100 green things to see and do in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN GREEN Produced on behalf of Foreningen By&Natur Idea, concept and editing: Stine Trier Norden and Søren Rud Photo editors: Stine Trier Norden and Søren Rud Authors: Susanne Sayers and Poul Arnedal English translation by: Tam McTurk, Grace Fairley and Matt Evans Art Direction and DTP: Rikke Dam Wooller Design: Hello Group Illustrations: Kristian Minthe Norden Special thanks to: Jes Aagaard, Charlotte Nielsen, the Danish Nature Agency, Scanpix and Sharing Copenhagen Front-cover photo: Kontraframe Back-cover photo: Søren Rud Copenhagen Green has been made possible by a generous donation from the Nordea Foundation. PFA and the City of Copenhagen have also supported the project Printed by: Tryk Team, Svendborg, Denmark This book is produced in accordance with the Nordic Eco-label (“The Swan”). This ensures that strict environmental criteria are met, with restricted CO2 emissions in the production of paper and with only vegetable- and water-based colour prints used in the printing process. The paper has PEFC forest certification supporting sustainable forestry ISBN 978-87-993863-7-6 © Copyright text and photos: Life Publishing ApS Copenhagen, June 2014 First edition
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher
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THE COPENHAGEN GREEN CITY In few places in the world can you go from a bustling city centre to a veritable wilderness in under 15 minutes. Diving headfirst into blue waves right in the middle of the city centre is pretty unusual, too. Not a problem in Copenhagen. In a way, this makes it a privilege to live in the city – or to visit and explore it. It is full of blue and green oases of all shapes and sizes. This book is about the well-known, lesser-known and almost secret places where nature and the city interact, and about the activities they offer. We have selected 100 places that we think are among the most exciting and offer the widest possible range of different things to see and do, from a secret square in the Inner City to magnificent natural spectacles on the outskirts. They represent the diversity of green life in and around Copenhagen, but selections like this are always objective, so no doubt we have left out places that other people feel should have been included. We hope that the 100 photographs and descriptions will serve as an inspiration and eye-opener both for the
hardcore downtown Copenhagener and for the many visitors from both Denmark and abroad who come to the city every year. We want this book to strike a blow for ‘the good city life’ and for the city’s green and sustainable places, which aren’t just there for decoration, but to be used. Hopefully, the book will contain something for those interested in history, nature, the environment, sustainability and city life, and for all those who want to throw themselves into the many activities that the green city has to offer. We would encourage people to explore for themselves and find their own favourites among the many green and blue oases. Copenhagen Green has been made possible by a generous donation from the Nordea Foundation to Foreningen By&Natur. We would also encourage readers to visit our online guide at www.københavnergrøn.dk, which has more detailed information on the places, how to find them and what they have to offer. COPENHAGEN GREEN 3
Tårnby
THE AMAGER NATURE CENTRE NATURCENTER AMAGER
Gateway to a wilderness Activities
Bonfire sites, wild camping, bike rides, horse and carriage rides, horse riding, hiking, insect safaris, bird watching, fishing, nature instruction, nature playground, picnicking. Equipment is available for hire in the Nature Centre.
Nature
A large number of bird species, many of them rare, including the white-tailed eagle, the beautiful blue hawk and the world’s fastest animal, the peregrine falcon, are to be found here. This bird of prey has developed a special hunting technique that allows it to plummet from the sky towards its quarry at over 300 kilometres per hour. There are also about 400 fallow deer. The canals and dykes are home to fish, frogs and the largest snake found in Denmark, the peaceful and (for humans) harmless grass snake. A large number of insect species also flourish here.
Nearby
The Pinseskoven Forest, The Amager Coastal Path, South Harbour Tip (Sydhavnstippen). Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Just five minutes’ walk from Vestamager Metro, a wilderness awaits – or at least the next best thing. West Amager, or Kalvebod Common, is the sort of natural area rarely found so close to the heart of a metropolis like Copenhagen. In less than 15 minutes, you journey from the downtown urban jungle of the city centre to a real savannah.
You might find that useful. The big skies and panoramic vistas stretch as far as the eye can see, and the roads are as straight as arrows – evidence of the fact that this area was once used as a military training facility. The flat landscape is interrupted only by a few areas of high ground, which also date from the military era.
Twice the size of the more famous Deer Park, Kalvebod Common offers endless skies and wide vistas, rare birds, a host of insects and protected amphibians, droves of deer and grazing cattle and sheep.
Close to the Nature Centre is a large adventure playground, Himmelhøj, which offers a variety of games and activities in four distinct areas created by the Italian landscape artist Alfio Bonanno. More sculptures are dotted around the verge of the modern Ørestad district and in the wilds of the common.
The gateway to these wonders is Amager Nature Centre, where children and adults are able to derive inspiration and learn about nature all year round. Equipment is available to hire or borrow for a range of activities, be it studying nature, lighting a fire, baking bread, making popcorn, bird watching or exploring by bike, scooter or even roller-skates if you fancy getting around a bit more quickly.
Did you know? More than a ton of old shells and ammunition were removed from Kalvebod Common before it was opened to the public. Some of the recovered munitions are on display in the Nature Centre.
Photo: Scanpix / Kontraframe
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Vesterbro
KALVEBOD WAVE KALVEBOD BØLGE
The new downtown hotspot Activities
Sunbathing, picnics, relaxation, waterfront promenades, running, weight training, play, kayaking, kayak hotel, dinghies, parkour, mussel farming.
Nature
The port has been declared clean enough to swim in since 2001, and many animals are found in the water. From the edge of the promenade, you may be lucky enough to spot some of the many fish that live in the harbour. Even a seal has been spotted – in fact, seals have become more common in Denmark in recent years. There are also many birds, primarily different species of seagulls and ducks.
Nearby
The Green Walkway, the Royal Library Garden, Islands Brygge Harbour Bath. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Modern Copenhagen’s much-maligned stretch of waterfront, Kalvebod Brygge, has now been transformed into Kalvebod Wave, and it’s the place to be in the summer. Just like the packed Islands Brygge on the other side of the harbour, Kalvebod Wave is now a popular waterfront promenade for sunbathers, joggers and kayakers. It stretches so far out into the harbour that its wooden structures even escape from the shadows of the massive quayside buildings. Kalvebod Wave is not officially a harbour bath, because its pools can’t be locked and closed when the sewers flood after a rainstorm, causing poor water quality, and as protection against other port traffic. But as soon as it opened, the Wave quickly attracted plenty of people to the waterfront. You just have to be aware that it can be highly dangerous to swim out into the open docks, where traffic is busy – and you are likely to be fined for it.
The Wave is perfect for the harbour’s many kayakers, who now have somewhere to play water polo, in addition to a kayak slide and a ‘kayak hotel’ storage facility. The promenade provides a new route for runners, as well as exercise equipment. The many curved shapes, slopes and slides are inviting too, and particularly well liked by skaters. Sometimes their forays end well; sometimes they end up getting wet. Under the Wave, Maritime Allotments has a ‘mussel line’ where edible mussels are farmed. The mussels also help keep the water clean. Did you know? Maritime Allotments cultivates oysters, seaweed, mussels and other delicacies in small farms under the water, just like allotment gardens on land.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Frederiksberg
FREDERIKSBERG GARDENS FREDERIKSBERG HAVE
Royal retreat with elephants for neighbours
Activities
Sailing, running, relaxation, peace and quiet, walks, playground, picnics, sledging, pétanque. Regular venue for cultural events. In late summer, a rope ferry, restored from old drawings, is in use.
Nature
Many trees, including several uncommon species. Rich bird and insect life, attracted by the canals and small islands. The herons here are almost tame. Greylag geese are also a frequent sight, and there are large numbers of bats in summer.
Nearby
The Southern Field (Søndermarken), the Royal Horticultural Society Garden, the University Gardens. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
‘Romantic’ is the word visitors most frequently use to describe Frederiksberg Gardens, with its many paths, trees, bridges and streams. And it is romantic – it’s supposed to be! The gardens are from the 18th century, and were designed for the royal summer residence, Frederiksberg Palace. At the time, landscape fashions were changing. Previously, parks and gardens had been in the French baroque style, with symmetrical paths and strictly ordered beds, a style still visible in some parts of the park, but these baroque features were to be replaced by the romantic English style. The gardens strove to imitate nature, and were replete with inspiration from distant lands – Chinese-style teahouses, ancient temples, waterfalls and mysterious grottos. Frederiksberg Gardens still offers all of this. Many of the romantic elements have been preserved, helping to create the impression of being far from the city. The exotic air is intensified by the fact that the elephants in the nearby zoo are visible from the gardens.
(Søndermarken), which was originally part of the park but is now Frederiksberg Gardens’ wilder twin. Activities abound. During the summer, one of the most popular ways to enjoy the park is by water. For a small fee, a rowing boat can be yours from which to enjoy the big trees and abundance of flowers as you glide around the gardens at a leisurely pace. This was how King Frederik VI, who loved the place, liked to travel and greet the people. Perched on top of the hill, Frederiksberg Palace has been an officer training school for the army since 1867. Regular public tours provide an opportunity to visit the palace and get a sense of how a royal home looked in the 18th century. Did you know? At the top of the Smallebakken hill in the gardens is one of Copenhagen’s historical lookout points. This was also once a popular spot for watching the Whitsun sun dance across the capital. A few years ago, the area was recreated and a bench installed under the 300-year-old lime trees.
The gardens were created for the royal family, but have been public since 1749. Next door is the Southern Field 8 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Søren Rud
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Inner City
TREKRONER SEA FORTRESS TREKRONER FORTET
Exploring naval history Activities
History, picnics, walks. The fortress is open from May to September.
Nature
In spring, many birds nest at the fortress and must not be disturbed.
History
The fortress played an important role in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, preventing Admiral Nelson’s fleet from sailing all the way into the city. Nevertheless, the Danes lost the battle in the end. During the Second World War, the Germans used the fortress as accommodation, and remnants of a mural depicting the Third Reich are still visible. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Trekroner Sea Fortress is a small, artificial island with two distinctive red barracks, situated at the entrance to Copenhagen Harbour. It was originally part of the Copenhagen Fortifications. Today, visitors have access during summer, allowing them to explore the old gun casements and gloomy, historic cellars, and to enjoy the view of the Copenhagen skyline.
exhibitions about the history of the fortress and the Copenhagen Fortifications. One room shows a film recounting the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen, in which the fortress played an important role. Visitors are able to wander the dark basement corridors, explore the bastions, relax on the grass slopes or at the café, and enjoy the sun, the view and the fresh sea breeze.
The oldest part of the fortress dates back to the late 18th century. Only after the defeat by the Germans in 1864 was it reinforced with the solid casements, ammunition storage and gun batteries. It was decommissioned as a naval fortress in 1932. In the years leading up to the Second World War, it was a favourite summer attraction, with a restaurant, cabaret, theatre and other attractions. The buildings remained more or less unchanged, however, and after the war it was left to its own devices. Following extensive renovations, it once more became a popular destination during the summer months.
Today, Trekroner is one of the Copenhagen Fortifications’ outreach centres. It has a schools service that organises special teaching activities, and also offers a downloadable smartphone app and game. Canal Tours sail out to Trekroner. The boat ride through the harbour and across the harbour entrance is a worthwhile experience in itself.
Today, a café and restaurant are again open on the fortress during summer. The casements now house 10 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Did you know? The fortress appears under ‘A’ in Halfdan Rasmussen’s famous ABC for kids: ’Ane lagde anemoner/I kanonen på Trekroner/Ved det allerførste skud/Sprang Anes anemoner ud’ (‘Ane put anemones / In the cannon on Trekroner /At the very first shot/Ane’s anemones popped out’).
Photo: Scanpix / Arne Magnussen
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Inner City
URBAN BEES, COPENHAGEN CITY HALL BYBIER, KØBENHAVNS RÅDHUS
Buzzing bee life in the city Activities
Bee keeping, harvesting honey, learning about bees and their life cycles.
Nature
Bees and flowers.
History
Like humans, honey bees have their origins in Africa. Today, bees pollinate 70% of all flowers and crops. If they didn’t exist, we’d lose 30% of all our food products. The world’s oldest bee fossil is 100 million years old.
