Introduction
Copenhagen - past, present and futureStanding outside the Copenhagen City Hall in RådhuspladsenIn 1952 there was a movie made called, Hans Christian Andersen starring Danny Kaye. The most famous song from the movie was called, Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen. Looking back, you can see that it was mainly made in a Hollywood studio - with not even a bucket of water thrown onto Danny for realism. But that Denmark's most famous son, the storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, was celebrated by the whole world and that they made such a cracking song - which conjours up the jolly seafaring and olde world appeal of this unique city is pretty, well - wonderful.Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen - Hans Christian Andersen effectively 'branded' Copenhagen as the fairytale capital of the world - at a time from the 1830s until the 1850s known as the Danish Golden Age. It was a flourishing of the creative arts and an establishing of Denmark as a force to be reckoned with in literature, design, democracy, music, philosophy, inventions and science. H.C. Andersen was at the forefront with his delightful, dark and vivid tales and adaptations of myths and folklore. As the industrial revolution raged with black clouds of toxic smoke throughout Europe, tiny Denmark with their lack of fossil fuels and a penchant for water power became renowned as a place to visit for fresh air, dreamy spires and fairytale castles. It still is today, but perhaps now we can also update the branding with a good look at Denmark's reputation for clean air, herring, happy citizens, beer, huge taxes and a forward-thinking vision for how a city can be infinitely environmentally liveable - and very well designed.Not Always Wonderful Wonderful - On this tour though we'll delve beyond the flashy statistics, and try to get to grips with understanding a little more the national psyche. We'll discover how the Danes cope with the chronic darkness of the winter months, when the sun staggers up at 9:00 and then gradually fades away at 15:00. We'll hear about all the boozing, candle burning and flag waving, the brilliant environmental efforts which leave the air so fresh, the passion for bicycling, divorcing, and the ever popular royal family. There's links added at each stop for further reading and the opening times of attractions, also noted is when there's a free entrance to museums in this expensive city and when there's restrooms in the vicinity. You'll get to see the sights too, we'll take in the City Hall, the statue of Hans Christian Andersen, the Tivoli gardens, the site of the first settlement at Christiansborg, a boat ride passing the Opera to Gefions fountain, a glimpse of the Little Mermaid, the Queen’s Palace at Amalienborg, the Marble Cathedral, get to hear about 'Copenhill' power station and ski slope, then back to singing "Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen" on the colourful harbourside at Nyhavn - where we end the tour.And on that note, let's have a musical interlude:
The Copenhagen City Hall
inside and outFind a good view of the City Hall from the vast square in front of the building. It's generally open from Monday to Friday 9:00 - 16:30 and Saturday 9:30 until 13:00. Closed on Sundays.Welcome to the "Palace of the People".Københavns Rådhuset(The Copenhagen City Hall) was constructed in order to counter the power and magnificence of the monarchy. Denmark truly began it's road to becoming a well-run democracy in the mid 19th century, when a new constitution was designed and the royals stripped of their Absolutism. Meaning that prior to 1849 generations of quite often despotic, drunken or depraved royals had held supreme power over the population and were indeed answerable "only unto God". With revolutions having kicked off in parts of Europe, in particular France, sending shock waves rippling throughout Europe which culminated in the Napoleonic war. Denmark found itself on the losing side, eventually bankrupting and downsizing the once vast Danish Empire to the "Lego" scale that we see today (population of 5.8 million). The Danish people had weathered the storm of all those centuries of being downtrodden, but now in the 1850s (unsurprisingly) demanded more rights.Danish Design - With the new democracy of 1849 a new city hall was required, and the contract was won by Martin Nyrop, who somewhat obsessively controlled the design process of this peculiar mishmash of National Romantic styles, medievalism, paganism and a smattering of Italian architecture. This, the sixth city hall of Copenhagen, was inaugurated on the 12th of September 1905. As you look up from your vantage point below the front of the building you'll see the distinctive silhouette of the building with the second tallest clock tower in Copenhagen (105.6 metres). You'll see a statue in gold in the centre of the building over the main door - this is Bishop Absalon, the warrior bishop who cleared the waters of fish stealing Wendish pirates and founded the first defended settlement in Copenhagen in 1167.Denmark's No.1 - This square, the imposing building and the clarion of the City Hall bells makes this place the very essence of Danish values. It's Times Square and Big Ben rolled into one then wrapped in a red and white Dannebrog. It's here that visiting dignitaries and sports champions step onto the balcony (just below Absalon) to wave at huge crowds, and it's here that on New Year's Eve the whole of Denmark watches on TV the distinctive bells ring out the old year and the sky explode in fireworks.
The Tivoli Gardens
...and Hans Christian AndersenHead back to the main doors, possibly using the plentiful restrooms in the City Hall before you leave. Then turning a sharp left once you've descended the outside steps, stopping with the side entrance of the Tivoli gardens ahead of you and a large statue of Hans Christian Andersen to your left.Tivoli is open - in Danish slang, means that you've left your zipper undone! But from 11:00 in the morning on most days, beyond the bicycle bells and traffic roar of this busy boulevard you'll hear the squeals of happy people enjoying the amusement park, as they have done since since the mid 19th century. Tivoli, also known as theTivoli Gardens opened on 15 August 1843 and is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg. Inside the iconic never-never land of Tivoli are cafés, restaurants, pavilions, open-air theatres, and an amusement park scattered amongst extensive flower gardens. Fireworks, coloured floodlights, and illuminated fountains brighten the park by night; and symphony concerts, jazz and rock shows, pantomimes, and ballets are performed throughout the summer.Revolting Peasants - As we mentioned in the City Hall, the 19th century was a time in Europe when monarchies were feeling a little "hot under the collar" after the French Revolution. Throughout Europe, amusement parks were seized upon as a good idea for stopping the working classes from being 'revolting,' and if effectively served entertainment could instead turn their energies and hard-earned money towards mindless frivolity. All much like the concept launched by the ancient Romans with their amphitheatres filled with fake battles against dangerous animals, tortured Christians and gladiators - thus keeping the masses happy and out of trouble. The Danish version was a great success, minus the violent Roman entertainments - the most dangerous thing are the prices, with food and drink in Tivoli 20% more expensive than elsewhere in this pricey capital city. Much beloved by Danes, who seem to measure their lives in visits to this halcyon place and accounted for 70% of the 5 million visitors in 2019. It's open in the summer, for Halloween, Christmas and Easter, with the festive period seeing Tivoli at it's most magical and sparkling. It also impressed Walt Disney in the 1930s, and became the inspiration for his first Disneyland.
