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Copenhagen - General Information

Situated on the Øresund – the body of water between Sweden and Denmark – and guarding the entrance to the Baltic, Copenhagen is a compact, stylish city, built on a human scale. Sea breezes freshen its air, there are lots of parks and pavement cafés and the atmosphere is liberal yet well ordered in a peculiarly Scandinavian way.

Copenhagen began life in the mid-11th century. At that point a tribe from Southern Sweden calling themselves Danes – part of a group of peoples who collectively became known as Vikings – had long since migrated southwards and taken control of what was known as Danmark. In 1043 the Norwegian King Magnus, following his defeat in a sea battle in the Øresund, sought refuge in the small fishing village of Havn (literally “Haven” or “Harbour”, and later to become København or Copenhagen).
The village steadily grew. Roughly one hundred years later Bishop Absalon, its spiritual father, founded the castle that became the nucleus of the future city on the small island of Slotsholmen. By 1254 Copenhagen was fortified market town with full municipal rights and has been the seat of Danish rule ever since. Its development was somewhat hampered by its being passed back and forth during more than a century of civil war, but in 1443 it was made capital of Denmark by King Christopher III. Its further growth was ensured by the Sound Toll tax on all vessels passing through the Øresund, an endless source of revenue that would underpin Copenhagen’s fortunes for centuries.

Over the following centuries Copenhagen grew to become the largest city in northern Europe, in spite of bombardment by the British during the Napoleonic Wars. It enjoyed a Golden Age in the 19th century, when such citizens as the tale-spinner Hans Christian Andersen the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard raised Denmark’s profile throughout the world. Many of the Copenhagen’s most notable Neoclassical buildings also date from this period, with the city finally extending beyond the limit of its medieval fortifications.

Though Denmark managed to remain neutral in World War One, it was occupied by the Nazis in World War Two. None the less it largely managed to escape any widespread devastation, with the main privations being limited to food and fuel rationing. Since then, in spite of various economic woes shared by most European countries, nothing seismic has happened in the city. The main topic of debate today is immigration, with Turks and Yugoslavs who arrived to fill menial jobs during the boom years of the 1960s competing for scarcer opportunities subsequently.

The biggest event in Copenhagen – and indeed Denmark’s – recent history is the opening in July 2000 of the Øresund Bridge, a road and rail link connecting the city with Sweden. The world's longest single bridge carrying both road and railway traffic, it has significantly enhanced Copenhagen’s connections with the rest of Scandinavia and brought the nearby city Swedish city of Malmö within thirty minutes of central Copenhagen. As a result Copenhagen today is a major regional hub capable of attracting serious foreign investment.

The centre of Copenhagen is essentially divided up into three areas: the small island of Slotsholmen, the mainland area of Indre By, which encloses it on three sides, and the larger island of Christianshavn, facing Slotsholmen, across the waters of Inderhavnen. The first contains the public buildings of Copenhagen, while the other two are more commercial, residential districts.

• Slotsholmen is where Bishop Absalon built the city’s first castle in 1167. Over the following centuries a plethora of palaces and castles sprang up on the island, dedicated to their own greater glory by a succession of absolute monarchs. The relics of these buildings, some more substantial than others, are now grouped within the massive Christiansborg complex, which dominates the island. But Christiansborg is not just a piecemeal museum. At its heart lies Christiansborg Slot, built in the early 20th century, which is still home to the Danish Parliament and the Royal Reception Rooms. Other highlights include the Royal Riding Ground, the delightful Slotskirke (“kirke” means church) of 1826, Thorvaldsens Museum (a charming collection of the work of the 19th century Danish sculptor), the Royal Library and its sleekly modern extension, the Black Diamond.

• Though Slotsholmen offers the stately public face of Copenhagen, Indre By also lies within the medieval walls and is the actual location of Havn, the small, marshy fishing village where the city began. A blend of tiny maze-like streets and squares and ancient churches, which contrast with modern offices and shops, it’s alive with commuters, shoppers, tourists and street entertainers. Especially noteworthy is the main shopping thoroughfare, Strøget (pronounced “stroll”, meaning “stripe”). This is the longest pedestrianised street in the world. It is in fact the colloquial name given to the series of connecting streets (Frederiksberggae, Nygade, Vimmelskaftet, Amagertorv and Østergarde) that run westward across Indre By from Rådhuspladsen Square to Kongens Nytorv. The main streets are dominated by the familiar façades of mainstream chain stores, like H&M, and big-name designers, like Prada and Zara. But peeling off anywhere along into the side streets will plunge you into an array of quirkier Danish shops, as well as many popular and unusual bars, cafés and restaurants.

• Landmarks in Indre By include Christian IV’s wonderfully quirky Rundetårn, the “round tower”, which offers a fantastic view over the city and is attached to the Trinitas complex: a 17th century combination of astronomical observatory, church and University library. At some point or another most visitors also make it to Nyhavn, a bevy of colourful restaurants and bars in a picture-postcard canalside setting, east of Kongens Nytorv, that draws tourists by the boatload.

• Linked to Ingre By and Slotshomen by Knippelsbro bridge, Christianshavn offers yet another marked contrast. It sits on land reclaimed in the early 1600s by King Christian IV to fill a breach in Copenhagen’s defences that left it vulnerable to attack from the sea. For some time now, it has been nicknamed “Little Amsterdam.” At first sight one would assume that this comparison is inspired purely by the pretty canals, narrow cobbled streets and old Dutch-style houses with brightly painted shutters. But head towards the northeastern end of the island and you’ll encounter the “free city” of Christiana, an alternative community of improvised dwellings and craft shops, whose citizens’ relaxed attitude to the selling and consumption of hash is similar to that of their Dutch cousins. While Christiana draws most tourists to Christianshavn, it’s also well worth visiting Vor Fresler’s Kirke, with its magnificent spire, the main square of Christianshavns Torv and the pretty marina at the northeastern end of Wilders Canal.