Nearby
City Hall Garden. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Green Copenhagen is a paradise for the honey bee, which has become an endangered species due to the widespread use of pesticides. Thanks to the City Bee Association, there are now lots of bees in Copenhagen, with more emerging all the time. This is not only good for flowers and plants in urban gardens, parks and green spaces. It also offers fascinating things to see and do, such as harvesting honey. More bees mean more juicy apples harvested in allotments, and more strawberries and squash in urban gardens. They support a natural environment that is healthier and more versatile. A honey bee flies a radius of two kilometres from its hive, and there is nowhere in Copenhagen that bees cannot be kept. They can always find an area with flowers to fertilise. In several places, you can follow the buzzing sound of the bees as they fly in and out of their hives. The City Bee Association organises events for children and adults to learn more about bee life and help to harvest their honey.
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Anyone – both individuals and companies – can adopt a bee colony and place a hive on their roof, or in the garden or backyard. Bees also help to provide work for formerly homeless, unemployed, mentally vulnerable and other socially disadvantaged people, who look after the bees, and extract and sell the honey. These urban bees are found on many of the city’s rooftops – including on top of the City Hall – and you can get quite close to them by the Observatory in the Botanical Gardens at Carlsberg and at the City Bee Association’s HQ in Sundholm. Did you know? No pesticides are used in the city. This is one of the reasons why urban bees fare better than those in the country. Bees are extremely sensitive to smell, and each hive has guard bees with superb noses. These repel any of the foraging bees that return to the hive after having been in contact with things like pesticides. The heavy metals found in the city air are absorbed by the bee’s bodies, so they don’t contaminate the honey. As a result, urban honey is a 100% pure natural product.
Photo: Søren Rud
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A LOVE AFFAIR by Susanne Sayers, journalist
There were good reasons to move from my beloved Ebeltoft to Copenhagen. The lure of nature wasn’t one of them. I thought I knew Copenhagen quite well, so I cried inside at the thought of missing my hills and bays, the big skies and full moons over Ebeltoft Vig. I knew, of course, that green places did exist in Copenhagen. I was even aware of some of the more mysterious ones, like the courtyard at the Royal Library, the City Hall Garden and the garden at Carlsberg’s honorary residence. The Palm House in the Botanical Garden would more than once provide a lifeline on a cold winter’s day, when my longing for warmth and colours and scents and life became overwhelming. But in many ways Copenhagen was a marriage of convenience, a choice that came from the head rather than the heart. I felt as if my roots were fluttering in the breeze sometimes, confused, after being ripped from the sandy soil and hills of Mols. I ended up in the middle of what people once called
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the hard streets, sandwiched between Istedgade and Halmtorvet – one of Denmark’s most densely populated areas. When I looked through my living room window, I saw other windows. People. Cars. But gradually it dawned on me that Vesterbro wasn’t a concrete desert. My own backyard, for example, was filled with large fruit trees, lots of birds, and a group of neighbours had generously made a raised bed with herbs, which everybody was welcome to help with and harvest. The lovage here grew to over two metres tall. One day, I ventured forth, beyond the big wall, out to Istedgade, which resembled a fortification or a prison, and suddenly found myself in a green fairy tale, with playing children, chattering parents and older people relaxing on benches. It was amazing! I was excited, and started reading about the Shooting Range Garden. That made it no less fantastic. I learned about the other green spots in Vesterbro, too. I knew that my late father frequented these places as a child, almost a century ago. Suddenly, many of his
stories assumed new meaning. I could see him in the Southern Field when it was time to deal with the crew from the next backyard – life in Vesterbro in the ’30s wasn’t for the soft. And I swam in the harbour bath at Islands Brygge and remembered that Dad and his mates had done the same, shouting ‘Apples bobbing!’ when they spotted a floater on its way from the sewers. I didn’t have to worry about that. For the first time in half a century, the harbour is clean enough to swim in. I looked out from Christianshavns Ramparts and the Citadel, at scenes from my grandmother’s drawings. Several of them could have been drawn today. My roots stopped fluttering in the wind – I belonged here. But it wasn’t real nature. Not how I knew it in Jutland. I understood how my Jutland great-grandmother felt, as she sat under a tree in Enghave Park, back in its infancy, and wept with longing for her meadows and forests. But my longing was under control, the homesickness less all-consuming.
My restlessness and curiosity forced me to find out what other natural areas were within cycling distance. That’s when I heard about Kalvebod Common. I had to try it. One morning in May, I found myself standing in a bright green birch forest, listening to the cuckoo and the nightingale. I had startled a bunch of deer on my way – they galloped across the Amager savannah like gazelles on the Serengeti. My heart was pounding, because I hadn’t spotted them before they jumped out in front of my bike. Soon, I reached the dyke that keeps Amager above the water line. The sea lay before me, big lakes and wetlands behind me. The sky was high, the sounds of thousands of birds filled the air. That morning, my marriage of convenience with Copenhagen blossomed into true love. Ever since, I have been conquering Copenhagen’s green spots, one at a time, with great passion and joy. South Harbour Tip is one of my particular favourites, partly because it’s a great story of local commitment and perseverance.
On the whole, Copenhagen is willing to do something to preserve and enhance its green spaces, and it’s impossible for me not to be deeply grateful for and thrilled by this commitment. Who on earth embarks on removing invasive species such as giant hogweed and goldenrod from an old rubbish tip that the vagaries of nature has turned into a wilderness? The people of Copenhagen, of course. And they adopt street beds, and they set up nature workshops for urban children in former public toilets, they keep bees on their roofs, grow tomatoes on windowsills, and write angry letters of protest to the council if ever anything green is in any danger. They help to create new blue and green routes, look after allotments, greet guests for a beer on a bench and talk about this, that and whatever. They also make sure that less privileged kids are allowed to keep horses and rabbits and get their hands dirty too. They do this without any expectation of financial recompense. Honestly – it IS amazing! There are days when I still miss my Mols. The stars aren’t so clearly visible in a big city. Valby isn’t the Mols Hills. But time has taught me that you can’t compare
nature in Copenhagen with anything else. It’s unique and rich and diverse, with everything from seals in the harbour, squirrels in the trees and foxes on the railway lines to rare plants and insects. Ask people who know about this kind of thing, and they’ll tell you that there are actually more animal and plant species in and around Copenhagen than in many rural areas. The people of the city’s love for nature causes them – or perhaps should I say ‘us’ – to create landscapes and habitats where it might seem unnatural. And contrary to expectations, many children in Copenhagen know much more about nature than their peers in the provinces. Because city dwellers know the value of nature, that it makes you happier, so they make sure that their children know it too, and don’t take it for granted. My world has become slightly larger and richer by studying the many green areas in and around Copenhagen. Hopefully, ‘Copenhagen Green’ will inspire you to explore and enjoy the many places and opportunities that the capital is blessed with thanks to volunteers, organisations, public-sector agencies, private foundations, history and nature itself.
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Nørrebro
CITY GARDEN 2200 BYHAVEN 2200
Urban garden and architectural beauty Activities
Horticulture, ball games, picnics, playground.
Nature
Almost any vegetable and herb you could possibly want.
History
In recent years, urban gardens have spread like wildfire through many of the world’s great metropolises, from major cities in Africa to New York, from Havana to Copenhagen. The gardens provide fresh air, pure raw ingredients and a direct route ‘from farm to fork’.
Nearby
Assistens Cemetery, Urban Oasis in the ‘Old People’s Town’, Jewish Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Located on the corner of Stefansgade and Hørsholmsgade in Nørrebro, City Garden 2200 is one of Copenhagen’s newest urban gardens. Part of a growing network of urban gardens, this project by local residents consists of 20 large raised beds winding with almost architectural beauty down through the garden in a peaceful corner of Hørsholm Park. The raised beds are designed to ensure that plants grow in healthy, unpolluted soil. Edged with bark-covered timber, City Garden 2200’s beautiful beds seem to merge naturally into their surroundings. They are all different shapes and sizes, and feature handwritten signs explaining what’s growing in them: wild garlic, squash, leeks, potatoes, green peas, spinach, asparagus, onions, tomatoes, beans, rocket, strawberries, rhubarb, redcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries. In other words, almost everything you would want from a fruit and vegetable garden. In the midst of it all are small, spiralling brick towers on which grow herbs of all kinds. Out towards the surrounding traffic arteries, one of which is the Nørrebro cycle
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route, the garden is bordered by low hedges, while the rest of the park is sheltered by a series of tall, newly planted pines. Anybody can sign up for the urban gardens. No pesticides or fertilisers are allowed. Wherever possible, recycled materials are used, such as the planks that line the raised beds in Hørsholm Park. Everything is grown according to organic principles – for example, different crops are grown side by side in order to enrich the soil with nutrients and prevent weeds. In the middle of City Garden 2200 is a large, communal table surrounded by benches, where residents are able to partake of seasonal produce harvested from the ground. The garden also offers plenty of opportunities for children to play ball or go wild in the playground in nearby Nørrebro Park, while the adults enjoy the sun and a picnic. Did you know? DYRK Nørrebro is another of the many urban gardens to have sprung up in Copenhagen. This large, 600-square-metre rooftop garden is on the roof of the five-storey Blågårds School in Nørrebro.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Frederiksberg
THE SOUTHERN FIELD SØNDERMARKEN
Back to romanticism Activities
Running, including the interactive ‘light hare’, hiking, peace and quiet, cultural history, nature guides, exercise courses, area where dogs are allowed off the lead, playgrounds, picnics (barbecues are prohibited), sledging. Open around the clock.
Nature
The Southern Field and Frederiksberg Gardens were originally one park, but Roskildevej separated them. Today, Søndermarken is a wild, romantic garden, while the park is more orderly. Some parts of the Southern Field consist of natural woodlands full of old trees, including beech, lime and chestnut. Squirrels are a common sight. Foxes thrive here too, but keep themselves to themselves. In the summer, bats swoop through the air, feasting on the park’s many insects.
A snowy winter’s day. The Southern Field echoes with the sounds of excited, slightly nervous youngsters hurtling down the hill on their sledges. The city doesn’t have a lot of good hills for sledging. But this is one of them and you can really pick up speed. There is plenty for the more playful adult and the serious fitness freak to see and do out here as well. Its hills and ravines make the Southern Field one of the most challenging places in Copenhagen for runners. Just choose your own pace and keep up with the signals from the ‘hares’ – lights on poles that line the route. There are plenty of other ways to test your fitness, including balancing on tree stumps and jumping on trampolines.
has also recreated some of the park’s best-loved buildings and monuments, which had been lost or neglected. The Norwegian section has been rejuvenated. This Nordic wilderness, with its little waterfall and narrow bridge over the stream, now serves as a base for Frederiksberg’s nature guides. And there are plenty of natural phenomena to look at in the Southern Field, especially insects. Small areas of wetland are being created and recreated to provide habitats for an even larger number of animal and plant species. Or you could always just lounge on a bench and enjoy all the beauty, grumbling perhaps slightly that the vision of a tunnel through Valby Hill (called Frederiksberg) has been postponed due to lack of funding.
Nearby
Frederiksberg Gardens, Enghave Park, J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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The light hare on the running route is just one way in which new life has been breathed into the once-ageing people’s park. The Life and Light project has given one of the most popular green spaces in Copenhagen a facelift – but this is more than mere modernisation. The project
Did you know? The Southern Field once played an important role in Copenhagen’s water supply. Today, its cisterns serve as atmospheric underground exhibition spaces. Denmark’s only stalactite cave is also found here.
Photo: Scanpix / Mads Nissen
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Lyngby-Taarbæk (The Deer Park )
THE PRIEST’S PLAIN PRÆSTESLETTEN
The undisturbed realm of the druids and the priests of Lyngby Activities
Meditation, nature, picnicking. The Deer Park provides plenty of opportunities for long walks, jogging and cycling. There are several riding trails. By Fortunen, in the south-west part of the Deer Park, children (accompanied by adults) can go pony trekking. Skiing, tobogganing and skating in winter. Horse-drawn carriages are available for hire at Klampenborg Station.