The City Hall Garden
a well kept secretTurn left into a gated courtyard 20 metres after the Hans Christian Andersen statue on H.C. Andersens boulevard. (Closed on Sunday)Nestled inside the belly of the City Hall lies the City Hall garden. The surrounding area is the busiest and most hectic in Copenhagen, but as you enter into this red brick courtyard you will experience the beautiful calm of birdsong, tinkling water from the fountain and no other visitors - apart from the occasional wedding party on a Saturday morning. Rhododendrons bloom in profusion here in the late Spring, with tables and benches set out so you can sit and admire the towering architecture of the City Hall around you and the clock tower ringing out the time every quarter. The fountain of the bear has been here since the garden and City Hall was built, and was created by Joakim Skovgaard and Thorvald Bindesbøll in 1888.
Glyptoteket
an art gallery founded on beerContinue down H.C. Andersen boulevard until you reach Dantes Plads. You will be able to see the Glyptotek museum from where you are (don't cross the road).Only here because of the Beer - The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek was founded in 1888 by Carl Jacobsen (1842-1914) the founder of the Carlsberg brewery. The rather difficult to pronounce name, Glyptoteket comes from the Greek glyptos, which means carving or sculpture, and theke, a place where something is collected or on display. Ny Carlsberg was the name of the brewery of one of the great Danish industrial magnates of the 19th century and the greatest art patron Denmark has ever seen. Carl Jacobsen was a passionate collector and built a rich and eclectic array of art and cultural artefacts that makes this place one of the most beautiful and popular museums in Copenhagen - it even has FREE admission on Tuesdays.3500 Years of Art - There's a Winter Garden atrium with ancient palm trees and a great cafe, along with an outstanding collections of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman art, and Denmark’s largest collection of French art including Rodin, Degas, Monet, Manet, Cézanne and Renoir making this museum a must see, especially on days when the Danish weather closes in. This rich mix takes us on a walk back in time through 3500 years of art and art history and provides a truly unique place that celebrates both art and the spaces in which art is displayed. It really is a Glyptoteket!Behind the Glyptoteket is a sculpture garden with a profusion of colourful flowers in the summertime. Here you can find Rodin’s famous statue, “The Thinker.” The garden is open to all and free to visit. The Glyptotek also has one of Copenhagen’s most beautiful rooftop terraces, with views of the city and Tivoli. The terrace was designed by world famous Danish architect Henning Larsen, who also built the Copenhagen Opera House. Which we'll be sailing past later on the tour.
The National Museum
900 years of Danish historyYou'll find the courtyard entrance half way along Ny Vestergade.This is THE place to find more out about in Danish history and culture, all housed inside this magnificent 'Prince’s Palace' built in 1744, although It is no longer used by the royal family. It has a fantastic collection of antiquities uncovered on Danish soil, including Stone Age tools, rune stones and medieval jewellery. Among the many highlights is a finely crafted 3500-year-old Sun Chariot, the Bronze Age Egtved Girl who was preserved in a peat bog, as well as bronze lurs (instrumental horns), some of which date back 3000 years and are still capable of blowing a tune.The Vikings - There's also an amazing collection of archaeological finds from the Viking Age including many skeletons, weapons, treasure hoards and segments of Viking ships. There's an impressive Viking Ship museum in a city nearby called Roskilde, but here you get a great overview of the whole of Danish history.All the History - At the National Museum of Denmark you'll also find sections related to the Inuit people of Greenland, and an evocative exhibition called Stories of Denmark, covering Danish history from 1660 to 2000. The museum also has an excellent Children's Museum as well as a classical antiquities section complete with Egyptian mummies to scare the kids!Free admission every Sunday, and the fourth Friday of every month from 5-9 p.m.
The Marble Bridge
crossing the moatExit the museum courtyard and continue straight along Ny Vestergade towards the Christiansborg. Cross the road at the traffic lights at the end of the street and turn right on Frederiksholms Kanal, then left onto the Marble Bridge.As you walk onto this pedestrian bridge look down to where it crosses Frederiksholms Kanal. Nowadays it's all neat, orderly and clad in stone but in Bishop Absalon's time you would be crossing onto a naturally fortified island surrounded by swampy ground and the sea. With such natural defences, this was the perfect place to build the first of seven structures on this site at Holmen (the island). This marble bridge leads to the vast courtyard of Christiansborg and was designed by the famous 18th century architect in 1745, Nicolai Eigtved who also built a magnificent palace here, since burnt down, in the same rococo style.Francophilia - The flamboyant entrances to this palace remain, as do the extensive stables with mansard roofs in the French style. It's worth noting that in the mid-18th century if you wanted to appear to the world as a 'happening' monarch, then to copy the style of the French court was considered essential. The current monarch, Magrethe ll now lives at another of Eigtved's buildings of this period - Amalienborg Palace, which we'll see later on the tour.
Slotsholmen
the castle islandTraverse the Marble Bridge, walk 25 metres and stand at the end of royal horse exercising grounds.Slotsholmen means 'castle island' in English. The name is taken from many castles and royal residences on this place since the time of Bishop Absalon's first fortress made of boulders and wooden stockades in 1167. Today Christiansborg Palace lies here, the seat of the Danish government, the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister's Office and the State Rooms of the Queen. But if you're looking to see the queen, then you'll most likely not see her here.Ice Palace - The royal family moved out after a devastating fire in 1795, which ripped through northern Europe's grandest palace in record time. It seems ironic that although surrounded in water they could never seem to slake the flames on this site. But if we look back at metrological records we can see evidence of the climate being considerably colder during the late 17th and early 18th centuries when a mini ice Age occured, as many glaciers in Norway and Sweden expanded well beyond their previous historical limits. This frequently led to extremely cold winter weather, to the extent that the water surrounding the island and the sea beyond froze over and was impossible to use to put out the fires.Horsepower - As you look towards the looming mass of the current Christiansborg Palace, which was completed in 1919, you'll see many other remains of earlier palaces. To either side stand the stables, the equestrian show ground and the Marble Bridge behind you in the rococo style much beloved of King Christian Vl. In it's heyday these stables housed 250 of the kings prized horses and state carriages, nowadays just twenty white horses used on special state occasions such as taking the queen from her palace at Amalienborg to Christiansborg or when there are important state visits.Rock and Roll - Below your feet are cobble stones, some fashioned many years ago by convicts or prisoners of war. These cobbles were shaped from the countless round stones and boulders, originally from southern Norway and western Sweden rolled to Denmark under the great Scandinavian glaciers of 11,500 years ago and beyond. It was with these stones that Absalon built his first fortress, but if you look around the rococo stables were clad in very expensive German sandstone and stucco, the present palace of Christiansborg in a Danish limestone from a town called Faxe and many more of the buildings that you'll soon see built by the 'Builder King' (Christian lV) are in brick.
