Copenhagen DIY (Do It Yourself) Walking Tour with a Hans Christian Andersen Theme

We came back from a Baltic Capitals itinerary. We spent some time in Copenhagen pre-cruise, and we decided to see this wondrous city on our own. I did my research and created a DIY walking tour that would bring us to most of the major attractions, but also kept to a Hans Christian Andersen theme.

My family consists of myself, my DW, and to daughters - DD12, and DD17. Everyone enjoyed the tour (although it was an all-day tour, and there was a lot of walking (note: we did take a cab from the Little Mermaid to the Rosenborg Castle).

My full review of the trip (at this time, I am still in the process of writing it) is located at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2519816.

I am going to try to logically break up the thread so that the individual posts are not too long.

I will try to come back to this thread when I can over the next few weeks, in case anyone has any questions.

Entranceto Tivoli Gardens – Starting Point (Inspired Nightingale)

Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København V,Denmark (website)

• Inspired Nightingale and other works by HCA
  
• Founded in 1843 by Magazine publisher George Carstensen
  
  • Convinced king to let him build a pleasure garden / 16 acres of land outside city
    
  • Originally known as Tivoli & Vauxhall
    
  • There are 120k lights
    

  [*]The oldest amusement park in the world is Klampenborg, which is located north of Copenhagen (1583)

  [*]We will be visiting Tivoli Gardens later

  [*]Recitation = selection from Nightingale

  [*]Pictures (From 1843, and original roller coaster)

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Plot

The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid (the only one at court who knows of its whereabouts) leads the court to a nearby forest, where the nightingale agrees to appear at court, where it remains as the Emperor's favorite. When the Emperor is given a bejeweled mechanical bird he loses interest in the real nightingale,who returns to the forest. The mechanical bird eventually breaks down; and the Emperor is taken deathly ill a few years later. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace; whereupon Death is so moved by the nightingale's song that he allows the Emperor to live.

Selection

So Death gave up each of these treasures for a song; and the nightingale continued her singing. She sung of the quiet churchyard, where the white roses grow, where the elder-tree wafts its perfume on the breeze, and the fresh, sweet grass is moistened by the mourners’ tears. Then Death longed to go and see his garden, and floated out through the window in the form of a cold,white mist.

“Thanks, thanks, you heavenly little bird. I know you well. I banished you from my kingdom once, and yet you have charmed away the evil faces from my bed, and banished Death from my heart, with your sweet song. How can I reward you?”

“You have already rewarded me,” said the nightingale. “I shall never forget that I drew tears from your eyes the first time I sang to you.These are the jewels that rejoice a singer’s heart. But now sleep, and grow strong and well again. I will sing to you again.”

And as she sung, the emperor fell into a sweet sleep; and how mild and refreshing that slumber was! When he awoke, strengthened and restored, the sun shone brightly through the window; but not one of his servants had returned—they all believed he was dead; only the nightingale still sat beside him, and sang.

“You must always remain with me,” said the emperor. “You shall sing only when it pleases you; and I will break the artificial bird into a thousand pieces.”

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Weather Girls

• To left (corner of Vesterbrogade & HCA Blvd) (website)
  
• Indicates weather (bicycle = sunny; umbrella = rainy/cold)
  
  • Made in 1936 by sculptor Einar Utzon-Frank
    

Radhuspladsen / City Hall

City Hall Square, 1599 København,Denmark (website)

• Dragon fountain across the street
  
  • Originally made as a competition for another spot by Joakim Skovgaard in collaboration with Thorvald Bindesbøll – they lost. Chosen for the expansion of Town Hall Square – inaugurated in 1904. [Note: they had to move the fountain back 25 meters (82 feet) when they expanded the boulevard in 1954] – Bull fighter in middle/3 dragons surrounding it
    

  [*]Statue of HCA (to right of City Hall)

  • The bronze statue is made by Henry Luckow-Nielsen and was erected in 1965
    
  • HCA used to sit on these stairs
    

  [*]City Hall

  • Free – Open to Public
    
  • Paid tours at 1:30 PM – 30 kr
    
  • Tower at 11 AM and 2 PM - 20 kr
    
  • 8:30 AM to 4 PM
    
  • Info on City Hall
    
  • Architecture inspired by the Touwn Hall in Siena, Italy
    
  • Statue over front door – city’s founder Bishop Abolson
    
    • Abolson was a soldier and bishop – turned fishing village into trading seaport
      

    [*]Inside – city maps and brochures

    [*]Inside statues – Danish born –

    • HCA,
      
    • Bertel Thorvalsden (sculptor)
      