Nature
Rare and protected species of fungi and old freestanding oak trees. Deer Park is also well known for its many hawthorn bushes and around 2,000 red, fallow and sika deer (the latter were a gift to Christian X from the Japanese emperor in 1923).
History
In 1669, the Deer Park was set up for riding to hounds, which involves riders and dogs chasing an animal until it is exhausted. The dogs corner it until a hunter catches up and puts the beast out of its misery with a special hunting knife.
Nearby
Dousbad Swamp. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Tucked away from public roads and paths, the Priest’s Plain (Præstesletten) isn’t the sort of place people just stumble across. You can picnic here in peace, hunt for rare grassland fungi or simply enjoy the view. This large, open, high-lying plain is surrounded by centuries-old oak trees and a number of ancient burial mounds, testament to the fact that people have frequented the site for thousands of years. To the far south, the ancient, gnarled oak tree known as Vorteeg towers over the landscape like a canopy in a fairy tale. In ancient times, priests and holy men – druids – met on the plain in the middle of the Deer Park, to conduct rituals and make sacrifices to the gods. The name Priest’s Plain dates from more recent times. Priests in Lyngby had the right to graze cattle on the plain until the king made the Deer Park a royal hunting ground in 1669. A large number of deer live there to this day, and it has also become a rich habitat for many unique species of fungi.
Just north of the oak tree, embankments rise out of the terrain, the overgrown remains of a defensive stronghold that could accommodate 300 men, built in 1894. Today, the serene plain is a place of more peaceful pursuits, like midsummer meditations on the druids’ old ceremonial site. Did you know? The Deer Park – official name Jægersborg Deer Park – was adapted for riding to hounds in 1669, inspired by practices in France. It had the added benefit of supplementing the royal household, as the Court ate its way through 1,000 deer a year at the time. Approximately 1,500 metres north of the Priest’s Plain is Christian V’s oak, planted while he was crown prince. It now has a circumference of eight metres. Fate can be cruel, as we know, and in 1699 the King received a heavy blow from a deer he was about to kill near the oak – a blow that is thought to be the real reason for his death a few months later.
Photo: Scanpix / Bax Lindhardt
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Østerbro
SVANEMØLLE BEACH SVANEMØLLEN STRAND
A cold dip in Østerbro Activities
Swimming, snorkelling, relaxation, sunbathing, play, walks, cycling, running.
Nature
There are many fish and invertebrates. If you snorkel, you’ll encounter eel, plaice and gobies. In the summer, when there is an offshore wind, jellyfish are seen.
History
Outdoor baths were once very common in Copenhagen, because it was difficult for people to take baths at home – they had to fetch water in buckets, which wasn’t a great deal of fun for those who lived on the fourth floor. In 1906, less than 3% of people in Copenhagen had a bathroom in their home. Instead, they used bathhouses around the city, as well as outdoor baths in and around the harbour. In the Østerbro area, people used the harbour baths at Kalkbrænderihavnen. The floating Helgoland baths, complete with bowling alley, café and patisserie, opened in 1885.
Nearby
Copenhagen Common, Classen’s Garden, Kildevæld Park.
Some places are destined to be classics. When Svanemølle Beach opened in 2010, it was an instant success. Visitors are already clamouring for it to be expanded, because on hot summer days the beach becomes so packed that sunbathers barely have room to turn over. At 4,000 square metres, this triangle of fine, soft sand isn’t very big. But it has a 130-metre swimming jetty that stretches way out into the water, with a bench that runs its full length, affording visitors a beautiful view of the water and city, especially the impressive Svanemølle Power Station. The beach is the second most popular place to spend a summer’s day in Copenhagen, surpassed only by the established tourist magnet, Nyhavn. Not bad for a callow youth. The original boardwalk is also still in use. On warm evenings, when the coffee and ice-cream vendors arrive, and families promenade under the trees, the atmosphere is almost Mediterranean. The promenade is popular with
joggers, and at weekends it’s the kind of place parents teach their kids to ride bikes. It’s mainly locals who use the beach and promenade. Svanemølle Beach is extremely child-friendly, as the tide comes in very slowly. Lifeguards are on duty during the high season, and the soft sand is also better for making sandcastles than the coarser variety at Amager Beach. A winter bathing club is based at the marina nearby. There is a long waiting list for membership – but if you fancy a cold dip, the beach is open to everyone throughout the year. Just remember that you should never swim alone, especially in winter. Did you know? The water in Svanemølle Bay is clean enough for swimming, but to be on the safe side, an underground purification tank uses strong ultraviolet light to kill germs.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Bax Lindhardt
COPENHAGEN GREEN 23
PAINTING THE TOWN GREEN
Back in the Stone Age, people would collect natural colouring and use it for cave paintings. Often the result of mixing different types of soil, the classic earth tones still used today have been around since long before antiquity, and consist of finely ground pigments mixed with a viscous binding fluid such as linseed oil. One of the classic basic colours is ochre, an iron mineral found in different shades in several types of soil. Another classic colour, ultramarine, is extracted from a semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli, which is found in Central Asia. It’s so valuable that it was never used for ordinary painting. It was not until 1701 that a German pharmacist accidentally produced a ferrous deep blue with a slight blue-green tint, called Berlin Blue. When it came on the market in 1724 it could also be bought reasonably cheaply in France, under the name Paris Blue. However, it could not be used in its pure form, so various agents were used as mixers – gold ochre resulted in
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a deep green that became especially popular in the Netherlands, where it was a fashionable shade for doors and gates in Amsterdam. It was brought to Copenhagen by Dutch settlers on Amager and quickly became just as popular here, where it was dubbed Copenhagen Green. When the Dutch began to use the colour in Amsterdam, it was named Dutch Green. It was first used in Denmark by the Dutch in Dragør, and was called Dragør Green until the people of Copenhagen took it as their own and named it Copenhagen Green. In the 1700s it was discovered that linseed oil paint mixed with an amber-waste extract produced a shiny, polished, lacquered surface, which became fashionable first in Amsterdam and later in the Danish capital. This colour was used for fine carriages, so became known as Carriage Green. Today, it is still an integral part of the cityscape and is mainly used for gates, doors, windows and benches. In several cases, the conservation authorities have insisted that homeowners use this shade of green.
Photo: Scanpix / Anders Tvevad
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Vesterbro
J.C. JACOBSEN’S GARDEN J.C. JACOBSENS HAVE
A stroll through time Activities
Walks, picnics, sunbathing, rare trees and plants – and an ever-present sense of history. If you’re in the mood for some physical exercise, Bubble Square (Boble Plads) is right next door.
Nature
The garden contains 74 different exotic plants and trees and is laid out as a romantic landscape garden, protected by trees and hedges. Among other things, it contains the Romantic ‘Philosopher’s Way’. It is considered to be the best-kept garden of its kind in Denmark.
History
Having taken over his father’s brewery in Brolæggerstræde in the centre of Copenhagen in 1835, J.C. Jacobsen built the Carlsberg brewery – named after his son, Carl – in Valby in 1848. J.C. Jacobsen wasn’t just one of the Denmark’s richest men, he also had a tremendous impact on the nation’s culture.
Nearby
Bubble Square, the Southern Field and Western Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Although Carlsberg City District exudes life and modernity, it also holds a secret: a time warp that catapults visitors back 150 years. J.C. Jacobsen’s private garden, located in his former residence, was built in 1848, the same year that he opened his brewery at Valby Hill. The garden was private for 160 years, only opening to the public in 2008. Roughly the size of Kongens Nytorv, it was designed in the romantic style, with small hills, lakes, scrub, winding paths, hedges and an open lawn with a magnificent magnolia tree. Although it resembles a natural landscape, nothing is left to chance here. The garden offers a changing palette of colourful blooms throughout spring, summer and autumn. There are 74 different plants and trees, many of them foreign species brought to Denmark by Carl Jacobsen. The hills were fashioned out of soil from the excavations for Jacobsen’s brewery cellars. When you stroll along the Romantic Philosopher’s Way or one of the garden’s other paths, you are following in the footsteps of one of the world’s great personalities.
After the brewer died, his home was turned into an honorary residence. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr lived here until his death in 1962. During Jacobsen’s lifetime, the garden was visited by Hans Christian Andersen, the French scientist Louis Pasteur and the greatest Danish artists of the 19th century. When Niels Bohr lived there, he received visits from Albert Einstein, the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, German physicist Werner Heisenberg and Robert Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atom bomb, with whom Bohr discussed physics and world affairs as they strolled through the garden. Did you know? Hans Christian Andersen first visited J.C. Jacobsen and his garden in 1868. He took the tram from the city to Pile Allé, but had trouble finding his way to Carlsberg. After a long detour through the Southern Field (Søndermarken), he arrived tired and covered in mud and silt. Having found an easier way to get there, he subsequently made many Sunday trips to visit Carl Jacobsen and his wife.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Tårnby
THE AMAGER COASTAL PATH KYSTSTIEN OM AMAGER
All sorts of birds in great numbers Activities
Swimming, fishing, bird watching, cycling, walking, roller-skating, picnicking, wild camping nearby.
Nature
Birds are the main attraction. Large breeding populations of red-necked, crested and small grebe, bitterns, marsh harriers, penduline tits, etc. In the wetlands, the breeding species include greylag geese, mallards, coots, lapwings and large waders like oystercatchers, ringed plovers, common snipe and redshanks. During the migration period, many birds, including birds of prey, stop off and rest in the area, and Kalvebod Common is one of the best places to see roosting red-necked phalarope. The Sound has a rich variety of fish, and you might be lucky enough to see porpoises.
Nearby
Pinseskoven Forest, Amager Nature Centre, South Harbour Tip.
The coastal path around the dyke on Kalvebod Common offers a bird safari second to none. The area is one of the most important international migratory routes for many species, while the combination of wet meadows, thickets, woodland, sea and lakes creates good conditions for many breeding birds. Much of Kalvebod Common is actually below sea level. The dyke was built during the First World War, as part of a job-creation project designed to prevent unemployed Danish men being sent to do forced labour in Germany. Recently, the dyke was raised two metres to safeguard Copenhagen from the danger of flooding as a result of climate change. As an added bonus, this means it is now possible to roller-skate or cycle all the way around Kalvebod Common, from Kongelunden to Islands Brygge.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
The view from the dyke is breathtaking. On one side you have the Sound, Avedøre Power Station and the Copenhagen skyline; on the other is Klydesøen Lake, literally Avocet Lake, one of Denmark’s most important 28 COPENHAGEN GREEN
wetlands for a variety of birds. This is a closed sanctuary, but a number of bird towers on top of the dyke offer good views of the rare species. In early summer, the nightingale sings – and you’ll also hear the less idyllic cries of water rails and red-necked grebes, who sound more like pigs at a trough. Reports of white-tailed eagles in the area are becoming more frequent. They are hard to miss – watching one of these birds is like watching a door fly. More elegant is the peregrine falcon, which is seen in the winter. It has developed a special hunting technique that allows it to plummet at over 300 kilometres per hour toward its prey, making it the world’s fastest animal. During summer, the first stretch of the dyke from the (still operational) pump house is used as a small jetty, making it possible to combine bird watching with a dip in the Sound. You can also fish from the shore. Did you know? The coastal path is 14 km long, but it is also part of the E6 path, which stretches from the north of Finland to the south of Greece. Photo: Lars Bertelsen
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Inner City
HAVNEGADE HAVNEGADE
A cheerful promenade Activities
Ball games, playground, trampolines, running, relaxing, picnics, sunbathing.
History
Havnegade was built during the major expansions of Copenhagen in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 1870s, this was where the ‘emigrant boats’ took Danes to the United States in search of a better life. Throughout the 20th century, ferries from Sweden docked here. At its height, a number of shipping companies and routes were in competition with each other. The last hydrofoil sailed the route in 2002, when it could no longer compete with the new Øresund Bridge to Sweden.
Nearby
The Royal Library Garden, Holmen, the King’s Garden.