Christiansborg
the seat of powerContinue towards the looming mass of the present Christiansborg Palace and enter the courtyard. On your left the Royal Reception rooms, straight ahead the Supreme Court, and on your right the back of the Parliament.In 1907, Frederik VIII laid the foundation stone for the third and present-day Christiansborg Palace, which is in the neo-baroque style. The palace was designed by Thorvald Jørgensen and completed in 1928. The ponderous, robust expression of the building was intended to emphasise the role of the building as the country’s strong and dependable political heart.The Hot Seat - Christiansborg (often simply called Borgen - the castle) offers a collective name for the vast array of important ministries located on Slotsholmen - the site of Bishop Absalon's first fortress in 1167. Within Christiansborg Palace lies the seat of the Danish government, the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister's Office and the State Rooms of the Queen. Also located on the island are the Danish National Archives, the Royal Danish Library, several museums and the historic buildings of Christian IV's Stock Exchange, Chancellery and Brewhouse. There are very few capital cities which can boast such a combination of so many important buildings in one place.By Royal Appointment - On your left the Royal Reception rooms, where the queen entertains important guests. These occasions include formal functions for the official visits of foreign heads of state, the official New Year's banquet, and for receiving newly appointed ambassadors. The Reception Rooms are a riot of colour and richly adorned with arts and crafts commissioned from all over the Kingdom in the 1900s, works of art rescued from the two earlier palaces, as well as decorations by some of the best Danish artists, such as Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard, Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg and Bjørn Nørgaard- who made a series of tapestries illustrating Danish history in the 1970s. Visitor highlights include the glorious royal reception rooms, 11th-century ruins and royal kitchen, all of which can be visited separately or by joint ticket.Top of the Cops - On your right-hand side the back of the Danish parliament, ahead of you the tower of Christiansborg and on either side the supreme court. The tower is 106 meters high and is the tallest in Copenhagen, beating the City Hall tower by just 40 cm. It may be possible to make a free trip up the tower, providing a spectacular view of the city and all the way to Sweden on a clear day. More details in the next set of directions.
The Royal Library Garden
Copenhagen's tranquil heartFrom the front of Christiansborg turn around and pass through a small arch under the red brick building opposite. After entering the gardens head towards the ornamental lake in the centre.This hidden gem is one of Copenhagen's best kept secrets. The tinkling fountain, ornamental carp languidly stirring the depths of the lake under the watchful gaze of a heron, the tidy borders with cascades of flowers, birdsong, and the calmness that descends - broken only by the crunch of gravel underfoot.In deep water - But this tranquil place was 400 years ago the beating heart of the Danish navy. Where you are now standing would have been deep water for the masted battleships of Christian IV's navy. If you look ahead to where the back of the Royal Danish library stands this would have been open to the great harbour of Copenhagen, the Baltic Sea and the world beyond. The Danish Empire was connected by the great ships of this trading nation and protected by a strong and disciplined navy. This Empire once stretched to the Caribbean, India, Iceland, the Færoes Islands, Greenland, Norway, the West Coast of Africa, parts of northern Poland and Germany, the Island of Gotland in the Baltic, Estonia and Skåne in the southern part of Sweden. It was from here that the men-of-war were fitted-out; sails mended, provisions stored, ammunition loaded and the sailors disembarked to hold their riotous shore leave in the taverns and brothels of this bustling and overcrowded harbour city. The wharf stood in the direction of Christiansborg, and in it's place lay the magnificent brick castle from where the King himself surveyed the great navy and eventually sealed the country's fate with another disastrous war against Sweden, and resulting in the bankruptcy of this proud seafaring nation.Only here for the beer - If you look to the sides of this garden you will notice high red brick walls, these belonged to naval warehouses once filled with ships supplies such as tar, ropes, sails, pickled herring, cannon, timber and ships biscuits. Nowadays the walls conceal governmental offices and a military museum. Close to here lies another even vaster warehouse, where beer was brewed for the use of the navy. Christian the IV had a large navy, and each man’s daily allowance of beer was around a gallon, that's eight pints or over four litres per day. We are talking a lot of beer! The same ingredients were used over and over to produce multiple viscous brews, each one becoming slightly weaker. The first round of beer would go to the King and nobility, and subsequent brews would be destined for solders and tradesman. The final and weakest beer would be given to the women and children. The inhabitants of seventeenth century weren't all raving drunks though, with an alcohol content of around 0.5% to 2.8% the average brew was known as small ale or table beer and was a thick mash, which also contained extra nutrition. In the Middle Ages people had simply noticed that if you drank 'eel soup', as they referred to the water found in wells, then you generally died, whereas if you drank beer you stayed alive. No connection was at this point of time made between the insanitary conditions in which residents of the city discharged raw sewage, effluent from tanneries, refuse and animal carcasses into the same source as they drew their drinking water from. Brewing beer then began from necessity, with the effects of the alcohol perhaps numbing slightly too the awful conditions which the average sailor and residents of this foul-smelling city endured.
