Project period: 2010-2012.
The old Danish Governor Building was once one of the grand buildings of Tranquebar. After Denmark sold Tranquebar to England in 1845, the building has been used as court house, office and storage. The different functions have had an influence on the architectural stroke of the building. The interior was more or less intact but the heavy monsoon rain and storms had also battered the old building, and a part of the structure had fallen down.
A building with many stories in need of a new story
The National Museum of Denmark, The Tourist Ministry of Tamil Nadu (who owns the building) and INTACH together with assistance of the Bestseller Fund began to restore and renovate the building in 2010. A total restoration of the building took place over the following 2 years.
BESTSELLER FUND has promised to finance the managing of the Governors’ Building for five years after the restoration, until 2017. The aim is to create an Indian-Danish culture house. The idea is to set up a self-financing sustainable management so that partners and locals after the first five years can run the place without the need of grants etc.