Once, Havnegade was crowded with ferry passengers. Boats would call here en route to Sweden – small ferries at first, then bigger car ferries, and eventually hydrofoils with enough space for a bar and duty-free shops. In the end, only the hydrofoils remained, but they too vanished when the bridge to Sweden opened. Now, Havnegade has been given a new lease of life and the opportunity to make its mark once more. Along the promenade are cages for ball games, multicourts for basketball and football, trampolines, and a playground for children of all ages. There is more space for cyclists and pedestrians, and plenty of runners make use of the area, especially in the mornings and evenings. Of all of Copenhagen’s waterfront stretches, Havnegade offers one of the best views. Once a dead no-man’s land, it has been transformed into an attractive promenade.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
For those uninterested in exercise, there is plenty of space to sit and enjoy the view or sunbathe, while the sweet scent of the newly nurtured lavender beds fills the air. There is, as yet, little in the way of shade. That will come
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though, when the young oak trees begin to grow and spread their foliage. A large, open-air arena, ‘Bornholmerknasten’, is used for a variety of events, especially concerts, and it has a cover for inclement weather. There are plans to build a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians that will link the city centre with Christianshavn, although a date for this has not yet been decided. The City of Copenhagen also has plans to allow a floating fish market to dock here, and to make space for houseboats. On a warm summer’s day, it is difficult to imagine how deserted and windswept Havnegade was just a few short years ago. Did you know? Sweden was a veritable wonderland for the Danes after the Second World War. The occupation had led to shortages, and the Swedes had all sorts of goods that were not available in Denmark. This made boat trips to Sweden popular. Duty was paid on imported goods in the customs house building, which now houses restaurants.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Brønshøj-Husum, Rødovre, Brøndby and Hvidovre
THE WESTERN RAMPARTS VESTVOLDEN
Work up a sweat in historic natural surroundings Activities
Running, walking, biking and rollerblading on designated routes. Various ways of experiencing history, interactive smartphone games, Ejby Bunker (entrance fee applies), several playgrounds.
History
One of the largest-ever Danish construction projects, the Western Ramparts were further developed between 1988 and 1992. During the First World War, more than 50,000 soldiers prepared for combat here, although ultimately, Denmark did not enter the war. The Western Ramparts and the rest of Copenhagen’s fortifications have not served as defence installations since 1920.
Nearby
The West Forest, Utterslev Bog. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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One of the world’s longest and best-preserved fortifications, the Western Ramparts comprise a unique defence installation of more than 14 kilometres, stretching from Utterslev Bog in the north to Avedøre in the south. It’s a great place for a workout. But it’s also a special place in which to get closer to history or appreciate the natural world. Many traces remain of the days when the ramparts protected the nation’s capital from its enemies, including a moat, underground facilities and, at the southernmost point in Avedøre, an old airfield with two preserved wooden hangars from the First World War. Today, the Western Ramparts are a popular recreation area. It is an ideal place to run or walk, even when it is dark; most of the ramparts are paved and illuminated at night. Cyclists can try four challenging courses in Husum, Rødovre, Brøndby and Hvidovre. All are suitable for regular bikes or mountain bikes, and are ideal for children and adults alike. It’s the perfect place to practice tricks with your bike and get your pulse racing. In total, there are 10 kilometres of asphalt, an ideal location for
roller-skating in safe conditions, surrounded by history. If you fancy something less strenuous, there’s a smartphone app that relates stories about the days when the Western Ramparts served as fortifications. Why not play the mobile-phone games ‘Lost in Time’? Or ‘Cold War Spy’, in which you try to stop World War III? The latter is set in Ejby Bunker, which the Danish armed forces used right up until 2005. Despite being in the middle of Denmark’s most densely populated area, the Western Ramparts also offer a rich variety of flora and fauna, including several rare species. Their location makes the ramparts particularly valuable. They act as a corridor that enables plants and animals to spread from place to place, so they are not isolated in a few green pockets in built-up areas. This helps to keep population levels high and ensures they continue to reproduce. Did you know? Built in 1954, Ejby Bunker played an important role during the Cold War and in Denmark’s Danish missile-defence system.
Photo: Scanpix / Anders Tvevad
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Ørestad
PLUG N PLAY 25,000 m2 dedicated to urban sports Activities
Sports like basketball, street basketball, parkour, speedskating, dirt jumping, soccer, American football, etc.
History
Plug N Play opened in 2009, partly to provide space for new urban sports not catered for in traditional sports centres and partly to revitalise Ørestad. The urban gardens at Plug N Play have an interesting history. They started as small portable gardens on pallets that were placed in empty plots but could be moved when the site was eventually developed. There are are about 60 of these small gardens now, and they have permanent residence permits as long as Plug N Play lasts. They are still small – only covering about 16 m2, but the industrious gardeners make the most of the space.
Nearby
Amager Nature Centre, the Ørestad canals, Amager Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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It’s fast and furious! Youngsters use their hands and feet to launch themselves off walls, down ramps and over railings. They whirl acrobatically in the air and race through a metropolitan landscape that resembles roofs, stairs and balconies. In fact, it’s a parkour course, part of the huge, free sports centre, Plug N Play, in Ørestad.
Plug N Play, located in the southern end of Ørestad, was originally set up on an undeveloped site as a temporary facility until 2014. Its death sentence has been postponed until the end of 2016, and many people hope that all the good things about Plug N Play will re-emerge elsewhere in Ørestad.
Plug N Play is open 24/7. Since its launch in 2009 it has particularly attracted the younger practitioners of what might be called urban sports: parkour, basketball, street basketball, speed-skating, dirt jumping and beach volleyball. But more traditional options, like football, are offered too.
If you prefer water-based activities, there’s kayak polo next door – there is a charge for this, and it is only played during regular opening hours.
If you don’t fancy breaking into a sweat yourself, you’re welcome to watch. Highly trained athletes from all over Copenhagen are often to be found here, honing their amazing skills and providing hours of entertainment. It’s worth coming here just to watch them in action. This colourful area is 25,000 m2 – the size of City Hall Square.
Plug N Play also has organic urban gardens. The waiting list is open to all but you must agree to follow organic practices. Did you know? The parkour course at Plug N Play is the world’s largest and was designed by freerunners from Team JiYo, which is also based here.
Photo: Scanpix / Kontraframe
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Sydhavnen
SOUTH HARBOUR TIP SYDHAVNSTIPPEN
A secret with cult status Activities
Nature tours, running, hiking, cycling, role-playing games, sheepdog trials, skiing in the winter, picnics, berry picking, gathering herbs, peace and quiet, bird watching, kayaking. The location means that you can continue along footpaths to Valby Park or Kalvebod Common.
Nature
Very large number of plants, including berry bushes and fruit trees such as apple and cherry. Rich insect life. More than 150 bird species have been recorded in the area. Rich aquatic life, including seals.
History
The South Harbour Tip is an old seabed that was filled in when the site was used as a dumping ground for building waste and surplus soil. Now, thanks to a long campaign by local residents, much of it is under a conservation order. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation applied for a preservation order for the remaining parts in 2012, and that case is still pending.
Nearby
The South Harbour Tip, usually just called ‘The Tip’, is little known among tourists and locals alike. Those who do know it, however, are in love with this natural green spot in the southern part of Copenhagen, which is now a protected area and offers the finest views over the water to the bird sanctuary on Kalveboderne. It is a sanctuary like no other in the city, with a huge wealth of plant and animal species. One of the attractions in winter is the beautiful kingfisher. It is frequently spotted on the canal, which is popularly known as the ‘Shit Channel’ (Lorterenden) because this is where the sewers ran out to the sea in bygone days. Today, the water is clean, and small houses and sheds line the banks. You might almost think you are on the banks of the Mississippi River in the American South. Between 1945 and 1973, this was a landfill site for building waste and surplus soil. Gradually, nature took over, creating a green world all on its own. Thanks largely to
the efforts of active local enthusiasts, The Tip is now a conservation area, rather than a residential district. It is these residents who care for, nurture and develop the area, too, helping nature express its diversity to the fullest. The voluntary Sheep Guild puts sheep out to graze here in the spring to keep the vegetation down. Artists use The Tip for events, and regular guided nature tours introduce visitors to the birds, insects, herbs and other residents of this peculiarly urban natural world. The South Harbour Tip Nature School arranges a variety of activities. Did you know? In the late 1970s, there were plans to build a motorway across The Tip to the city centre.
Karens Minde, Amager Nature Centre, Valby Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 37
GREEN ISN’T JUST FOR DECORATION Interview with Copenhagen City Architect, Tina Saaby
‘The days are gone when a lawn was sufficient to call something a park or green space. The urban nature of today and tomorrow intervenes in the way we live, and makes the city even more appealing,’ says Tina Saaby, Copenhagen City Architect. The people of Copenhagen love their green spaces. These are the areas that receive the highest scores when residents are asked to evaluate the work of the council for the city’s annual green audit. Next on the list are the facilities for cyclists; in third place, efforts to mitigate climate change. The green audits show that, in all three areas, satisfaction has increased in recent years. City architect Tina Saaby, who has played a part in the development of Copenhagen since 2010, interprets this as support for three areas that the council prioritises in its planning: sustainability, city living and green mobility.
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‘The way we design the city should make it easier to live sustainably. But it’s also important that our planning takes into consideration the quality of life and things for people to see and do. For example, when we devise a climate-change solution or make plans to limit the damage caused by cloudbursts, the solutions have to give something back to the city and its people. Like the new and better urban spaces, for example at Tåsinge Square in Skt. Kjelds Kvarter. In the past, this has been, to put it crudely, a dog’s toilet on asphalt, but in future it’ll be green and lush,’ she says. Tåsinge Square in Østerbro will be one of Copenhagen’s first climate-adapted urban spaces. The design will help collect water during heavy rainstorms, so the sewers don’t overflow. Some of the surface will be covered with plants, and the square will slope to direct water into channels that will cope with any overflow. ‘It’s not only a climate solution, but also a way of giving local residents a green and attractive place,’ says Tina Saaby.
Much more food Green rooftops, an increasingly common sight in the city, are another example. Some are like secret rooftop parks, such as the Green Walkway that nestles between SEB Bank, Tivoli Hotel and Fisketorvet. Others are residents’ and local areas’ own gardens, high above street level. ‘There is great potential in the fact that people like to create something, for example space for more local food production. Rooftop gardens not only serve this purpose, but also serve as climate solutions,’ says the city architect. Studies have shown that green roofs absorb 60–80% of the rain and snow that land on them, in contrast to standard, hard roofs, from which the rainfall just runs off. The plants also slow down the water on its way to the drains and sewers, and green roofs help keep temperatures down, insulate buildings, save energy, reduce CO2, and provide habitats for insects, birds and other animals. The concept of habitats for multiple species plays an increasingly important role in green planning in
Copenhagen. Even though the word ‘biodiversity’ still sounds cumbersome, most of us now get the idea: the more different habitats and living conditions, the more species of plants and animals. This in turn provides greater benefits and more things to see and do.
Room for difference
‘Biodiversity requires that green urban spaces are arranged differently, in a more varied manner. Lawns may be green, but they don’t provide habitats for very many species. By contrast, an urban space with different plants and conditions allows for much greater biodiversity and many more things to see and do,’ says Tina Saaby.
‘You might say that we plan on three levels. There is the overall, long-term strategic planning that applies to the whole of the city. This is a big part of the explanation for Copenhagen’s success as a green city. Even though people’s political views differ, there is broad consensus that green is important, so it has been a priority for many years, and elections don’t change that, which is an important point to bear in mind,’ says Tina Saaby.
A number of studies have shown that there is actually greater biodiversity (i.e. a larger number of species) in and around Copenhagen than in rural areas, where farming cultivates the land intensively. This is because the green parks, gardens and natural areas in Copenhagen and its suburbs are far more inviting to plants and animals than areas that are mostly given over to cornfields. A recent example is that bees have found it easier to find food in Copenhagen than in rural areas. Consequently, Copenhagen has lots of hives – with more to come.
Tina Saaby stresses that it is important to ensure that things don’t get too nice and uniform. It’s not just plants and animals that need different opportunities - this is very much the case for the people of Copenhagen, too.
The overall green strategy has been part of the capital’s planning since the Finger Plan. The 1947 Finger Plan compares the capital with a hand. The palm is the city of Copenhagen, the fingers are the S-train lines running to the main towns in the hinterland, and between the fingers are green wedges.
