The street follows the course of a dirt track which from the early 17th century connected Østerbrogade (the East Road) to Vibenhus across Østerfælled, one of the commons which surrounded Copenhagen until the mid-19th century.
When Copenhagen began to develop beyond its former Fortification Ring, which was decommissioned in the 1850s, only the first part of the north-east side of the street was built over.