local tradition sees newly graduated students dancing around Drewsen in their white caps to celebrate the completion of their studies, weaving contemporary ritual around a 19th‑century figure. For a visitor, these small scenes underline how thoroughly the statue has been absorbed into the town’s rhythm.

Details, materials and artistic choices

Stepping closer reveals the craftsmanship in Pedersen‑Dan’s bronze. The sculpture is life‑sized but elevated on its plinth, giving it presence without overwhelming the square. Clothing folds, facial features and the stance of the figure are handled with restrained naturalism rather than theatrical flourish, consistent with late‑19th‑century public monuments that aimed to present civic role models in sober, recognizable form. The patina of the bronze has deepened over time, giving the surface a weathered richness that contrasts with the lighter paving and façades nearby. Inscriptions on the base identify Drewsen and his role, tying the image back to the paper mill, river transport and infrastructure projects that underpinned Silkeborg’s early prosperity. The work sits at a comfortable distance from surrounding benches, making it easy to pause and study the details from several angles.

A compact starting point for exploring Silkeborg

Because of its central position, the statue is an effective orientation point for exploring Silkeborg’s history. Just a short stroll away stands Silkeborg Hovedgård, the 18th‑century manor now housing the local museum, where exhibitions trace the region’s story from prehistoric bog bodies to the industrial age. The Old Town Hall beside the square offers visitor information, while the surrounding pedestrian streets lead to shops, galleries and the waterfront. Even if you only spend a few minutes here, the Statue of Michael Drewsen neatly encapsulates how a single industrial venture and a determined individual set modern Silkeborg in motion. In one compact scene – a bronze figure, a market square, historic buildings and the hum of everyday life – you get a tangible sense of how a 19th‑century paper mill town grew into the lakeside city you see today.