– rather, the green has been preserved and prioritised for over half a century. ‘This is the overall strategic level. The second level consists of area-based plans: local plans, area ceilings, and so on. These ensure that the political and strategic visions and objectives become a part of the actual plans for specific sites in the city. The last part of the planning, which is equally important, is the individual’s quality of life. We have to ensure that there’s room for local initiatives and recognise the amount of voluntary work that the people of Copenhagen put in,’ says Tina Saaby. She adds that it has to be easy for individuals to bring new ideas to fruition. ‘There has to be room for the unusual, the different. We need to do even more to create good urban spaces for everyone, and they shouldn’t all be too similar. That drives the life out of them.’
This remains the general model, and it has helped to make the Greater Copenhagen area unique in the world. Its urban development hasn’t just followed any old path
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Nørrebro
SUPERKILEN The world comes to Copenhagen Activities
Sport, relaxation, play, cycling, skateboarding, sunbathing, picnics, barbecues, flea market, concerts and other events, board games, urban life.
History
Superkilen opened in 2012 and has received international awards for its architecture and multicultural inclusiveness. Not all residents of Nørrebro have been enthusiastic about Superkilen, some finding it ugly and noisy. Nevertheless, it has become a popular gathering place.
Nearby
The Green Path, Assistens Cemetery, Copenhagen Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Playground, park, bazaar, bike path, picnic area, sports field, rendezvous point, world fair – Superkilen in Nørrebro is all of these things and a park like no other in the world. Most of all, it is a celebration of city life and the many cultures that make up Nørrebro’s population. Superkilen (literally ‘the giant wedge’) is one of the newest spaces in Copenhagen. In fact, it comprises three spaces, running from Nørrebrogade to Tagensvej. The Red Square by Nørrebrogade is an unusual, brightly coloured park and sports facility with space for basketball and boxing. Next to it is the Black Market, which is best described as an outdoor living room. There’s plenty of space to hang out, play chess and cards on the tables, gaze up at the Chinese palms, hold a dinner party or just listen to the water rippling in the large fountain. Okay, skateboarding in living rooms might be a tad unusual, but the hills in the market are popular with skaters.
The Green Park is the last stretch towards Tagensvej, and offers more traditional park life. In the midst of all this are a hockey rink and a basketball court. What is special about Superkilen is that it is filled with tools, benches, swings, wastebaskets and other equipment representing the multitude of places around the globe from which Nørrebro’s population originate, including basketball hoops from Mogadishu, neon signs from China and Russia, adverts from the United States, the central fountain from Morocco, swings from Baghdad, benches from Cuba and a toy octopus from Japan. Together, they tell the world that the city of Copenhagen has roots in many countries and harnesses this diversity in play, recreation and sports. Did you know? The many objects in the park represent the 57 nationalities that make up Nørrebro’s population. A smartphone app tells the story of each object and how it was procured.
Photo: Scanpix / Mikkel Barker
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Østerbro
COPENHAGEN COMMON SKATEPARK FÆLLEDPARKEN SKATEPARK
Flying over the Common Activities
Skateboarding, BMX and rollerblading. There is a scooter track for beginners and advanced users. Competitions and events are held in the skatepark throughout the summer. Picnics.
Nearby
Copenhagen Common, Utterslev Bog, Superkilen. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Skateboarders have had their own corner of Copenhagen Common since 1988. It was getting a bit run down, so was upgraded a couple of years ago. Copenhagen Common Skatepark is now one of the biggest and best in the Nordic Region. Even if you don’t fancy joining in, it’s a great place to admire the skills on display – some of the skaters here are pretty impressive. The park was built using a special technique that involves pouring the concrete on site, which allows long, smooth surfaces, curves and obstacles to be formed. The skatepark also offers one of Europe’s biggest ‘verts’ – a five-metrehigh, U-shaped ramp. Riding this demands concentration and protective clothing – but it’s worth it just to fly over the Common for a few seconds as onlookers gaze in awe at your acrobatics. The original skatepark was a do-it-yourself affair made by the skaters. But after 20 years it had become worn out. On the 100th anniversary of the Common, a donation
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from the A.P. Møller Foundation made possible the new, much larger skatepark, which was built with help and inspiration from some of the world’s best skaters. Although it is designed to accommodate beginners as well as experts, this is no place for small children. Some of these skaters move really fast and young kids would find it difficult to keep up. Shortly after the renovation, small children on scooters were using it, which was potentially dangerous. As a result, scooters are now banned. However, a new scooter track for both children and adults has opened not far from the skatepark. It is the first specially designed scooter track in Denmark. Did you know? Floodlights mean that both the skatepark and scooter track can be used at night.
Photo: Steen Kelså
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Gentofte
THE NEW BOG NYMOSEN
Vangede’s lush secret Activities
Picnics, hiking and running, exercise areas, playground, sports fields, nature.
Nature
Docks, aquatic plants and reed beds. Willow, elm, ash, bird cherry, oak and beech. Heron. Small-and large merganser. Crested, small and black-necked grebe. Teal, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye and mallard. Greylag geese, coots, mute swan and nuthatch.
History
Part of the Bernstorff Estate, Wilde’s Bog lay in the midst of cultivated fields between the villages of Vangede and Buddinge. After various changes of ownership, in 1900 it was transferred to Gentofte Council, which began work on the park, now called New Bog, in 1937.
Nearby
Old Bog, Gentofte Lake and Brobæk Bog. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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The New Bog is a bit of a secret to nearly everyone – except the residents of Vangede. It is hidden behind Vangede Church, between apartment buildings and residential neighbourhoods. Over the years, Gentofte Council has done much to make this ancient peat bog attractive and accessible. It has a long jogging track, an ultra-modern playground and plenty of natural phenomena to enjoy. Like the nearby Old Bog and Brobæk Bog, it rests in an Ice Age hollow on the ridge that stretches between Ordrup and Gladsaxe. The lake itself was created after peat had been excavated from the bog. In the middle of the park is a sports area belonging to the GentofteVangede Sports Association (GVI), which includes football pitches and a café. Along the banks grow large, broad-leaved burdock, beneath which coots, ducks, geese and small animals shelter. Beech, ash and cherry trees are scattered along the banks and lawns. Old willow trees that have toppled
into the water continue to grow, helping to create variety and life. The islets in the lake have dense woodland at some points. This will gradually be replaced with reeds, for the benefit of the many birds found in the New Bog. A new footbridge crosses the lake’s wetlands, and new trees ensure varied plant growth and better conditions for wildlife. A new forest area with beech and oak is planned for the remote areas behind the sports facility. The New Bog was originally called Wilde’s Bog. When the first steps were taken towards turning it into a park in 1937, it was renamed the New Bog, as a counterpart to the peaceful, pristine Old Bog, which is about 700 metres away as the crow flies. Did you know? Peat has been extracted from here since the early 1800s, especially during the two world wars, when there was a shortage of fuel.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Inner City
THE ROYAL LIBRARY GARDEN DET KONGELIGE BIBLIOTEKS HAVE
Lose yourself in thought with Kierkegaard Activities
Peace, tranquility and contemplation.
History
Both the Victualler’s Yard (Proviantgården), east of the Library Garden, and the Arsenal to the west were built in 1604 to cater for the fleet anchored in the military port on the spot now occupied by the Library Garden. The Victualler’s Yard has been ravaged by fire on a number of occasions, most recently in 1992, but has been rebuilt each time. The National Archives, facing Rigsdagsgården, were built in 1720. The main entrance to the Royal Library was built between 1898 and 1906.
Nearby
Havnegade, Islands Brygge, Kalvebod Wave, Kalvebod Brygge Green Walkway, The Academic Senate Yard. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Set in the political, economic and literary heart of Denmark, the atmosphere here is meditative, the trees cast soft shadows, the plants are in bloom and the buildings are beautiful. Enter through the gate at the National Archives, opposite the main entrance to the Parliament into Rigsdagsgården, and you find yourself in the Royal Library Garden, commonly known as just the Library Garden.
company of the famous philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, whose sculpture appears to gaze into the distance, beyond the red walls.
This is a place of devout tranquility, the peace broken only by the sound of water cascading from the eightmetre-tall fountain in the middle of the garden. When the City Hall clock strikes the hour in the distance, it is echoed by the fountain, which sends extra jets shooting into the air.
The garden dates from 1920, when it was installed on the reclaimed site of Christian IV’s military port, Tøjhushavnen. Traces of this maritime history still remain, in the form of the old mooring rings still visible on the western wall of the Royal Danish Arsenal Museum.
Visitors get to enjoy the flowers, which change with the seasons, the stylised trees and the Virginia creepers that climb the walls of the old library. You can immerse yourself in a book or ponder the meaning of life in the 46 COPENHAGEN GREEN
If you arrive at the right time of day, you may be lucky enough to bump into MPs and other people who work in Parliament. They often come here in their lunch breaks in search of peace, quiet and a place to think.
Did you know? The bronze fountain in the middle of the Library Garden was sculpted by Mogens Møller to mark the inauguration of the Black Diamond, the Royal Library’s new waterfront extension, in 1999.
Photo: Scanpix / Kristoffer Juel Poulsen
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Sundby
REMISE PARK REMISEPARKEN
Best place in the city for children? Activities
Looking after animals, building, cycle workshop, cooking over an open fire, pony rides, playground, picnics, excursions, ball games, sledging hill, paddling pool, indoor play areas during the daytime, climbing wall, hockey pitch.
History
The first public playgrounds in Copenhagen opened in the mid-1850s. Usually, these were just areas children were allowed into without having to be well dressed. In the late 19th century, they had gained equipment such as swings and seesaws. The need for new playgrounds continued to grow. In the late 1960s, Remise Park became the city’s first real play park, with a much wider range of activities – the construction playground, farm, sledge run, playing fields and so on. The farm at the centre of the park dates back to the 1700s but burned down in 1995. It was rebuilt in the old style and remains a traditional Danish village farm in the middle of a modern city.
Nearby
Amager Common, the Clover Field, Kalvebod Common.
If there were an award for the best place for children in the city, Remise Park on Amager would definitely be a contender for the title. Sandwiched between the high-rise blocks of Urbanplanen, this is a world of its own, with farms and animals, a castle, construction playground, the city’s longest tunnel slide, green areas to get lost in, a hockey pitch and more.
carriage or on ponies, pet the animals and help care for them. There is also a small urban garden with raised beds around which you’ll see and hear the bees buzz. The final part of the park is a large play area with plenty of playground equipment, a sledging hill, bonfire and barbecue areas, a paddling pool, pitches for ball games, pétanque, and more.
The friendly chaos that welcomes the 80,000 people who visit here every year is quite a contrast to the orderly town planning that surrounds it, in which uniform blocks are positioned with mathematical precision. In Remise Park, what kids can imagine is more important than what they are able to measure.
Both the farm and the construction playground are staffed during regular opening hours. The farm is open seven days a week (except public holidays). If the weather is bad, indoor activities are organised for the children. The activities are free, and you don’t have to sign up in advance – just turn up. But please remember that staff are here to help and initiate activities, not to babysit.
The park has several parts. The construction playground, known as ‘the Builder’, is, for safety reasons, only open to children aged six and over. The farm is for everyone. It is a proper working farm, of the kind that has been on this site since the 18th century, with chickens, rabbits, goats, pigs, horses and a cow. Here, children can ride in the
Did you know? The Urbanplanen high-rise development is named after the late Mayor of Copenhagen, Urban Hansen, who came to power on a promise to provide housing. And he did: Urbanplanen is one such area, Tingbjerg in Nørrebro is another.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Lars Bahl
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Bispebjerg
SCHOOL GARDENS SKOLEHAVERNE
Cultural history has deep roots and is alive and kicking Activities
Gardening, bonfires, cooking own produce, socialising, picnics. The school gardens are open to all. Just call in advance to arrange a group tour. If you want to get involved in a garden you have to sign up.
Nature
Utility gardens, often with fruit trees, herbs and shrubs.