      • Famed throughout Europe; museum in CPH (buried in museum)
        

      [*]Niels Bohr (physicist)

      • Founder of atomic theory and atomic structure/model of the atom (Nobel prize - 1922); Jewish; Helped Jews leave Germany before he had to leave himself in 1943; became part of British envoy to Manhattan Project
        

      [*]Martin Nyrop (architect – and of this City Hall; Elija Church)

    [*]In basement – national archives dating back to 1275

    [*]Clock (when you exit) – Jens Olsen’s World Clock - He died 10 yrs before completion, in 1855 – a complete rotation takes 25,753 years

  [*]History – Founding of Copenhagen

  • People first settled area in 11th century – good fishing
    
  • First fortified in 13th century (stone wall) – protect from Hanseatic League
    
  • Chartered as city in 1254 (under Bishop Jakob Erlandsen)
    
  • Christian IV coronated 1596 – built up the city (German & Dutch arthitects) – architecture, wall, naval base
    

  [*]Picture – What city looked like 1618

  [*]Public WC

Vester Voldgade (street)

• One block up (behind city hall)
  
• Western Way – led to the Western Gate of city – to right
  
• Also see Lur Blowers sculpture
  
  • Honors early Dane warriors
    
  • Lur is a trombone sounding horn (used 3500 years ago) – made of bronze – call to soldiers
    

  [*]History –

  • Attached by Sweden 1600s & 1700 (destroyed most of town in 1795) & British in 1807. They rebuilt city.
    
  • 1850 – people moved outside walls (which were destroyed)
    

Stroget (walk down street)

• Pedestrian boulevard (finished in 1962)
  
• This end cheap stores – more expensive as move closer to Nyhavn
  
• If see big mansions – at one time they were surrounded by courtyards – but as population grew, they started building upon the courtyards
  
• Notice some facades – brick (covering wood)
  
• History – of street
  
  • One of longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe (1.1 km)
    
  • Known as Ruten until 19th century – street first laid out in 1828 after fire
    
  • Stated making it into a pedestrian street in 1962 (temporary) – permanent in 1964
    
  • The idea was controversial at the time. Death threats against mayor at time (Alfred Wassard) – and large police present at opening to guard against assassination.
    

  [*]Picture – Pictures of Stroget 1950 (before pedestrianization) and in 1962

Gameltorv and Nytorv

1450 København K, Denmark

• Gameltorv = Old Market / Old Square
  
  • Original town center
    
  • Dates back to 12th century – but destroyed and rebuilt after Great fire in 1795 (in Neoclassical style)
    
  • Caritas Well – 1610 (by King Christian IV)
    
    • Used to supplied water – it was covered and raised (breast & peeing) during Victorian era (also known as Fountain of Chairty)
      

    [*]Many town halls were built here over the years

    [*]Became the “old” market place after king made decree that sale of fruit & vegetables was to take place at Amagertov market (1684) – so this became the meat market

    [*]Original square is outlined in a paler stone

  [*]Nytorv (new square / new market) – in front of the former city hall 1815-1905 (now court house)

  • Created in 1610 – by King Christian IV (Renaissance style)
    
  • This is where punishments were given (scaffolds & pillories were here)
    
  • Plaque reads – ‘With Law Man Shall Build the Land”
    
  • Plaque on pavement – “Here stood the town’s Kag (whipping post) until 1780)
    
  • Note that the early 1600s Exotic looking kiosk – city’s first public telephone
    

  [*]Picture of merged squares in 1805

  [*]History – plaques in Nytorv (see above)

Christiansborg Palace (only pass by outside) [optional]

1218 København K, Denmark

• Cost of entry:
  
  • Reception Area: Adult 90 DK/0-17 free
    
  • Stables: Adult 50 DK/0-17 free
    
  • Party Kitchen: Adult 50 DK/0-17 free
    
  • Ruins: Adult 50 DK/0-17 free
    

  [*]History

  • Current palace and seat of the Danish Parliament, Prime Minister’s Office and Supreme Court of Denmark
    
  • The only building in the world that has all three branches of government – Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
    
  • Located on its own islet (Slotsholmen)
    
  • There were a number of castes/palaces built here – first one, Absalon’s Castle was built in 1167. The second was Copenhagen Castle in 14th century. There were three Christiansborg castles. The first built by King Christian IV in 1738. This was built/completed in 1928
    

  [*]Pictures – Albsalon’s Castle and 1698 Christiansborg Castle

Danish Jewish Museum [optional]