Hygge
light my fireWalk from the Jewish Museum along the front of the library to the far right-hand corner. Follow the passage along the side of the library, cross the road at the traffic lights (press the stop button first and WATCH OUT for the bikes) then either continue to the waterfront or enter the library for a coffee or the restrooms. Turn right along the wooden boardwalk toward the 'Havnbus' terminal.You're approximately halfway on your Wonderful Wonderful walk around Copenhagen. You could at this point save the rest of the tour for another day, otherwise check the times for the departure of the Havnbus (Harbour Bus) and adjust your schedule accordingly. There's generally two boats an hour - you need boat 992 direction Refshaleøen, also get some change for a ticket (DKK 24 adult, half price for children under 15, under 12 free) which you can purchase onboard.Happy Danish Days - Whatever you choose to do it's an ideal spot to rest your aching feet, or grab a good coffee/use the restrooms at the Royal Danish Library - taking a look around the award winning Sorte Diamant (The Black Diamond) the new library building. Optionally, depending on the weather, sit by the side of the harbour and watch the world go by - by boat, which is such a quintessentially Copenhagen experience. In the summer months it's a joy to behold all manner of craft plying the waterway, with good-looking Danes swigging beer, roasting their scantily clad bodies like traditional hotdog sausages and enjoying all the benefits of this well-run little country. If it is great weather, then try and understand how they've earned this glorious sunlight. With up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depths of winter, Denmark feels like it should be closed from November to April and with average temperatures hovering around 0C, people spend more time indoors as a result. The climate and chronic lack of light account for much of the alcoholism and depression that the Danes suffer from, but also brings about the phenomenon known as hygge.Recipe For Hygge - (pronounced "hoo-gah") requires fat, sugar, alcohol, candles and friends. Hygge is to the Danes is what chic is to the French. It's flickering candlelight, frikadellar and cake versus baguettes, berets and wine. It's so much part of the national psyche that the Danes are Europe's biggest consumers of candles, burning their way through about 6 kilogrammes (13 pounds) per person every year. The origin of the word hygge imeans seeking refuge, protection, and shelter from the raging of the outside elements. Of effectively closing the door against the weather, drawing the curtains, lighting the candles and spending time and being present (no mobile phones) with good friends, alcohol or some comforting homemade food. You can 'hygge' all year round too - just drop the candles. But it's the cold and darkness which make this such a vital tradition in which you effectively stop fighting hardship. It's about opposites:Inside versus outside, warmth versus cold, stillness versus activity, light versus shadow, relax versus work, natural versus digital, and cake versus kale.Beauty in Small Things - Hygge is a word that has been sifted to the surface in recent years but it's not a new concept at all. The Danes have enjoyed hygge for hundreds of years and recognise it as a positive and particularly Danish value. Though the word itself is actually imported from Norwegian, its emergence as an element of national culture is sometimes traced back to Denmark’s loss of territory in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was forced to abandon huge tracts of land of what are now Norway, Sweden, Poland and Germany. They had to turn away from looking outwards to their vast empire to looking inwards to their lego sized land. They began reclaiming the heathland, preventing the sea from invading and finding beauty in small things, things which could be controlled. With the downsizing of Denmarks' territories came a blossoming of creativity and industriousness, a fine example is the Danish Golden Age of art, a time in the 19th century which also brought us great musicians, thinkers, scientists and writers such as Hans Christian Andersen.Hygge-Hype - Lately, the world has been invaded by hygge. The Danes were a little perplexed when, after unselfconsciously doing it for centuries it was suddenly brought to everyone's attention in 2014 by some slippery London book publishing types, using the notion of calm togetherness as a 'feel good' factor to sell books and distract us from all the hardships going on in the world. Hygge, previously unknown outside Scandinavia was listed as a“word of the year”in 2016 by both the Collins and Oxford dictionaries – alongside Brexit and Trumpism. For several years the subject was completely hyped and overblown; with of an avalanche of books, hundreds of newspaper features, products and advertising - all illuminated by the gentle flicker of candlelight of course.
The Harbour Bus
HavnebussenHead now to the The Royal Library "Det Kgl. Bibliotek" havnbus terminal, situated three minutes walk to the right of the Sorte Diamant on the jetty on the waterfront.The Copenhagen havnbus (harbour bus) is a practical, cheap and typically Danish way of experiencing Copenhagen how it should be seen - from the water. If you have difficulty understanding the Havnbus timetable online or in the photograph, then you'll see the departure times for the 992 - direction: Refshaleøen (north) displayed as you walk up the wharf and on the front of the boat. The Danes are very well-organised with their public transport and always punctual, just look out for the yellow ship arriving from the right (it's not quite James Bond style), allow the passengers to disembark first and don't panic and jump on the first boat that you see! It could be the 991 that you're leaping on, that will take you away from all the brilliant sights for an extra long excursion through the rather tedious docklands.Tickets Please - If you have a valid discount card, 24-hour ticket, FlexCard or Copenhagen Card, you do not need a supplementary ticket. A harbour bus ticket costs 24kr per person (half price for children under 15, under 12 free). You buy your ticket on board the harbour bus but you can only pay with cash, which is strange in this practically cashless society. Once onboard either take a comfy seat inside, or stand at the back of the boat. Please note, I did experience some 'social distancing' issues at the back of the boat on a busy bank holiday in May 2020.The Route - The service lines 991 and 992 serve the harbour areas and allow you to cross back and forth between north and south sides of the main harbour canal independent of the bridges. You can hop on and off if you wish to vary your route, but on this tour we're taking the boat five stops as far as Nordre Toldbold (northern customs point). In the following information pages you will find details on the five stops.
