"Great Dane" a Copenhagen Travel Page by Ramonq

Ahhh Copenhagen. City known for its liberal outlook yet regal standing. It's easy to like Copenhagen, if you don't mind the cold and wet seasons, and the pricey standard of living. It has all the European city splendours like imposing castles, ornate cathedrals, expansive gardens and parks. In the old city centre, there are little gems of narrow alleyways and quaint shops, where one can wander around aimlessly for hours. Coffeeshops with Danish pastries, warm corner bars to soothe the tired souls and soles. Bicycles everywhere!

The Danish have a certain way of designing functional creations that are very simple yet aesthetically pleasing. You can see it on the shopfronts at the main shopping streets of Strøget and Købmagergade. Here you can see classic Danish styles such as Illum and Royal Copenhagen where Scandinavian sensibilities are highlighted. Strøget is one of Europe's oldest and longest shopping street and it is a delight to stroll around and observe modern Copenhagen lifestyle. A trip along this street is a must for tourists who want to soak up the contemporary atmosphere of this city. Many of the structures along this street were built during the 18th century but the shops reflect ultra modernity. It is this Danish culture of seamlessly combining traditionally old with the quirky new that makes Copenhagen surprising. It is no surprising that the locals chose the Little Mermaid as its iconic symbol. It's not grand as Big Ben, Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty, but a small reminder from the city's famous writer, Hans Christian Anderson, that Copenhagen has its roots tied up with the sea.

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In Copenhagen you will see lots of old castles and churches, but most of its citizens have one of the most liberal outlook this side of Europe. Københavners are a very pragmatic lot. If no one is harmed, then it's okay to proceed. The city does not have that many hangups, yet they still manage to keep the place clean and functional just like the Swiss and Swedes.

A clear example of this liberal outlook is the existence of a hippy colony called Kristiana which is a law upon itself. The citizens of Kristiana do not see itself as part of Denmark but a enclave of free thought and lifestyle. Copenhagen tolerates such existence and this has been going on since the 1960's. The arty and alternative lifestyle residents have made a home inside this enclave thumbing their noses at the cops paying no council rates and cheap rents. There is a clash of cultures with the bourgeoisie and riots have occured about plans for its obliteration, yet Kristiana still holds fascination to Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is a great experiment of tolerance despite its staunch grip on traditional Danish culture. The Danish royal family is still very much loved in Copenhagen and its presence is respected a lot. In Copenhagen you will see castles, palaces and cathedrals that echo pomp and circumstances similar to its British counterpart. Yet these are not museum pieces, but living examples of the royal presence. Danish guards in traditional uniform still stand attentively inside a red wooden sentry like Christmas toy soldiers. This makes Copenhagen special, a mix of neo-lberalism yet still quite old worldish and traditional.

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Tivoli Garden

Quick History lessons

Copenhagen's history began in the 12th century although the area around Kongens Nytorv had signs of cattle grazing and a Viking village. Copenhagen was founded in the 1160's by a bishop who was a trusted counsellor to the king. Bishop Absalon was given the task to build a fortress on the east coast of the island of Zealand to secure its trade with present day Sweden. The king gave the bishop Copenhagen full control of the town. Its central location between the then two Catholic towns of Roskilde (Denmark) and Lund (Sweden) gave Copenhagen an impetus to grow and prosper. Copenhagen's economy expanded owing to the highly lucrative herring trade, which provided much of Catholic Europe with salted herring during the meatless Lenten season.

As a main gateway to the Baltic Sea, Copenhagen became a very important town for the North German trading towns of the Hanseatic League which stretched all the way to Tallinn and Warsaw. It also became vulnerable to invaders seeking wealth and power. Ramparts and fortified walls were built to protect it from the troublesome Hanseatic League traders.

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Copenhagen Town Hall

By the 15th century, Copenhagen was taken over by the Danish King from the bishop of Absolon Despite the threats of invasion, Copenhagen was able to trade with friends and foes and city grew in importance. By the time of Christian IV's time in the 16th century, Protestant Reformation took hold in Denmark and the city has become the main religious centre for the Nordic region. The king played a pivotal role in developing Copenhagen and many of the grand buildings that we see now were under his tutelage. It is interesting to note that Christianshavn was designed to look like Amsterdam, the premier trading port at that time.

Subsequent kings left their imprint such as Christianborg and Amelienborg and Copenhagen reached its majestic peak during the late 18th century. This deteriorated in the mid 19th century when Copenhagen suffered from British bombardment. Copenhagen became the centre of the Danish constitutional monarchy in the 1840's. As the capital city, the city expanded organically around this period. It fell under the Nazi Germans, but not much damage was done during the second world war. The later half of the 20th century saw the expansion of Copenhagen and its transportation system. Metro was introduced in the 1990's and construction of the Oresund Bridge that connects Copenhagen with Malmo have made the city into a thriving modern European city.

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Castle

Exploring Copenhagen

Although the city has good transportation infrastructure, it is best to explore the historical centre of Copenhagen on foot or by bicycle. The well maintained parks and the canals offer a welcome respite from the bleak treeless alleyways of old Copenhagen. Strolling through the city, you will catch glimpses of Copenhagen's famous red brick castles and churches designed in Nordic architecture. One exception is the Marmorkirken which looks more at home in Latin-based Europe because it was fashioned to be the St Peter's Basilica of the North.

Copenhagen is a very easy town to visit and there are many bars and restaurants, especially around the Central Station and the famous Tivoli Gardens, where one can relax and watch the world go by. Definitely one of Europe's most pleasant city to visit.