Proviantpassagen 6, 1218 KøbenhavnK, Denmark

• Adults 50 KR/0-17 free
  
• Note: Very small
  
• Open 10 to 5
  

http://jewmus.dk/dansk-joedisk-museum/

-Note: History of Jews in Denmark when reach Copenhagen Synagogue

Vingårdstræde 6

-Where HCA lived as a student – in attic – owned by Magasin du Nord dep’t store –became a hotel – this building is as it was when he lived there

Royal Danish Theatre (Where HCA worked – they sponsored his education – wrote Youthful Attempts)

-Only visitoutside (need 30 ppl to set up guided tour & not always available)

Kongens Nytorv 9, 1017 København,Denmark

• History –
  
  • Theater was founded 1748
    
  • Current building was built in 1874
    
  • HCA came to Copenhagen at 14 – he was in a Boy;s Choir until his voice changed, tried ballet, but he was tall and gangly, but the director of the RDA (Jonas Collin) read his writings, and got to the King to sponsor part of his education
    
  • HCA wrote and published his first book in 1822 – Youthful Attempts – but it did not sell very well – written under pseudonym William Christian Walter
    
  • Note: No English translations
    

1050 København K (HCA Statue)

-Kodak moment

-Memorial f. HCA (1805-1875), seated with a book. At the base is brass reliefs illustrating the poet's fairy tale 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'Storks'.

Nyhavn (Three houses where he had lived)

-The famous Danish fairy tale writer, Hans Christian Andersen, used to live in no. 20.This is where he wrote the fairy-tales 'The Tinderbox', 'Little Claus and Big Claus', and 'The Princess and the Pea'. He also lived twenty years in no.67 and two years in no. 18.

-Note: No.9, Nyhavn, is the oldest house in the area dating back to 1681.

-http://www.copenhagenet.dk/CPH-Nyhavn.htm

-Reading – Princess and the Pea

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ONCE upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess. He traveled all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. There were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. There was always something about them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.

One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.

It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down from her hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels.And yet she said that she was a real princess.

“Well, we’ll soon find that out,” thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea on the bottom;then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.

On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how she had slept.

“Oh, very badly!” said she. “I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It’s horrible!”

Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down beds.

Nobody but areal princess could be as sensitive as that.

So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.

There, that is a true story.

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NyHaven Pizza

Lille Strandstræde 6, 1254

http://nyhavnpizza-1452.dk/?utm_source=googlepins&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=googlepins

Amelienborg Palace

-95 kr adults (0-17 free) [145 joint cost with Rosenborg]

-Open 10 to 5

-Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K, Denmark

-Try to time it with the changing of the guards at noon

-There is a museum there (play it by ear)

-http://www.kongernessamling.dk/amalienborg/

-History

o Home of Danish Royal Family – they still livethere

o Four main buildings; statue in middle of Amenienborg’s founder, King Frederick V

o Originally built for noble families. After it was burnt down in 1794, royal family bought the area and built the current structure

Gefion Fountain

-Kodak moment

-Largest fountain in Copenhagen and a wishing well

-Designed by Anders Bundgaard, completed in 1908

-Shows the Norse goddess Gefjon

-Churchillparken, 1263 København K, Denmark

-History – Norse mythology

o Fountain depicts story of the creation of the island of Zealand, which is the island Copenhagen is on

o Story: According to Ynglinga saga, the Swedishking Gylfi promised Gefjun the territory she could plow in a night. She turned her four sons into oxen, and the territory they plowed out of the earth was then thrown into the Danish sea between Scania and the island of Fyn. The hole became a lake called Lögrinn and Leginum.

The Little Mermaid (Statue)

Langelinie, 2100 København Ø, Denmark

-Kodak moment

-History

o Bronze statue of Edvard Eriksen based on story by HCA – placed in 1913

o Commissioned by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg (beer)

o The statue has been defaced and mended many times over the years (including a decapitation)

o According to legend, this is actually a replica of the original (the original is kept in secret by the Ericksen heirs)

-Story – selection from Little mermaid

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Each of the young princesses had a little plot of ground in the garden, where she might dig and plant as she pleased. One arranged her flower-bed into the form of a whale;another thought it better to make hers like the figure of a little mermaid; but that of the youngest was round like the sun, and contained flowers as red as his rays at sunset. She was a strange child, quiet and thoughtful; and while her sisters would be delighted with the wonderful things which they obtained from the wrecks of vessels, she cared for nothing but her pretty red flowers, like the sun, excepting a beautiful marble statue. It was the representation of a handsome boy, carved out of pure white stone, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck.