The Little Mermaid
on the rocksFrom Nordre Toldboden exit through the ornate gates of the old port customs house towards Langelinie. The gate pillars double as guardhouses and they are topped by two zinc statues depicting Neptune and Mercury. Then take a right under the Gefion bridge and walk on a footpath at the side of a lake, It'll take you 5-10 min. Stay on the pedestrian path, cyclists will be coming often on the right! Then head to your right to reach the harbour front again and the Little Mermaid statue on your left.”Can you please tell me if there's elevator access to the top of the Little Mermaid?" – Tourist enquiry 2019This diminutive teenager disappoints entire groups of visitors. “Is that it?” Is the most overworked comment as tourists pose grumpily on the slippery rocks below. Yet she’s as famous as other iconic statues that symbolize cities, including the Statue of Liberty and Christ the Redeemer in Rio. The (very) Little Mermaid is the unlikely pin-up girl for a piece of 190 year long branding, largely attributed to the master storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen who certainly put Copenhagen on the map as ”Fairytale Capital of The World” from the 1830s onwards.Disaster Struck - Denmark at this time was licking its wounds in the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, when the Danes had their arm severely twisted by the British to stop merrily making a fortune by free booting between all sides. The French had their Waterloo, as did the beleaguered Danes and after ceding Norway to the Swedish, this now tiny country plunged into bankruptcy. But not for long, as what emerged was a period where instead of looking outwards to their once substantial empire, the Danes looked inwards and into rebuilding the losses with a vision of a new, better country for every citizen....But Not for Long - From the 1830s until the 1880s began a period known as the Danish Golden Age. A flourishing of the creative arts and an establishing of Denmark as a force to be reckoned with in literature, design, democracy, music, philosophy, inventions and science. H.C Andersen was at the helm with his magical and timeless stories. The Little Mermaid was first published in 1837, the story is one of his most popular fairytales. It tells the story of a mermaid who becomes entranced by the human world, but becomes a victim of love and sacrifice, as she trades her beautiful voice for legs and stabbing pain as she walks. The story contains a message about love and self-sacrifice, and the dangers of accepting abuse or inconsiderate treatment in the name of love. The tale ends (sort of) happily as the Little Mermaid does not perish forever. She changes into a spirit of the air and is given a chance to attain the immortal soul she dreamt about. She was no longer in pain, had recovered her voice and in a mere 300 years, would have an immortal soul - nice. She has just 100 years to go!Probably the Best Benefactor in the World - The statue was unveiled on 23 August 1913, The Little Mermaid was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen of the Carlsberg company to the City of Copenhagen. The sculpture was inspired by ballerina Ellen Price, who in 1909 danced in the ballet, The Little Mermaid at the Royal Theatre and where Jacobsen saw her. However, the ballerina would not model in the nude for sculptor Edvard Eriksen. Thus Eriksen’s wife, Eline Eriksen, posed for the sculpture of The Little Mermaid.Political Princess - The Little Mermaid has several times been the victim of vandalism, possibly due to her world famous status coupled with her remote location. Beginning in the 1970s, she's twice lost her head, once the arm was sawn off, and several times she has had paint poured on her. In January 2020, 'Free Hong Kong' was painted on the stone the statue is mounted on, and in July 2020 something fishy was going on once more when 'FISH RACIST' was daubed on the plinth. Otherwise, although not regarded as vandalism since no damage is done to the statue, people have also repeatedly dressed her, most often in a Christmas hat or in a football jersey.
The Gefion Fountain
one bad mammaFrom The Little Mermaid follow the path back towards the city, you'll pass nice gardens and ornamental borders then cross over the Gefion bridge that you previously walked under, arriving at the back of the imposing Gefion Fountain.Should you be in need of refreshments, then there's a little bicycle-pulled cart at the foot of the fountain which serves really good coffee and homemade lemonade.Now for a well-proportioned statue and fountain! The Gefion fountain depicts the creation of Sealand, the largest island in Denmark and where we are now standing. Erected in 1908, making it a contemporary of the City Hall and Christiansborg when all things Viking history and the Nordic Sagas were in vogue. According to the Ynglinga saga this is the legend of how Gylfi (the earliest recorded king in Scandinavia) was seduced by the goddess Gefjon to give her as much land as she could plow in one night. Gefjon, being a good mom promptly transformed her four sons into oxen and took enough land to create the Danish island of Zealand, throwing it into the sea betweenScaniaand the island of Fyn and leaving the Swedish lakeVänernin the hole that she'd scraped out.Masterpiece - Created by Danish artist Anders Bundgaard, the fountain was donated to the city of Copenhagen by the Carlsberg Foundation on the brewery's 50-year anniversary. It was originally supposed to be located outside the City Hall, but it was decided instead to build it near the water.The Liberation of Denmark - The park nearby is called Churchill Park, and commemorates Winston Churchill and the British assistance in the liberation of Denmark from German occupation on May 4th, 1945. Every year on this date candles are placed in the windows of Danish houses to remember when light returned to Danish cities after five years of darkness
The Royal Cast Collection
break a leg?From the Gefion Fountain, trace your steps towards the royal pavilions on the quayside and continue towards down the long walkway known as Larsens Plads.The Royal Cast Collection ( Kongelige Afstøbningssamling) is where you’ll find a fascinating array of plaster casts of the most famous sculptures in Europe, housed under one vast historic roof in a former West Indian Warehouse. The Collection was founded in 1895, from a generous donation by the Carlsberg family, ‘probably the best lager in the world’. There are so many statues that they are rather thrown together at times, but unless to visit at the weekends in the summer you won't be able to witness this hotchpotch as it's probably not open when you're visiting Copenhagen. It isn't because of coronavirus that it's shut - it's because of cuts in the arts budget, and now talk of selling the warehouse for redevelopment and dispersing the collection. But you can look in the windows and see a few gods and goddesses collecting dust in there, and a copy of the huge statue of David by Michelangelo overlooking the water. The reason for such a large number of copies gathered in one place was formerly to educate the Scandinavians about ‘culture’ and for art students to study sketching naked people freely. It was, however, a highly curated view of culture, totally white and limited to the time period from around 600 BC to around 1600 AD.White Trash - The collection fell out of favour as the 20th century progressed. The statues were seen to represent a colonial view of the world and alarmingly a vision that was only shared by the more despotic totalitarian Communists, Nazis, and Fascists. Also, with the arrival of ‘modern’ art there was no need to keep copies of centuries old statues. In 1966 the entire collection was moved to a barn outside Copenhagen, however there was a dawning realization that Denmark had a rather impressive collection of statues. Many of the copies were in better condition than the originals and where else could you study so many different pieces of art from so many different sources? The statues were moved to their present location in 1984 and over the next seventeen years were carefully repaired.Triangular Slave Trading Routes - The West Indian Warehouse was built in 1780 during the period in Danish history known as the “Flourishing Period” (1775-1807). At that time Denmark owned, what is now, the American Virgin Islands, and as a strong shipping nation was actively involved in the triangular slave trade of taking people from Africa to work in the extreme heat of the Caribbean on sugar plantations, as were most European nautical superpowers at the time. These slaves were then sold to the highest bidder and the ship returned to Europe with sugar, coffee and rum. These foodstuffs were stored in this warehouse, and sold for high profits to an eager public, the ship then returned to Africa with weapons, rum and cheap manufactured products with which to purchase more slaves.I am Queen Mary - Copenhagen has recently erected a huge statue called ‘I am Queen Mary’ outside the warehouse. Virgin Islands artist, La Vaughn Belle and Danish artist, Jeannette Ehlers teamed up to create a monumental public sculpture which was inaugurated in 2018. This project is the first collaborative sculpture to memorialize Denmark’s colonial impact in the Caribbean and those who fought against it. The sculpture commemorates the Firebrand Rebellion, an uprising by former slaves on the Danish island of St. Croix in 1878. Although the transatlantic slave trade was prohibited in 1792, it was enforced only 11 years later and slavery continued until 1848. Although Denmark had abolished slavery in the former Danish West Indies, conditions remained dreadful for labourers on the islands, with workers bound to yearly contracts, which could force them “to work for an estate against their wishes.” Before Danish authorities put an end to the rebellion, workers burned down more than half of the city of Frederiksted. Thomas, who reportedly played an active role in the vandalism and arson, was tried and sentenced to death. Her punishment was subsequently commuted to a life sentence with hard labour. She lived the rest of her days behind bars, at a prison two kilometres from here in Christianshavn, and later in Christiansted, a town on St. Croix.
