Sights of Attraction in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark. With its coppery green towers alongside gingerbread houses, inlets and millponds surrounded by willows, dozens of bicycles along cobblestone streets, the city has repeatedly been recognized as one of the cities with the best quality of life in the world.

The sea has always been a dominating element in Copenhagen. Founded in the 11th century at the narrowest point on the Kattegat, the settlement was ideal for trade and water travel.

The Little Mermaid Statue

Sitting on the rock of Copenhagen harbor at Langelinie since 1913, the statue of The Little Mermaid (Den lille havfrue in Danish) is a top tourist attraction in Copenhagen. The bronze sculpture by Edvard Eriksen is inspired by Han Christian Andersen’s fairy tales.

The city owes much of its charm to the buildings erected by Denmark’s monarchs, and boasts a treasure trove of late-Renaissance and Rococo architecture. A remarkable number of the Danish kings, whereby most of them have been named either Frederik or Christian, have been wise and ingenious monarchs. They have been very good planners and builders above all. Most of the palaces, churches and civic buildings have enjoyed royal patronage, and some are still the property of the royal family. The Kronborg Castle was built by Eric of Pomerania to collect taxes from ships passing through the Oresund, which was later written about by Shakespeare as “Hamlet’s Castle”. It is worth touring around the ramparts and visiting the chapel and banquet hall.

Amalienborg Palace

This lovely palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family. It surrounds a square with four identical classic place facades with rococo pavilions of equal size, and a statue of King Frederik V in the middle. A flying flag indicates that the Queen is in residence, and there are ceremonial changes of the guard by soldiers in picturesque uniforms. One of the country’s most popular exports is the Danish toy soldiers modeled after these guards.

Christianborg Palace

The three centuries old castle was the principal home of the Kings until 1794, when it was burnt down twice, in 1794 and 1884. It was rebuilt for the last time from 1907 to 1928, and is the seat of the Danish parliament since 1918 until today. The palace is located in the heart of the old city, and still has rich reception rooms for formal occasions, including Alexander Hall, the Great Banqueting Hall and the Knights Hall. New monarchs continue to be proclaimed from the balcony overlooking Castle Square by long-standing custom.

Some of the most delightful buildings in the city are visible from the waterfront. The canal district has never stopped being busy and fascinating. The Church of Our Savior has a unique tower with an outside spiral stairway leading to the top of the green pinnacle. Even more intriguing is the world’s oldest active stock exchange, the tower of the Borsen. Three green dragons have their tails twisted into a thin, graceful spire.

Tivoli Garden

This pleasure garden offers unique amusement park rides, open-air concerts, musicians, dancing and a host of cafes and restaurants all blend nicely and set off with playful lights. The Tivoli presents a marvelous attraction especially at night.

Stroget

Your vacation to Copenhagen is never complete without a visit to Stroget. Running from Old City Hall Square, this pedestrian street offers the finest shopping in Copenhagen. The adjacent Kobmagergade is also worth touring to, more unique stores can be found by wandering down the smaller streets.

Nyhavn

The streets around the old harbor is another popular area with both locals and tourists. Starting from the memorial anchor at Kongens Nytorv, it is lined with open-air cafes, restaurants and 500-year-old gabled houses. It is the starting point of various canal tour excursions.

Oresund Bridge

The Oresund Bridge is an immense six-mile long bridge featuring a central span, two approach bridges, a submerged approach tunnel and an artificial island. With its completion in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Oresund Region.

 

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