History
The School Gardens Association was set up by a teacher, P.W. Lindholm, in 1903. The first garden opened in Kalundborg that year, a second in Copenhagen the following year. The idea quickly spread, and by the mid-1950s 31 of them were dotted around Copenhagen and 200 around the rest of the country. The gardens are run by volunteers.
Nearby
Copenhagen Common, Superkilen, Utterslev Bog. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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They sow, they water, they weed, they play, they harvest. Youngsters in Copenhagen love their school gardens. They are connecting with a slice of cultural history that is more than a century old. Once almost forgotten, school gardens have made a comeback. From April to harvest time, life flourishes in the six parts of Copenhagen that still have school gardens. In 1956, there were 31 of them and they did a grand job of supplying city households with fruit and vegetables. Gradually, however, their importance waned. As green areas were purchased for housing developments, the gardens disappeared one by one. Today, the remaining gardens are the subject of growing interest from children and schools. Classes tend the gardens as part of their curriculum, and a lot of pupils have adopted them as a leisure pursuit. The gardens are scattered throughout the city. Usually, the children have a piece of land to look after, and there is a larger common
area where everyone grows plums, apples and so on. Some of the gardens have bees and chickens, too. The first Copenhagen school garden opened on Kløvermarksvej in 1904. The aim was to give the city’s children a bit of fresh air, which many of them badly needed – the city’s backyards and overcrowded tenements were not healthy environments. Another aim was to teach children about nature, physical activity and the senses. The brains behind the idea, schoolteacher P.W. Lindholm, felt that school gardens would be useful teaching aids for all subjects, and would help instil a sense of responsibility and good work habits into the pupils. His ideas remain valid, and the gardens are now used to teach children how their actions make a difference to nature and the environment. Did you know? In 2009, school gardens became part of the curriculum in Copenhagen. This has tripled the number of pupils who use the gardens to 2,500 per season.
Photo: Camilla Friedrichsen
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Sydhavnen
SLUSEHOLMEN Garfish and the Dutch Activities
Fishing, picnics, walks, swimming.
History
The sluice was built in 1900–1903 to make it easier to sail into Copenhagen Harbour from the south. Landfill at Islands Brygge had created a strong current in the harbour entrance, making it difficult for ships to manoeuvre. The sluice regulated the water level and current. It is operated by volunteers and still used by smaller boats when they sail in and out of the harbour. The Lock Keeper’s house was designed by Dahlerup in around 1900. Sluseholmen used to be part of the industrial port, and was home to Aalborg Portland silos and a DFDS cargo terminal. As industry moved out, the idea of building homes was suggested. In 2006, the first residents of the new canal district moved in.
Nearby
Amager Common, Nokken, Karen’s Minde. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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A spring day in mid-April. The bridge and the stone circles by the locks in Copenhagen’s South Harbour are a hive of activity. Adults and children stand shoulder to shoulder with their fishing rods. The news has spread: the garfish are here! In one of the newest parts of the city, one of the oldest ways of procuring food is still practised. Less than a decade ago, the idea of eating fish from the harbour would have been a utopian dream. But now that the heavy industry and ships have gone, the water is so clean that you can fish (and swim) in it. Sluseholmen is one of the most popular places to do so. Just make sure you have your fishing permit and remember to throw back species like flounder, eel and herring – they still contain high levels of heavy metals, so are not yet safe to eat. However, there are no such worries with garfish, trout and cod, all of which are safe to cook in the kitchen, or to throw on a barbecue on the nearby Amager Common.
The bridge provides views over some of the newest parts of Copenhagen. In the lively Sluseholmen canal district, built by the water in the Dutch style, more than 1,000 people have already made their homes. The red sheds in front of the buildings were originally fishing shacks used by taxi drivers from Valby. The sheds are still the home of Valby Boat Club, which has helped bring new life to this area, but the new residents are members now as well. If you’d rather swim than fish, Sluseholmen has excellent facilities. Did you know? The Brickwords Bridge (Teglværksbroen), which connects Teglholmen and Sluseholmen, was the first new road bridge to be built over the harbour in more than 50 years. It was completed in 2011.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Albertslund, Glostrup, Rødovre, Vanløse, Frederiksberg and Vesterbro
ALBERTSLUND BIKEWAY ALBERTSLUND CYKELRUTE
Bicycle superhighway ensconced in greenery Activities
Cycling, hiking, studying urban development, picnics.
Nature
The landscape varies greatly along the route, which crosses the Green Path in Frederiksberg, Damhus Lake, Damhus Meadow, Grøndal Park and the West Forest.
History
The Albertslund Route, C99, opened in 2012. The Farum Route, C95, opened in 2014. A total of 28 routes are planned, covering 500 kilometres.
Nearby
The West Forest, Damhus Lake, the Green Path. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
The Albertslund Bikeway is Copenhagen’s first bicycle superhighway for commuters. But it is also a green trail that explores the city from suburban gardens to dense urban districts. The route begins in idyllic fashion in a valley near a golf course. 17.5 kilometres later, you arrive, a little out of breath, at Vesterport Station in the heart of the capital. The Albertslund Route, known as C99, has made it faster and easier to be a bike commuter. As far as possible, the route sticks to green areas where cyclists are kept separate from road traffic. Air pumps have been installed at several points. The main aim is to encourage 20% more people to cycle long distances to work or study, but it’s also great for a day out. The route out from Copenhagen reflects how the modern city has evolved. It starts in Frederiksberg, where many roads are still dominated by large villas and mansions rather than tenements. Frederiksberg became an auto-
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nomous part of the capital in 1857, the year after the ramparts were demolished. This district, along with Østerbro, soon became the preferred haunt of the well-off. The next stage of the city’s development is reflected in Vanløse, an old village swallowed up by the city where tenements sprang up in the early 1900s as the city suffered growing pains. As you approach Albertslund, the architecture is more and more recent, and the final stretch between Glostrup and Albertslund is green and rural. For those with the stamina, continuing on to the West Forest, Denmark’s youngest large forest, is an ideal way to spend the rest of the day. Did you know? Ask any Dane to name the most heavily forested area in the country and they’re unlikely to come up with Albertslund. But 40% of it is forest, compared to approximately 26% in Silkeborg and 24% on Bornholm.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Gentofte
BERNSTORFF’S PARK BERNSTORFFSPARKEN
From royal park to people’s park Activities
Long runs and walks, dog walking, picnics, forest walks, sledging.
Nature
Old oak and beech trees, as well as ash, birch, maple and elder. In addition to roses and rhododendrons, there are several rare and exotic plants. Rich birdlife and several species of frog.
History
When Christian IX took over the palace and became ‘Europe’s father-in-law’, it was visited in the summer by the monarchs of Greece, Russia and others, including Queen Victoria of Great Britain.
Nearby
Bellevue Beach, Charlottenlund Palace Park and the Old Bog.
Its official name is Bernstorff Palace Park, but it is popularly known simply as ‘Bernstorff’s Park’. The crowned heads of Europe holidayed here when the palace was the summer residence of ‘Europe’s father-in-law’, Christian IX. Today, it is almost a public park, used for picnics and walks among the trees. It’s also a highly popular ‘dogs’ forest’, where our four-legged friends are allowed off the leash. With its wide, open spaces, dense woodland and many garden areas, the park offers a varied experience for all ages and is suitable for long walks and runs. At the top of its slopes, overlooking Copenhagen, sits the beautiful, neoclassical Bernstorff Palace. The park has many small flowerbeds, a rose garden with historic roses, rhododendrons, a greenhouse and a vegetable garden. At the centre of the park is the yellow Swedish Villa, built for
Queen Louise, which looks like it’s come straight out of Pippi Longstocking. It’s now a cafeteria run by volunteers during the summer season. Count Bernstorff, who was foreign minister at the time, originally set up the park as a rococo garden. However, after the exotic tree species gradually died off and the king took over the palace, it was decided to preserve the park as a piece of Zealand scenery, with large, grassy plains surrounded by Danish forest. Did you know? One of Denmark’s first moving pictures was shot at Bernstorff Palace. The court photographer Elfelt filmed the crowned heads on the palace steps in 1899.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Kontraframe
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Inner City
ISRAEL SQUARE ISRAELS PLADS
New urban space for the locals Activities
Play, ball games, picnics, places to meet, relaxation.
Nature
Newly planted plane tree, elm, maple, oak, chestnut and beech.
History
Israel Square is in the middle of the old rampart area, just a stone’s throw from Nørreport station, and is surrounded by classic 19th-century apartment buildings. Until 1958, the Copenhagen vegetable market stood on the square.
Nearby
Botanical Garden, Ørsted’s Park, the Lakes, King’s Garden, St. Peter’s German Church, Academic Senate Yard. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Like a phoenix, Israel Square has risen from the concrete desert as Copenhagen’s brand-new urban space. It started with the popular Torvehallerne. Now, the southern part of the site has also undergone a renewal process, re-emerging with trees, play, ball games and recreational areas that form a poetic link between Ørsted’s Park and the rest of the city. When Torvehallerne opened at the north end of the square in 2011, this part of Israel Square became a new hub for many locals and visitors to the city – not just for gourmet shopping, but as a place to meet over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. This has given the whole of Israel Square an international air. Despite its modernity, it still has historical roots in the old vegetable market and the ramparts that used to stand here. The raised part of the square seems almost to hover above the ground, and is home to old Danish tree species
such as oak, maple, chestnut and beech, a green grass rampart, a waterfall and a sunken playing field for street basketball, and so on. At night, the square is illuminated, which emphasises the feeling that you are on a flying carpet. The open platform provides direct access to and a link with Ørsted’s Park. It is a place that, with its soft rounded shapes, invites ball games, tranquility and reflection, romantic picnics, and a sense of being in the middle of the city and yet, not quite. Did you know? The square is home to a memorial to the escape by Danish Jews to Sweden in 1943. The stone comes from Israel and was given to the Danish people by the association ‘Denmark’s Friends in Israel’ in 1975. After the refurbishment of the square, the memorial stone was returned to its original position, which is now below the ‘magic carpet’.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Nørrebro
THE JEWISH CEMETERY MOSAISK BEGRAVELSESPLADS
A visit to the House of Eternity Activities
Cultural history, peace, quiet and contemplation. The cemetery is open from 1 April to 30 September on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10:00–18:00, except on Jewish holidays. Men are asked to wear something on their heads. The Jewish Museum organises guided tours. Contact: info@jewmus.dk
Nature
Lime trees, ivy and a mass of natural ground vegetation.
History
The Jewish Cemetery in Møllegade was established in 1693. In 1886, a new Jewish burial ground was created at the Western Cemetery but burials continued at Møllegade until 1967. Some tombstones lie flat, in accordance with the tradition among Sephardi Jews from the Iberian Peninsula.
Nearby
Urban Oasis in the ‘Old People’s Town’ and Assistens Cemetery.
Hidden behind a high, red-brick wall on the corner of Møllegade and Guldbergsgade in Nørrebro is Denmark’s oldest Jewish cemetery. Since 1693, Danish Jews have been buried under the tall lime trees and wild-growing plants here in Beit Olam (Hebrew for the House of Eternity), where the atmosphere is at once solemn and informal. The ancient, unostentatious weathered gravestones stand cheek by jowl around the cemetery, among the wild plants that spread across the graves. The more than 6,000 people buried here will remain in their resting places for all time – according to Jewish custom, the deceased must never be removed from a grave. Nearly half of the gravestones remain in place, almost all facing the same direction: towards Jerusalem. The site seems both unkempt and uniform because, according to Jewish tradition, all people are ‘equal in death’, so there is no difference between the graves. You won’t see any
bouquets here either, as Jewish people don’t pick living flowers to honour the dead, but instead leave a small stone on the grave as a sign of respect. The cemetery was closed for many years, but since 2011 it has been open to the public four days a week. Signs provide information about the site, Jewish customs and the famous people buried here who made an impact on Danish society. Did you know? Harriet, the first wife of Edvard Brandes, the co-founder of the newspaper Politiken, is buried here. She committed suicide after being unfaithful to her husband. Brandes, who had a mistress himself, is not buried in the cemetery. He was cremated – which is not in accordance with Jewish tradition.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 61
Furesø
FARUM LAKESIDE PATH FARUM SØSTI
Beautiful all year round Activities
Hiking, jogging, cycling, fishing, picnicking, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, barbecues, wild camping, birdwatching, ancient relics.