Amalienborg
the royal residenceContinue walking down the long quayside towards the royal palace of Amalienborg on your right.Amalienborg Palace isn't just one large building for the queen, it's four identical ones around an large courtyard with huge statue of Frederik V, the founder of this area called Frederikstad, and a notorious drunk and womaniser. The Amalienborg mansions were originally built for four noble families, their exteriors were identical, but the rococo interiors were expressions of their owners personalities and expressions of their wealth. The fact that these weren't purpose built palaces does give the area an unstuffy, lightly guarded feel which you don't experience at other royal palaces around the world (think of Buckingham Palace, or the Palace of Versailles). 250 years ago, in a cunning plan, which was probably hatched while Frederik V was out partying, this prime real estate was given free of charge to wealthy aristocrats, and they were further exempted from taxes and duties. The only conditions were that the mansions which they built should comply exactly to the Frederikstad architectural specifications, and that they should be built within a specified time framework. Sadly, in 1760 popular Frederik broke his leg in a booze-fuelled accident, and died at the age of forty-two. But after a twenty-year romp of a reign, many illegitimate children, a long period of peace and prosperity and this cleverly conceived and impressive redevelopment it was seen fitting when, in 1771 an equestrian statue of Frederik V dressed in the garb of a Roman emperor by the celebrated French sculptor Jacques Saly was unveiled in the square. This statue, portraying this royal reprobate took many years to make, and was reported to have cost as much as all the four mansions put together. It's a very grand statue, but really Jacques!Old Royal ResidenceChristiansborg Palace had been the residence of the royals for centuries, but burned to the ground (oh, not again!) in 1794, consequently the then royal family of the mad Christian Vll bought these palaces and moved in temporarily. The royals liked Amalienborg so much that they've lived here ever since. Happy resident monarchs have lent their names to the four buildings; Christian VII's Palace, Christian VIII's Palace, Frederik VIII's Palace and Christian IX's Palace.Is the Queen Home?As you near the residences of the royal family you may see the Danish flag flying over one or two of them. That's not the normal Danish flag, the current royals have a special royal ensign each, and when it's flying this signifies that one of the royals is at home. Queen Magrethe ll lives in the large palace to your left, as you approach from the water. Her son, Crown Prince Frederik, his Tasmanian born wife Crown Princess Mary (whom he met at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney) and their four children have lived in the palace to the right since 2010. Next on the right is a museum of royal life at Amalienborg, and as you continue around the square anti-clockwise you will see Christian VII's Palace - nowadays the residence for royal guests, something that you won't find on Airbnb! This mansion is connected to the queen's by a colonnade of eight Ionic columns, bizarrely constructed out of solid painted wood.Changing of The Royal GuardThe palaces are guarded day and night by Royal Life Guards (Den Kongelige Livgarde). Every day at 11:30 you can experience the changing of the guard, as they parade from their barracks by Rosenborg Castle through the streets of Copenhagen and end up at Amalienborg at midday. It's very picturesque, as they play marching tunes on pipes and drums, dressed the same uniform as in 1848 - a dark blue tunic, blue trousers, and a bearskin hat which weighs nearly 4 kg. Den Kongelige Livgarde was founded by King Frederik III in 1658, mainly as a response to not really trusting in the longevity of the Roskilde peace treaty between Denmark and Sweden after another disastrous war with the neighbours. Nowadays, the Royal Guard serves as an active infantry unit too that assigns soldiers to combat zones around the globe, as well as the royal family’s guard. Members are also on duty at Denmark’s biggest castles such as Amalienborg Palace, Rosenborg Castle, Kastellet and the Fredensborg Palace. In the past, vacancies on the Royal Guard were filled through standard military draft, of which there is a lottery system for all eighteen-year-old boys and girls, but nowadays there are many Danes that voluntarily join. A word of caution - don't touch the exterior walls of the palaces when the royals are in residence. It seems a strange request, but perhaps the initial design of the four palaces in the 1800s as simply gracious homes for the filthy rich never ticked all the boxes on security that we need for the Danish monarchy in the 21st century. These teenagers are armed with real, loaded weapons. They will shout at you if you approach the front of the palaces too closely, and if you cause a serious threat to royal safety they are supposed to try and stop you with the bayonet first. But maybe best not to find out!