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Rosenborg Castle/ The King's Garden (HCA Statue)

Øster Voldgade 4A, 1350 København, Denmark

-Suggestion – Take cab from Little Mermaid to Castle

-110 kr adults (0-17 free) [145 joint with Amalienborg]

-9 to 5

-History –

o Built in 1606 by Christian IV (Dutch Renaissance style)

o Royal residence until 1710 (with two exceptions)

o Crown Jewels are stored here and the throne chair

o Garden outside is the Kongens Have (The King's Garden) also called the Castle Garden – Denmark’s oldest royal garden

o The Royal Life Guard;s barracks are next door(they guard the castle)

Torvehallerne (Open Market)

-Stop for late Lunch???

Frederiksborggade21, 1360 København K, Denmark

-60 different stands selling a little of everything

Trinitatis Church

Købmagergade52A, 1150 København K, Denmark

-History

o Part of the Trinitatis Complex (w/ Rutenadarn observatory and library)

o Consencrated 1656

o Was not badly damaged in fire of 1728, but damaged by 1807 bombardment

o Held torahs for synagogue during German WWII invasion

The Round Tower / Rundetaarn (Library HCA used)

Købmagergade 52A, 1150 København, Denmark

http://www.rundetaarn.dk/

-16 & Over 25 kr/5-15 5 kr

-Open 10 to 8

-Read selection of fairy tale - The Elder-Tree Mother

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This is a story about an old married couple that used to go up the round tower and looked down on Copenhagen.

And they passed by everything the little girl, who was sitting behind on the stick, described,and the boy saw it, and yet they only went round the lawn. Then they played in a side-walk, and marked out a little garden on the ground; she took elder-blossoms out of her hair and planted them, and they grew exactly like those the old people planted when they were children, as we have heard before.They walked about hand in hand, just as the old couple had done when they were little, but they did not go to the round tower nor to the Fredericksburg garden. No; the little girl seized the boy round the waist, and then they flew far into the country. It was spring and it became summer, it was autumn and it became winter, and thousands of pictures reflected themselves in the boy’s eyes and heart, and the little girl always sang again, “You will never forget that!”And during their whole flight the elder-tree smelt so sweetly; he noticed the roses and the fresh beeches, but the elder-tree smelt much stronger, for the flowers were fixed on the little girl’s bosom, against which the boy often rested his head during the flight.

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Copenhagen Synagogue

Krystalgade 12, 1172 København K, Denmark

History

• Known as the Great Synagogue of Copenhagen (there are three active synagogues in Denmarak)
  
• Completed in 1833 (Greek and Roman revival architecture as well as Egyptian elements)
  
• Current Jewish population in Denmark about 7000 to 9000 that consider themselves Jewish
  

History of Jews in Denmark

• There are medieval paintings from Denmark depicting Jews (people wearing pointed hats) – but there is little evidence of them living there
  
• Danish Reformation of 1536 (change to Lutheranism) – banished Jews and Catholics from living there
  
• Christian IV – allowed one Jewish merchant to settle in the city (Albert Dionis) to live in Gluckstadt in 1619 – eventually became part of the Danish Royal Court. He then gave other Jews permission with promised protection in 1628 to settle in Denmark. Soon afterwards, Gabriel Gomez got permission for Sephardic Jews to reside in Denmark (although some Ashkenassi were also given safe passage). – Permission was based on personal wealth.
  
• After Thirty Year’s War, in need of money Frederick III became monarch of Denmark, and encouraged Jewish immigration – first Jewish settlement was founded in Fredericia in 1682, and in 1684 an Ashkenassi community was founded in Copenhagen.
  
• However, not always treated the best, and they dealt with discrimination (in 1782 they had to attend Lutheran services). By 1780, 1600 Jews lived there
  
• In late 18th century, reforms were made to further allow Jews to be integrated into Denmark society - allowed to join guilds, enroll in the university, buy real estate, and establish schools.
  
• After Napoleonic War (1815), Jews retained more liberties (in contrast to Norway) – but there were large antisemetic riots in 1819 – but the 1800s saw a flourishing of Jewish life, including the building of the Great Synagogue
  
• Large influx of Jews due to the Russian Revolutions in early 1900s – a Yiddish theater and several Yiddish newspapers were created. However, Denmark closed its immigration doors in 1920.
  
• In 1933, to celebrate the centennial of the Great Synagogue, King Christian X became first Nordic monarch to visit a synagogue – although he was advised not to go due to the growing influence of Hitler.
  
• There is an urban legend that when the German's took over Denmark in 1940, they made all of the Jews wear Jewish Stars. So, in unity, Christian X rode out of his castle wearing a Jewish Star as well. Good story, but not true – the Danish Jews were not forced to wear the stars.
  