Nature
Farum Lake is part of the Mill Stream System (Mølleåsystemet), created by meltwater during the last Ice Age. The nature in the area is varied. Beech trees dominate part of it, while the common reed is particularly prevalent in the lake. Several rare and protected animal species live here, including the great smooth newt and the narrow-mouthed whorl snail. Larger mammals include badgers, foxes and deer. The lake is an international bird-protection area. The bird life here is diverse, and much of it can be observed from a special tower on the southern shore. You will spot everything from small birds like kingfishers to the occasional gigantic white-tailed eagle.
Nearby
Hareskoven Forest, Mill Stream Valley. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Hey, there’s a marsh harrier! He’s putting on a spectacular aerial display while screaming like a gull. If this artist’s show is good enough, then a marsh harrier hen or three will probably fall for him. The cleverest males don’t stick with just one partner when they can have more. Farum Lakeside Path is one spot where this elegant bird of prey puts on its show, but this uncommonly beautiful area offers much more besides. The path extends for 10 km around the lake, making it the perfect length for a morning or afternoon hike. This area is beautiful all year round, and since the paths were joined up in 2012, it has become easier to follow the route around the lake even if you don’t know the way in advance. If in doubt, follow the stones that line the route. Farum Lakeside Path features some of the most beautiful and romantic scenery in all of Denmark, with tall beech trees all the way down to the lake, hidden nooks and crannies, meadows and grasslands, relics of ancient times, flowering hawthorn and cherry, and rare plants like the critically endangered small peat violet.
On Sundays and during the summer holidays, you’ll rarely get the path to yourself, as it is hugely popular with cyclists, runners and walkers. But there’s plenty of space for everyone. At other times of the year, you may even find yourself alone with nature on long stretches of the path. Generally, the southern shore – the Værløse side – is the least busy. If you prefer to discover the lake and its nature by water, rowing boats are available for hire near Farum Station during the summer months. The lake is also very popular for kayaking and canoeing. If you choose this mode of transport you’ll be able to continue through a canal near the boat-hire centre into the much larger Furesø Lake. Did you know? Out on the lake is a tiny island called Klaus Nars Holm. According to legend, Klaus was a jester at the court of King Valdemar IV. After a long period of faithful service, he asked the king for one of the Danish islands as a reward – and was given this little blob of land in Farum Lake.
Photo: Scanpix / Anders Tvevad
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Sundby
NOKKEN ‘Aberrations’ with a harbour view Activities
Picnics, barbecues, hiking, cycling, views. An ideal outing for anyone with a love of gardening or architecture.
Nature
Nokken is a green area with trees and scrub. It is home to many small birds, and frequented by deer and foxes from neighbouring Amager Common.
History
Islands Brygge and Nokken represent the story of Copenhagen’s space problems. Originally just a salt marsh, the area was reclaimed in the early 20th century and filled in to make room for ships, industry and housing. The area on which Nokken now stands was a landfill site. In the 1920s and 1930s, labourers and dockers started to get permission to build shacks in the area, often using materials from the nearby landfill. The idea took hold, and within a few years there were around 100 hand-built houses, much the same as today.
Nokken is unique. Weird, whimsical houses and sheds nestle in gardens that reflect the wildness of nature – there’s no dull domesticity here! A bottle of beer on a bench in the sun overlooking the harbour and the high walls and tall chimneys of Ørsted Power Station. Small jetties for boats. And a little general store where residents gather in the summer, greeting the day trippers. Nowhere else in Copenhagen is there such a sharp contrast to the strict, carefully planned urban development in new neighbourhoods like Sluseholmen, Havneholmen and Islands Brygge. The allotment gardens at Nokken are an untamed idyll. The small plots, of which there are more than 100, actually started out as an informal shacks inhabited by fishermen and labourers in the 1920s and ’30s. Since then, the area has evolved naturally and has never been subject to modern legislation.
In future, Nokken’s distinctive character will be safeguarded by a local plan that stipulates that the area is reserved for allotments and can’t be used for modern housing. Unusually, the plan doesn’t include requirements for what the buildings should look like. They just need to be fireproof and below a certain height. Otherwise, room is left for experimentation, which means Nokken will continue to be a strange hodgepodge of architectural styles. There is also a public area down by the water that is open to visitors. A new path is planned along the water’s edge, as well as a cycle path through the area, which will connect Nokken with Copenhagen’s other cycle paths. Did you know? ‘Nokken’ in this context means ‘at the end of the quay’.
Nearby
Sluseholmen Amager Common, Nature Centre Amager. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Kontraframe
COPENHAGEN GREEN 65
Dragør
THE KING’S GROVE KONGELUNDEN
A classic picnic spot on Amager Activities
Running, hiking, horseback riding, cycling, bird watching, plane spotting, picnics, camping, food over an open fire, foraging for berries, herbs and mushrooms, area for dogs off the lead, paddling, windsurfing, kite-surfing.
Nature
The King’s Grove consists mainly of oak trees, which create a much lighter forest than the more common Danish beech. Oak leaves allow light to reach the forest floor, so more plants grow in an oak forest than a beech forest. Some unusual places here have white flowering plants in early summer, including hawthorn, cherry plum, sloe and elder. Several rare plants thrive in the forest, including orchids, and the insect and bird life is unusually varied.
Nearby
The Amager Coastal Path, Amager Common, Nature Centre Amager. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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The King’s Grove is the classic place for a picnic in Amager. On an early summer morning, you might surprise a fox cub venturing forth for the first time. Or if you visit late on a warm summer’s night, you’ll see the insects swarm. Many of them are rare, some so rare that this is the only place in Denmark they are found. Much of Amager’s vast wilderness is unfamiliar to people from the island and Copenhagen, but the King’s Grove has been a popular spot for so long that it featured in an 1848 operetta. The ambience among the many ageing trees is different to that on the open commons, where forests are only now beginning to gain a foothold. The King’s Grove is what many would call real forest. The birdlife in the Grove is varied, with over 300 species. During the migration season, bird watchers flock to Amager from all over Copenhagen. There is a birdwatching tower in the southern part of the Grove – with any luck, you’ll spot cranes and large birds of prey in the air. Not to mention the occasional jumbo jet, as the airport is close by.
If you like pheasants, send a kind thought to these woods, as this is where the colourful birds first bred successfully in Denmark. Most of the Danish pheasant population can be traced to the breeding stock brought here from Asia in the 1800s by Master of the Royal Hunt Baron Løvenskjold. Today the King’s Grove is a favourite destination for riders, joggers, nature-lovers and, in particular, people interested in insects. It is also a good place to pick berries, herbs and mushrooms, as well as wild garlic in the spring – just follow the scent. The King’s Grove is also the metropolitan area’s only west-facing beach. Kite-surfers are particularly fond of the south-west point – on a good day, with the wind in the right direction, they gather in their hundreds. Did you know? Deer and foxes live here, but there are no squirrels or badgers. This is because Amager is an island, and not all mammals like to cross the water.
Photo: Martin Rivero
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Sundby (Islands Brygge)
THE HARBOUR BATH HAVNEBADENE
Dive into the harbour Activities
Swimming, diving, water games, relaxation, sunbathing, rendezvous point.
History
There were baths in parts of the Copenhagen harbour area in the early 19th century. In 1902, another was opened at Gasværkshavnen in Vesterbro, where local children learned to swim. The Harbour Bath at Islands Brygge is on the site of the old Rysensteen baths, which opened in 1825 but had to close in 1954 because of health issues. The last bath was abandoned in 1960. Massive investment in rainwater tanks and sewage pipes turned the situation around, and in 2001, the water in the harbour was again declared fit to bathe in. Since then, the harbour has been clear of sewage, except during torrential rain, which can lead to overflows. When that happens, the Harbour Bath is closed until the water is completely clean again.
Nearby
Harbour Park, Christianshavn’s Ramparts, Amager Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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A green dream came true when the first locals were able to take a dip in the heart of the Port of Copenhagen, which had once been terribly polluted. In 2001 the water was declared clean enough for swimming, and the following year the first temporary harbour bath opened at Islands Brygge.
The Harbour Bath has its own lifeguard during the season, as do all the other baths open during the summer months. There are children’s pools, a diving pool and tower, and a proper exercise pool, where regulars swim lengths before going to work or getting down to their studies.
It was such a huge success, and so effective at cooling down the centre of town on hot summer days, that the bath was quickly made permanent, while the temporary facility was moved to Fisketorvet on the other side of the harbour.
The baths are also used in winter, and members of the local winter bathing club have access all year round. The club holds regular open events and would like to see the bath expanded, making it even more suitable for all-yearround use.
Since then, more harbour baths have been added, including the ‘Coral Bath’ at Sluseholmen. The Islands Brygge Harbour Bath is still by far the most popular, and has become a symbol of the new, green Copenhagen. Tourists gawp with a mixture of scepticism and envious amazement when they first see water-loving locals diving into the harbour, which just a few decades ago would have been an extremely unhealthy thing to do.
Did you know? Islands Brygge is by far the busiest of the harbour baths in Copenhagen. In 2013, it had 72,000 visitors. By comparison, the new Coral Bath had 8,000 and Fisketorvet approximately 12,000.
Photo: Scanpix / Linda Kastrup
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PUBLIC
GREEN SPACES account for about
A QUARTER OF TOTAL LAND IN COPENHAGEN.
Amager has the most,
NØRREBRO THE LEAST. Source: City of Copenhagen
The average person
IN COPENHAGEN THROWS OUT
345 KILOS OF RUBBISH a year, almost
A QUARTER LESS THAN A DECADE AGO. This corresponds to a total of
59 MILLION KILOS LESS WASTE. Source: City of Copenhagen Green Audit and Statistics
COPENHAGEN GREEN 71
Furesø, Gladsaxe and Ballerup
HARESKOVEN FOREST HARESKOVEN
A royal woodland experience Activities
Cycling, running, hiking, horseback riding, sledging and skiing in winter, campsites and shelters, fishing, role-playing, areas where dogs are allowed off of the leash, mountain-bike trails, fitness trail, small natural playgrounds, picnics, bonfires, berry- and mushroom picking.
Nature
Hareskoven’s varied landscape consists of hills, lakes, open spaces and deep forest. The most frequently sighted large animal is the deer. Foxes and badgers are also spotted from time to time. Much of the wetland and the lakes had been drained, as the city used water from the area. However, they are now being restored, and provide habitats for a range of amphibians and rare insects. The forest is now managed in a more natural manner, with fallen trees left for fungi and insects to use.
Nearby
Farum Lakeside Path.
Once a royal hunting ground, the forest is now open to all and has been heartily embraced by mountain bikers, runners, riders, and role-players. Others just enjoy the beauty of the beech trees. Every Sunday morning on the S-train to Farum, there’s fierce competition for the bike racks. Hareskoven Forest – actually forests, plural – is popular with cyclists. It’s home to Denmark’s first real mountain-bike route. Many more have since been added, but the ‘Red Track’, which runs for 25 kilometres through the forest, still attracts large numbers of cyclists and is suitable for beginners. There are plenty of winding, quirky paths through the trees, as well as straight roads that form the shape of a star. They date from the days of Christian V. He had the paths laid out for riding to hounds, in which the pack would chase its prey until it was exhausted, and the king or guest of honour would finish it off.
One of the oldest forests in Denmark, relics of the past abound in Hareskoven, including megalithic tombs and remnants of the Swedish siege of Copenhagen, when it was the site of an enemy encampment. By the time they retreated, the Swedes had felled and destroyed most of the forest, and the effects are still plain to see. Hareskoven is an exceptionally beautiful place to enjoy the Danish national tree, the beech, especially in its springtime coat of lively, neon-green or its golden autumn hues. However, the king of this forest is the oak known as ‘The Tailor’, the largest tree in the area. Did you know? Out towards the open plain, 100 new oak trees were planted by Copenhagen’s Muslim community in 2010.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Søren Svendsen
COPENHAGEN GREEN 73
Vesterbro
KALVEBOD BRYGGE GREEN WALKWAY DET GRØNNE STRØG / KALVEBOD BRYGGE
The most unexpected park in the city Activities
Cycling, skateboarding, walking tours, picnics, relaxation, small playground.