Danish Food
the art of tastinessReturn to the quayside, then turn to the right and continue. Make a stop at Ofelia Plads, sit on the great wooden decking and work up an appetite before we make our final destination at the next stop at NyhavnOne way of experiencing a country’s culture is through your stomach, and as you reach the last kilometre of the walk it's a good time to acknowledge that you're ravenous, tired and thirsty. Rest assured, your next stop is Nyhavn where there's plenty of good eateries in the area. There's much to choose from the culinary arts in Denmark these days, with noma, voted the best restaurant in the world for several years in a row, and which in a fabulously inspired explosion of New Nordic Cuisine from 2004 onwards created dishes sourced only from fresh ingredients found within the Nordics. It was a joy to behold, and brought about such newsworthy scandals as in the quest to find a Nordic alternative to the sharp acidity of a mediterranean lemon, live ants were sent wandering across plates of thinly sliced raw reindeer filet - the startled diners requested to squash the ants into the bloodied meat to emit a pleasing acidity. This created a backlash, but fabulous publicity nonetheless. The whole concept of New Nordic Cuisine generally created great newsworthy articles though, and a renewed environmentally conscious interest in sourcing ingredients locally; sending the world to forage for mushrooms, moss, branches, and flowers in their nearby forest ready in time for supper.Traditional Danish cuisine - like most other world culinary traditions, is rooted in its' history and peasant culture where ingredients naturally had to be found locally too. Denmark is situated quite far north, and has a short growing season for fruit and vegetables from mid April through to September, making it a challenge in the past to cultivate foodstuffs that were not only hardy, but also could be preserved during the long, cold and dark winters. Typical foods have tended to be on the heavy side, including smoked or salted pork, cabbage, pickled fish, rye bread, beer, dried peas, dairy products, and later in history the potato made a great impact as a Danish food staple. With increased mechanisation during the 1900s more meat and vegetables were made available, when such Danish classics at the meatball, rice pudding and sausage arrived on the menu.Ants Anyone? - If you want to eat what the real Danes eat, you don't have to squash ants or eat a plateful of potatoes and fatty pork though. Food is good, plentiful and, even better, often washed down with an ice cold beer. Perhaps a Danish classic to sample that illustrates beautifully the history of food from surf, turf to table is the traditional Smørrebrød - literally meaning buttered rye bread (rugbrød), a dense bread made from rye which grew well this far north. Smørrebrød has a historical base as solid as it's consistency in Danish food culture – like pickled herring, it has been eaten for centuries. The origin of the open-face sandwich is the Middle Ages, when thick slices of stale bread, or trenchers, served as plates all over Europe. The bread absorbed the juice and flavour of the toppings and then were discarded. Over time, the bread was incorporated into the meal because the food-soaked "plate" was often the tastiest component. Denmark's smørrebrød custom became entrenched with the onset of industrialisation in the 19th century. Factory workers were no longer able to return home for a midday meal, so they packed a lunch of 'open-face' sandwiches, which in their simplest form included slices of rugbrød smeared with butter or animal fat (which helped to prevent the juices from seeping into and softening the bread), topped with cold meats, smoked fish or leftovers from dinner the night before. Over time this tradition has taken hold and gained momentum, moving into the Danish mainstream and with families cultivating hand-me-down recipes, restaurants serving more elaborate and creative variations, and smørrebrød its place at the Easter and Christmas celebration tables.Edible Art - For something which began as a way to extend the life of stale bread and act as a plate, Danish open sandwiches have evolved to nothing short of an art form, and you can find it all over town in about one million variations. The oblong bread is cut into regular slices, and smeared with butter. Onto this is placed Pålæg (meaning a topping). These can be a variety of pork products (remember that there's a huge pig industry in Denmark with 28 million pigs) various cheeses, shrimps, eggs, smoked salmon, pickled herring (remember Bishop Absalon protecting the herring fisheries in medieval times), fish eggs, fish roe, fried plaice, fish cake, (yes, there's a lot of fish in Denmark) or liver pâté. A slice or two of pålæg is placed onto the bread and decorated exquisitely to create a delicious and good looking lunch to eat with a knife and fork... and a beer.Some traditional compositions include:Marinerede sild (pickled herrings) have been a staple in Northern Europe since Medieval times, being a way to store and transport fish, especially necessary in meatless periods like Lent. The herrings would be prepared, then packed in barrels for storage or transportation. Today, they come in a jar and are placed on buttered rye bread, garnished with lettuce, onion rings, and capers. It's an acquired taste, but a glass of schnapps helps to wash it down I've found!Dyrlægens natmad ( a protein-rich snack originally prepared for busy veterinarians (dyrelægen) late at night). On a piece of buttered rye bread, a layer of liver pâté (leverpostej), is topped with a slice of saltkød (salted beef) and a slice of sky (meat jelly). This is all decorated with onion, pickled cucumber and cress.Røget ål med røræg, smoked eel on dark rye bread, topped with scrambled eggs, chives, cucumber, and a slice of lemon.Leverpostej, warm rough-chopped liver pâté served on dark rye bread, often topped with bacon and fried mushrooms. Additions can include lettuce, and pickled cucumber.Roast beef, thinly sliced and served on dark rye bread, topped with a portion of remoulade, and decorated with a sprinkling of shredded horseradish and crispy fried onions.Ribbensteg, thin slices of roast pork with crackling, served on dark rye bread with rødkål (pickled red cabbage), and decorated with a slice of orange.Rullepølse, thin slices of spiced pork roll with a slice of meat jelly, onions, tomatoes and parsley.Røget laks. Slices of cold-smoked salmon on white bread, topped with shrimp and decorated with a slice of lemon and fresh dill.Here's some of my favourite traditional smørrebrød establishments close to Nyhavn:Kutteren HM800 - This is my personal favourite. You order the food downstairs on this old fishing boat, then sit upstairs on the deck. It's unpretentious, the food is delicious, reasonably priced and (best of all) there's seldom many other tourists!Restaurant Vita - A very atmospheric and old-fashioned restaurant off the main drag.Hviids Vinstue - A charming and unselfconscious old bar on Kongens Nytorv.
