Amager Bakke in Copenhagen

12 December 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Sustainability, Environment Reading Time:  3 minutes

© Kallerna/cc-by-sa-4.0

© Kallerna/cc-by-sa-4.0

Amager Bakke (lit. ‘Amager Hill’), also known as Amager Slope or Copenhill, is a combined heat and power waste-to-energy plant (new resource handling centre) and recreational facility in Amager, Copenhagen, Denmark, located prominently within view of the city’s downtown.   read more…

Strøget in Copenhagen

15 August 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Shopping Reading Time:  5 minutes

Amagertorv © flickr.com - Olga Itenberg/cc-by-2.0

Amagertorv © flickr.com – Olga Itenberg/cc-by-2.0

Strøget is a pedestrian, car free shopping area in Copenhagen, Denmark. This popular tourist attraction in the centre of town is one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe at 1.1 km. Located at the centre of the old city of Copenhagen, it has long been one of the most high-profile streets in the city. The pedestrianisation of Strøget in 1962 marked the beginning of a major change in the approach of Copenhagen to urban life; following the success of the initiative the city moved to place a much greater emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle access to the city at the expense of cars. This approach has in turn become internationally influential.   read more…

Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen

14 July 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Schorle/cc-by-sa-4.0

© Schorle/cc-by-sa-4.0

Freetown Christiania, also known as Christiania (Danish: Fristaden Christiania), is an intentional community, commune and micronation in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of the Danish capital city of Copenhagen. It began in 1971 as a squatted military base. Its Pusher Street is famous for its open trade of cannabis, which is illegal in Denmark. Christiania is considered to be the fourth largest tourist attraction in Copenhagen, with half a million visitors annually.   read more…

Frederik’s Church in Copenhagen

16 April 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

© flickr.com - RAYANDBEE/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – RAYANDBEE/cc-by-2.0

Frederik’s Church (Frederiks Kirke), popularly known as The Marble Church (Marmorkirken) for its rococo architecture, is an Evangelical Lutheran church in Copenhagen, Denmark. The church forms the focal point of the Frederiksstaden district; it is located due west of Amalienborg Palace. The church was designed by the architect Nicolai Eigtved in 1740 and was along with the rest of Frederiksstaden, a district of Copenhagen, intended to commemorate the 300 years jubilee of the first coronation of a member of the House of Oldenburg. Frederick’s Church has the largest church dome in Scandinavia with a span of 31m. The dome rests on 12 columns. The inspiration was probably St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.   read more…

Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen

28 January 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  10 minutes

© Julian Herzog/cc-by-4.0

© Julian Herzog/cc-by-4.0

Christiansborg Palace (Danish: Christiansborg Slot) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget), the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Also, several parts of the palace are used by the Danish monarch, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel and the Royal Stables.   read more…

Copenhagen Opera House

8 June 2020 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Opera Houses, Theaters, Libraries Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Julian Herzog/cc-by-4.0

© Julian Herzog/cc-by-4.0

The Copenhagen Opera House is the national opera house of Denmark, and among the most modern opera houses in the world. It is also one of the most expensive opera houses ever built with construction costs well over US$500 million. It is located on the island of Holmen in central Copenhagen. The foundation A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal donated the Opera House to the Danish state in August 2000. Arnold Peter Møller (1876–1965) was a co-founder of the company now known as Mærsk. Some politicians were offended by the private donation, in part because the full cost of the project would be tax deductible, thus virtually forcing the government to buy the building; but the Folketing and the government accepted it in the autumn of 2000.   read more…

City Hall Square in Copenhagen

27 April 2020 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  13 minutes

City Hall Square © Bill Ebbesen

City Hall Square © Bill Ebbesen

City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) is a public square in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark, located in front of the Copenhagen City Hall. Its large size, its central location and its affiliation with the city hall make it a popular venue for a variety of events, celebrations and demonstrations. It is often used as a central point for measuring distances from Copenhagen.   read more…

Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen

13 December 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Museums, Exhibitions, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  6 minutes

© Bluedog423

© Bluedog423

Rosenborg Castle (Danish: Rosenborg Slot) is a renaissance castle located in Copenhagen. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV‘s many architectural projects. It was built in the Dutch Renaissance style, typical of Danish buildings during this period, and has been expanded several times, finally evolving into its present condition by the year 1624. Architects Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger are associated with the structural planning of the castle. The castle was used by Danish regents as a royal residence until around 1710. After the reign of Frederik IV, Rosenborg was used as a royal residence only twice, and both these times were during emergencies. The first time was after Christiansborg Palace burned down in 1794, and the second time was during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801.   read more…

Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen

15 November 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Museums, Exhibitions, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  18 minutes

Amalienborg Palace and Opera House Copenhagen in the background © flickr.com - Rob Deutscher/cc-by-2.0

Amalienborg Palace and Opera House Copenhagen in the background © flickr.com – Rob Deutscher/cc-by-2.0

Amalienborg is the home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg’s founder, King Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burned on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces. The Amalie Garden (Danish: Amaliehaven) is located between the waterfront and Amalienborg Slotsplads. Established in 1983, it was a gift from the A.P. Møller and Chastine McKinney Møller Foundation to the citizens of Copenhagen. The two-level garden was designed by Belgian architect Jean Delogne. It features marble sculptures and a central fountain designed by Italian Arnaldo Pomodoro. It is owned jointly by the Danish state and the municipality of Copenhagen, and maintained by the Palaces and Properties Agency. The short axis on which Amalienborg lies, Frederiksgade (English: Frederik’s Street) has been much discussed due to construction the building of the Copenhagen Opera House in 2001–04. Aligned on the short axis is the Frederik’s Church (Danish: Frederikskirke), commonly known as The Marble Church (Danish: Marmorkirken). The equestrian statue of King Frederik V was commissioned by Moltke, as Director for the Danish Asiatic Company, and it was made by French sculptor Jacques-Francois-Joseph Saly. Work began in 1753, and the foundation stone was laid in place in 1760 at the 100-year celebration of political absolutism in Denmark. The statue was finally unveiled in 1771, five years after King Frederik V’s death in 1766.   read more…

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