  • However, He did finance the transportation of of 7550 Jews to Sweden where they would be safe. All Jews were to be arrested on October 1st of 1943 (Rosh Hashanah) – but due to him and the Danish resistance, only 202 Jews were arrested in Copenhagen, and 500 total in Denmark. Although 50 died during deportation, Danish resistance rescued the rest and brought them to safety in Denmark – and non-Jews protected their Jewish neighbor’s property and homes while they were gone.
    

Copenhagen University

Nørregade 10, 1165 København, Denmark

• History
  
  • Oldest university in Denmark (1497)
    
  • Famous alumni – Neils Bohr, Tycho Brahe (super novas); Soren Kierkegaard (philosopher); Hans Christian Orsted (discovered magnetic fields – Orsted’s Law); Ole Romer (speed of light)
    

  [*]Picture - 1860

Hans Christian Andersen Fairy-Tale House (HCA museum) [Optional]

Rådhuspladsen 57, 1550 København V,Denmark

-54 KR/pp [$67 w/ Ripleys]

-10 to 10

-History of HCA

http://www.ripleys.com/copenhagen/

Note: We did not think that this place was worth the fee (just our opinion)

-Story – the Ugly Duckling

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Then he feltquite ashamed, and hid his head under his wing; for he did not know what to do,he was so happy, and yet not at all proud. He had been persecuted and despisedfor his ugliness, and now he heard them say he was the most beautiful of allthe birds. Even the elder-tree bent down its bows into the water before him,and the sun shone warm and bright. Then he rustled his feathers, curved hisslender neck, and cried joyfully, from the depths of his heart, “I neverdreamed of such happiness as this, while I was an ugly duckling.”

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Tivoli Gardens

Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København V, Denmark

-120 dk /pp

-Open 11 to 11

-Rides (3rd oldest roller coaster)

-Dinner in Park

That's that.

My tour does not include ALL of the attractions to visit in Copenhagen. I have selected them for this tour to meet the likes and interests of my family.

The only HCA place of interest not included is the cemetery where he is buried (Assistens Cemetery - Kapelvej 4, 2200 København N, Denmark), which is north of the city. It is walkable, but it would just make too long of a day.

Some places not on my tour that may be of interest (especially if not with kids) include: National Danish Museum, National Gallery, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Museum of Art and Design, and the area of Christiania - to name a few.

But other kid-friendly locations include the Zoo, Aquarium, and Planetarium. Note, although not specifically listed on my tour, there is a large Lego store on Stroget.

The entire tour is 8.11 miles in length (according to Google Maps) - but mostly flat surfaces, with light stairs.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know and I'll try to answer them.

Great review and very nice photos! Professionally done.

Thanks for taking the time to post - very interesting and informative. Did you have lunch at Torvehallerne? If so, is there any particular booth you would recommend?

Thanks for taking the time to post - very interesting and informative. Did you have lunch at Torvehallerne? If so, is there any particular booth you would recommend?

We did not eat anything there. We just looked in to say we were there, then left.

Because we left the hotel at 10 am, we had arrived at the pizza place at lunch time, which was much later than I had originally expected. We consumed a lot more at the pizza place than we had originally expected [instead of a quick snack, it was a full meal], plus due to having some other snacks (e.g., ice cream), we decided to not have anything there and save some of our appetite for dinner.

Although a lot of the booths looked did look very appetizing, at that point we were all getting a bit tired and wanted to get back to the hotel.

Sorry I could not be of more assistance.

Great review and very nice photos! Professionally done.

Thank you.

NOTE

In the above notes, there are a few times where I mention pictures usually displaying past/historical images of some of these sites (e.g., Albsalon’s Castle and 1698 Christiansborg Castle).

Although I printed them from the Internet for the use of this tour for my family, they were used for educational purposes, and many of the pictures most likely are copyrighted. For that reason I am not reproducing any of the pictures here. However, they could easily be found through a Google search.

Thanks, we are going to follow your tour when we visit prior to a cruise in September!!

Thanks, we are going to follow your tour when we visit prior to a cruise in September!!

I had included all of the addresses, so you can plug them into one of the Map applications on the web and get turn-by-turn directions to get from one point to another.

I did use Rick Steve's guide as a basis for this walk. However, I had added a few places to stop, and eliminated a few others. I also did additional research to either find additional locations, or to augment whatever information I had gathered.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you so much for sharing this! We can't wait to see it all!

Thank you so much for sharing this! We can't wait to see it all!

Before I had begun any of my research, I knew very little about the city, and did not think there was much to see or do - I was completely wrong. There is so much to see.