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Central Copenhagen - Inner City Tourist Attractions (København) - Part 1

Copenhagen Tourist Map

1. Tivoli Gardens (Tivoli). Tivoli Gardens is a world famous amusement park which first opened in 1843. The museum is in downtown Copenhagen at one end of the main walking street (Strøget). Tivoli is a wonderful amusement park for people of all ages. Aside from rides Tivoli has many concerts, good quality restaurants, bars and it very nice place to go for a walk. Christmas time at Tivoli Gardens is a particularly good time to visit the park. The Christmas lighting and decorations give Tivoli a mood of its own. The lake in Tivoli Gardens is part of the old moat which was originally part of the defences of Copenhagen.

2. New Harbour (Nyhavn). Nyhavn in downtown Copenhagen has one of the finest atmospheres in the city. Any visit to Copenhagen demands a visit to Nyhavn. There are many fine cafes, restaurants and bars the length of the canal. The colourful buildings the length of the canal give Nyhavn a cheerful that should be experienced. Summertime is a particularly fine time to visit Nyhavn. The Canal was constructed in 1671, so that transport ships could sail right up to The Kings New Square (Kongens Nytorv) to pick up or drop off their goods. Today there are many boats which remain in the harbour. From the beginning Nyhavn has always been a lively place in Copenhagen. There are many boating companies which for a nominal fee will give tourists a tour of Copenhagen’s extensive waterways. A boat tour around Copenhagen gives a different perspective of the city from the water. There are also yellow water busses which travel to the island of Slotsholmen and drop you off near ‘The Black Diamond (Den Sorte Diamant)’.

3. The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue). The Little Mermaid is one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Copenhagen. This diminutive statue commemorates one of the best known characters and stories from the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. The statue has become somewhat of a symbol of the city. Many tourists expect a lot more when they go to see the statue and over the years the statue has left more than one tourist yearning for more; however the Little Mermaid statue remains and important stop on a tour of Copenhagen. The statue has frequently been the victim of vandalism. The bronze statue was commissioned by the brewer Carl Jacobsen, and the sculptor Edvar Eriksen completed the statue in 1913.

4. Round Tower (Rundetårn). Copenhagen’s Round Tower (Rundetårn) was built between the years 1637-42 as an observatory for The University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet). The observatory was erected by King Christian IV. The tower is 36 meters tall, and it has a 210 meters long spiral walkway to the top of the tower. The observatory has many old astronomical artefacts and tourists are welcome peer through the powerful telescope on special nights.

5. The Ny Carslberg Glyptotek (Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek). The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum with a wide variety of artefacts. The museums main focus is sculpture. There is an impressive amount of sculptures from Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman times. There is noteworthy display of French, Dutch and Danish paintings and sculptures from the 1800. There is a decent collection of paintings from the period of the Impressionism movement and the post-impressionism movement. The museum is housed in more than one building. The old museum building was erected in 1897, and it was designed by Vilhelm Dahlerup. Hack Kampmann designed the new museum building in 1906, which contains the antiquities section. Henning Larsen designed the building which holds the French paintings from Impressionists movement, the building in 1996. Ny Carlsberg Glypotek is also used for concerts, lectures, poetry readings and special exhibitions. There is free entrance to the museum on Wednesdays and Sundays.

6. Stroget (Strøget). Strøget is Europe’s oldest walking street, and it dates back to 1962. The walking street is a great place to go for a stroll in downtown Copenhagen. Strøget is a great place to take in the sights and sounds of this famous city. The street starts in the Town Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) just in front of Tivoli Gardens and it goes all the way to The Kings New Square (Kongens Nytorv). The walking street is riddled with exclusive clothing stores, department stores, specialty stores, restaurants and cafés.

7. The Marble Church (Marmorkirken). Copenhagen’s Marmorkirken is a very distinct Danish church quite close to home of the Royal family Amalienborg Castle (Amalienborg Slot). The real name of the church is Frederiks Church (Frederikskirken). The church is called ‘The Marble Church’ because of the very characteristic marble stones which were used in construction. The church was designed by the famous Danish architect Nicolai Eigved in 1740. Construction of the church started in 1749, however the church wasn’t complete until 1894 after the church was left incomplete for over 150 years. The Marble Church (Marmorkirken) is by far the most attractive church both inside and out in Copenhagen. At 31m the church’s dome is the largest in all of Scandinavia.

8. Kastellet (Kastellet). The Kastellet was built by King Christian IV in 1626 to help add further protection to Copenhagen. The Kastellet was a star fortress and today it is a peaceful public park. The main buildings were extended by King Frederik III in 1704, and a church was built on the grounds of the fortress which is still here today. In 1725 a state prison was built on the grounds. The prisoners could observe the services conducted at from their cells. The Kastellet is well worth the visit and it is one of the best preserved fortresses in Northern Europe. There is an old picturesque windmill on the grounds of Kastellet. The windmill was built in 1847 in the Dutch style.

Central Copenhagen (København) - Tourist Attractions (Part 1)
Central Copenhagen (København) - More Tourist Attractions (Part 2)
Central Copenhagen (København) - Tourist Sites (Part 3)
Central Copenhagen (København) - More Tourist Sites (Part 4)
Central Copenhagen (København) - Things to See and Do (Part 5)
Central Copenhagen (København) - Things to See and Do (Part 6)
Central Copenhagen (København) - Main Page