Nyhavn
on the waterfrontTurn left to follow the sea from Ofelia Plads, then right on some lovely new boardwalks past the Danish playhouse. As you pass the playhouse you will then find yourself near the top of the Nyhavn canal. You'll be heading right, up the canal. Hans Christian Andersen's house at number 67 is near the top of the canal on your right.Nyhavn – said ‘Noo-hown’- the clean waters of the canal reflecting the higgledy-piggledy outline of wooden framed houses painted in yellow ochre, soft 'Swedish" red, sea green, periwinkle blue and cream. The air filled with delicious cooking smells, the gentle clanking of its old wooden fishing boats and trawlers, and the happy babble of visitors enjoying huge ice creams. But if you could time travel back to the 1830s, then this picturesque canal scenes of today would be replaced by drunken sailors staggering from bar to brothel to bar, the stench of rotted fish, animal manure, roaming livestock, rolling barrels of herring, and the occasional corpse being fished-out of the murky waters. Nyhavn, or 'New Harbour' was the roughest, toughest part of town for a few centuries, and if you fancied getting robbed, drunk, beaten, raped or murdered then this was as good a place as any to expect it to happen.Rough and Ready - These pretty painted houses have seen it all, and it doesn't take much imagination you screw your eyes up a little to visualise this rough and flavourful place. Hans Christian Andersen lived here off and on for 18 years and loved the drama of it all, finding inspiration for his work at times. It was also a convenient distance from here to his beloved Royal Theatre on Kongens Nytorv (the King's new market), where his dreams were dashed of becoming a ballet dancer when he first arrived as an impoverished young boy, but where he later triumphantly staged his plays to packed houses of adoring fans. H.C Andersen lived in three residences on Nyhavn, you'll find the first one where he lived from 1845 until 1864 is a tall cream coloured house at number 67 as you walk from the sea, and the other is a red house at numbers 18 and 20 on the other side of the canal.Ship to Shore - The canal was excavated by prisoners of war from the Dano-Swedish War 1658–1660 (oh not another war with with the Swedes) and in an age before machines it was literally dug on the blood, sweat and tears of these Swedish prisoners. This 3 metre depth was to ensure a good draught for the small merchant ships which brought produce much closer in to the heart of the city to the large food market located on Kongens Nytorv.Before and After - Nowadays, all along the canal you'll see charming old masted ships, a collection belonging to the Nyhavn Veteran Ship and Museum Harbour since 1977. Much restoration work has been made on the whole area since the 1960s. After it's decline after World War ll, when land transport took over this role and small vessel traffic disappeared from the Port of Copenhagen. This dodgy area was given a makeover, the waters dredged of incriminating evidence, the cobbles hosed of homicides and dining tables, parasols and privet hedges put up all along the wharf making Nyhavn world famous and the biggest attraction in Copenhagen for visitors. In past years Nyhavn has had a tendency to become totally overwhelmed by tourists, but this year you may get to see a more relaxed and predominantly Danish clientele, also in the evening when it is unofficially called, "the longest bar in Copenhagen". Perhaps old old habits die hard? And this old rascal of a place lets its hair down and parties into the wee hours with all the young ones and completely plastered Norwegians and Swedes. But it's so 'Instagrammable', and it's jolly seafaring atmosphere is at its most seductive on a sunny afternoon when you can see tall, good-looking young Danes drinking beers bought in a supermarket on the harbourside and seeming to be the happiest people in the world, or as near as damn it!
The End
that's all folks!Continue to the end of the Nyhavn canal, stopping at a large anchor memorial.Your Wonderful Wonderful Walk of Classic Copenhagen is over. Take a seat under the trees and relax, you've earned it! There's some lovely retro washrooms on either side of the canal (ladies on the right, men on the left) and, once you've recovered you might fancy going on one of the boat trips around the harbour. But that can wait, let me first thank you for coming on the tour and I really hope that you enjoyed it. It's my mission is to try and impart some of my knowledge and the countless human stories that this fascinating city holds, and I hope that you laughed along the way too. This is my first tour version of my WWW Copenhagen app, and it's been a challenge to try and transcribe the enthusiasm that I have for this place into the written word, through photographs, audio and the occasional video clip with dodgy sound. There will be many more tours on their way, plus a nifty little tour book that like the app tries to blow some renewed energy into telling the stories of the past, the present and the future of Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen.When I walk the tour I find that I'm generally speechless after all the talking, and tired and hungry at this point. This is a good area for refreshments, and if you refer to the stop called Danish Food, you'll find a small list of eateries in the area that I happen to think are pleasant, good value and offer authentic food and drink.Optionally, you may just wish to grab a traditional hotdog from the stand nearby and scoff it on the street like the Danish queen!More details of my upcoming tours, projects and publications at my Website, Facebook and Instagram.
Bicycles in Copenhagen
watch your step!From Dantes Plads continue to Vester Voldgade. Stop here.You're about to jaywalk across Vester Voldgade. Don't worry, it's not a busy street but jaywalking is something that Danes simply don't do. Rules are rules and are meant to be obeyed is the simple logic which most Danes employ. This attitude accounts for much of the efficiency and order that you find here, but as a foreigner in Denmark this waiting for the traffic lights to turn before you can cross is occasionally a bridge too far.As you're poised, ready to jaywalk over this street, pause for a moment and double check for bicycles. They come from out of nowhere and amount to one of the biggest hazards for visitors to Copenhagen. The city can boast low crime figures, absence of any real terrorist threat, fresh air and generally trustworthy citizens, but WATCH OUT FOR THE CYCLISTS! Pedal Power - Every day, 62 percent of Copenhageners travel to work or school on a bike, even the Danish royals cycle the kids to school. There are 675,000 bicycles and just 120,000 cars in Copenhagen, meaning bikes outnumber cars by more than five-to-one. Copenhagen’s cyclists cover a total of 1.4 million km every day! Bicycle infrastructure in Copenhagen currently includes approximately 400 km of bicycle paths and innovative bridges, which form effective cycling superhighways across the city. This is perhaps the key to understanding why Copenhagen is also one of the safest places to be a cyclist, but they do have attitude when it comes to dithering pedestrians and disorientated jaywalking visitors to the capital city.The Golden Rule is to keep off the wide bike lanes, and to check left and right at all times before you cross the road. Onwards with crossing the road now!
Copenhagen
"Stepping towards a green future for travel"Thank you so much for joining us on this sustainable, and geolocative walking tour of the rather overlooked, and totally worthwhile Copenhagen destination of Christianshavn!What's a geolocative tour? Just enable your location in settings on your phone, you'll be able to follow the route every step of the way. Click on the small map icon to check the route at the base of each screen. Not in Copenhagen? Then no need to change your settings - just sit back and enjoy the storytelling.Do I need to take all of the tour in one day? Just dip into the the sections that appeal at any time, you can always come back another day. We are finding eco-friendly partners along the route, so do look out some of the great discounts on food and experiences.Why sustainable walking tours? WWWalks stands for Wonderful Wonderful Walks, and it's our mission to blow the dust off history and offer a kiss of life to the future - with perfectly sustainable, and very entertaining tours of the city of Copenhagen and nearby destinations in Denmark. We take the path less followed, and hope to unlock the secrets and open up new sustainable routes both in the capital and in rural destinations for visitors and staycationers to access easily. We want to share our knowledge on how to reduce our carbon footprints as we travel responsibly, seeing small as beautiful and caretaking our natural world for our children and our childrens’ children.The idea has been to inject the same originality, storytelling and entertainment value as you find with real life tours, something that Heather excelled at in the past eight years and lately by live-streaming tours from Copenhagen. Also, to illustrate just how much in Denmark to be proud of, and to teach the world what we’ve had a flying start at developing since the 1970s in environmental advances, and how Copenhagen hopes to become one of the first carbon-neutral capital cities in 2025.