Nature
Trees, climbing plants and drought-tolerant herbs dominate. The garden in front of the Tivoli Hotel also has a large number of tulips. Insects and birds, such as the strutting white wagtail, have discovered this distinctive, moor-like habitat in the middle of the big city. The green roofs play a very important role in the environment, climate and natural world of the new Copenhagen. They collect rainwater, helping to prevent flooding during torrential rain; they clean the air and lower the temperature in summer; and they provide green recreational space in one of the most densely built up new parts of Copenhagen.
Nearby
The Wave, City Hall Garden, Islands Brygge Harbour Bath. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Rocky Nordic landscape. Sun-drenched Mediterranean heat. A mini adventure. Right where you least expect it, a stretch of green arises. Three distinct outdoor spaces, very different from any other park in Copenhagen. Much maligned Kalvebod Brygge is home to the Green Walkway. High up on second-floor level, it acts as a link between the SEB Bank’s headquarters, the National Archives and the Tivoli Hotel. In time, green roof gardens will connect everything in the area, all the way to Dybbølsbro. Skaters have long since discovered the entrance to the walkway at SEB Bank. The concrete soars upwards like a Swedish mountain, Nordic trees and herbs flourish – birch, willow and pine, mosses and hardy grasses. On a sunny day, it smells like a Swedish forest. But for the skaters, the main attraction is the many jumps, steps and hills, some of them up to 10 metres high. The second section of the walkway stretches to the roof of the Danish National Archives. The Archives’ large
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wall is inscribed with runes, which reflect on the ground, breaking the area up into smaller spaces. The only plants that thrive here are those that like thin, dry soil, especially strawberries, and drought-tolerant grasses and flowers. Small arbours with climbing plants and places to sit make this an ideal setting for anyone who wants to get away from it all, to enjoy a quiet read or packed lunch. The walkway ends at the Tivoli Hotel, where some of the fabulous elements from the famous amusement park have been given a new lease of life in a small garden and playground, complete with Chinese pagoda. This high vantage point provides scenic views over the water below – seemingly a world away from the heavy traffic nearby. Did you know? The green roofs are not strong enough for the machines normally used for landscaping, so everything has been done by hand – 6,000 wheelbarrows full of soil and plants were trundled up to the roof of the National Archives alone.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Sundby
AMAGER COMMON AMAGER FÆLLED
A playground for the new Copenhagen Activities
Outdoor pursuits, running, picnics, bonfires, hanggliding, model flying, BMX biking, cycling, horse riding, fishing, berry picking, sunbathing, ball games, hiking.
Nature
The rare penduline tit nests in the area, along with many breeding songbirds. At Grønjord Lake you will see red-necked grebe, greylag geese and reed warblers. A number of birds of prey visit in the winter. Foxes are frequently seen, as are deer, several varieties of frog and a small population of adders.
History
Amager Common takes its name from the fact that this is where farmers in the area once grazed their livestock. The northern part of the Common was used to empty latrines from time immemorial, and for much of the 20th century, the western part was used for landfill.
Nearby
Kalvebod Common, Sluseholmen, Nokken. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Amager Common is the magnificent Kalvebod Common’s busy little brother. Both Amager Common and Kalvebod Common only recently became accessible. Today, they form an oasis, playground and backyard for hundreds of thousands of people, especially the residents of the new homes in Islands Brygge and Ørestad. Amager Common is a place to play ball, ride, run, cycle, soak up the sun, have a picnic, barbecue, walk the dog, build dens, gather berries and flowers, or just relax on a bench with a book. There are also BMX and motocross tracks in the part of the Common closest to the Zealand Bridge (Sjællandsbroen). The Common certainly lives up to its name – it has something for everyone. In early summer, this is a wonderful place to listen to the bird chorus. You may even hear a nightingale, as several of them reside here, in bushes by the ponds. The southern retention pond is a popular fishing spot, while Grønjord Lake is a great place to picnic, drink coffee and watch the sun go down.
However, this area has not always been so idyllic. At one time, Amager was known as ‘Shit Island’ (Lorteøen), because this is where the city’s latrines used to be emptied. After that, the area was used for landfill. Some of the waste has been used to create a large hill that offers stunning views of the area and is popular with runners doing hill training. It is actually called Waste Mountain, but is popularly known as Mount Anna. Amager Common, Kalvebod Common and Kongelunden are part of the new Amager Nature Park. In time, even more activities and trails will be developed in this popular area. Did you know? Saying ‘Ama’r halshug’ (‘cross my heart and hope to die’ – but literally meaning ‘beheading’) when you swear to something stems from the days when Amager Common was a public execution site. The last execution here was in 1845.
Photo: Thomas Rousing
COPENHAGEN GREEN 77
Valby
VALBY PARK VALBYPARKEN
Valby wins Activities
Running, walking, inspiration for gardeners, picnics, barbecues, playground, ball games, kites, frisbee-golf course, windsurfing, kayaking, bird-watching, peace and quiet, sunbathing, relaxation. Skating on the lake during cold winters. Area where dogs are allowed off the leash. Occasional cultural events, including the Tuborg Green Concert.
Nature
Many birds and animals have their habitats here. In winter, large numbers of birds rest in the Kalveboderne bird sanctuary. There is even a ‘frog park’ – four small waterholes designed to give frogs the best possible living conditions. The diversity of flora attracts insects and butterflies, which are particularly fond of the flowering beds. The most prominent tree in the park is the Lombardy poplar. The kilometre-long poplar avenue is an impressive sight. The trees here are already tall, despite being only about 20 years old. Lombardy poplars grow very rapidly!
Nearby
South Harbour Tip, Karen’s Minde. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Wind blowing in the sails. The board slips across the waves and, for a while, nothing seems to matter except water, wind and sun. Valby Park is popular with windsurfers, who have their own small boathouse leading directly onto Kalveboderne. They come here almost all year round – except in winter, when surfing is prohibited because Kalveboderne is a bird sanctuary and attracts large numbers of resting waterfowl during the cold season. Valby Park is Copenhagen’s second-biggest park and its most varied, surpassed in size only by Copenhagen Common. A lot of people know it only by name, which is a shame. Once you get to know it, Valby Park may well become your favourite, because it has so many faces and so much to offer all year round. Its delights range from small, intimate gardens to large, open spaces with plenty of room for kites and ball games – and, uniquely among Copenhagen parks, direct access to the water. The water in Kalveboderne isn’t yet clean enough for swimming, but the City of Copenhagen and neighbouring local authorities are working together to change that. There are also plans for a big sandy beach here in the next few years.
But you don’t need to be a water lover to find something to do in the park. It is home to Denmark’s biggest nature playground, complete with hills, bridges and climbing walls, football pitches, cycle paths and beach volleyball – it’s all here, not to mention the ‘bonfire house’ where you can build a fire as long as you arrange it in advance with the playground staff. Among Valby Park’s highlights are its gardens. The oldest, the Rose Garden, contains 12,000 rose bushes. In high summer, the sights and scents here are overwhelming. The themed gardens are small green spaces inspired by diverse garden styles, including the Islamic Garden, Hans Christian Andersen’s Oriental Garden, the Low-pH Garden, the Water Garden and a garden designed specifically for vision-impaired people and wheelchair users. Did you know? Valby Park is on an old landfill site, and only opened to the public in 1939. Its conversion to a park was the City of Copenhagen’s first job-creation project for the unemployed.
Photo: Scanpix / Mads Nissen
COPENHAGEN GREEN 79
Østerbro
RYVANGEN MEMORIAL PARK MINDELUNDEN I RYVANGEN
Memorial to fallen Danish resistance fighters Activities
Calm, solemnity and reflection.
Nearby
Ryvangen Nature Park, Kildevæld Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Memorial Park was built on a site where German occupying forces executed 197 freedom fighters in the final years of the Second World War. Just like its ‘wild’ neighbour, Ryvangen Nature Park, it occupies land that was formerly owned by Svanemøllen Barracks and used for military training. Unlike its more natural neighbour, the Memorial Park is solemn and orderly. It is a place that invites tranquility and reflection. This beautiful garden, with its lawns, trimmed hedges and deciduous trees, is the resting place of executed resistance fighters and Danes who died in German concentration and labour camps. It consists of a number of different sections. Furthest from the entrance to Tuborgvej is the execution ground. Here, recreated in bronze, stand the poles to which doomed resistance fighters were tied. The site of the first executions by firing squad has also been preserved. In the park are three memorials: the Great Burial Field,
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where lie 106 of the executed resistance fighters; the Memorial Wall, bearing the names of 157 resistance fighters whose remains were never found; and the graves of those who died in Germany. Every year, on 4 and 5 May, ceremonies are held in Memorial Park to celebrate the liberation of Denmark, and wreaths and flowers are laid on the graves. Memorial Park is a state cemetery and should be respected. Dog walking, jogging, sunbathing and noisy behaviour are not allowed – but the neighbouring Nature Park offers plenty of opportunity for activities of this kind. Did you know? The shooting range behind Memorial Park is where the first executions took place. The area borders blocks of flats and allotment gardens in Ryparken. During the occupation, residents witnessed German soldiers arriving in trucks with Danish civilians. Then they heard gunfire. A memorial stone has been installed at the shooting range.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Lyngby-Taarbæk
SORGENFRI PALACE GARDEN SORGENFRI SLOTSHAVE
Romance and mystery in the palace garden Activities
Walking and jogging. Picnics and romantic natural scenery.
Nature
Old oak and beech trees and other deciduous trees and bushes. The garden has rich bird life and the Mill Stream is home to many waterfowl and herons.
History
The original Sorgenfri Palace was built in 1706. During the German occupation, King Christian X spent a long time under house arrest at the palace, until German troops shot their way in on 29 August 1943. The king did not surrender officially, but ordered the royal guard not to return fire.
Nearby
Mill Stream Valley, Bagsværd Lake.
The royals have always been good at finding the most beautiful spots on the map, and Sorgenfri Palace Garden is no exception. Located along the Mill Stream, just north of Lyngby’s bustling town centre, this wooded landscape garden offers a peaceful and idyllic contrast to urban and commercial life. It is a quiet oasis, but also offers adventure for the curious. Sorgenfri Palace, located in the middle of the palace garden, has been a royal castle since 1730. Sixty years after it was established, the garden was transformed into a romantic, English-style landscape garden straight out of a Golden Age painting. But even though the terrain looks natural, the Mill Stream is the only element that is not carefully planned.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
The private gardens nearest to the palace are used by the royal family and are closed to the public, but there is still plenty of space for a picnic, a jog or a walk. The winding paths are entirely in keeping with the concept of a romantic garden, and lead to one surprise after another. 82 COPENHAGEN GREEN
At the garden’s highest point, which offers views of the Mill Stream, is a grotto carved out of large, rough stones. Like much of the garden, it is designed to create mystery and provide a wonderful experience for visitors. Out by the Mill Stream is a memorial bench for the poet Viggo Stuckenberg who, due to financial difficulties, had to rent a room in the castle gardener’s lodge. Elsewhere, you come across the two small pavilions known as the Swiss House and Norwegian House. At the northern end is the Queen’s Well, where a ‘well woman’ sells schnapps for mixing with the fresh water from the well. The old vegetable garden features the remnants of an early-18thcentury trellis wall and the garden’s old fruit trees. Did you know? After the poet Viggo Stuckenberg moved into the Sorgenfri gardener’s residence, his wife, Ingeborg, tried to commit suicide but was saved by the gardener. She later eloped with him to New Zealand. Stuckenberg began a relationship with the gardener’s wife, and later married her after Ingeborg committed suicide in New Zealand.
Photo: Mikkel Grabowski
COPENHAGEN GREEN 83
Sundby
THE CLOVER FIELD KLØVERMARKEN
A clear view of the Copenhagen skyline Activities
Cycling, sunbathing, kite flying, football, dog walking and golf. Children’s playground.
History
From 1920, scheduled services flew from the Clover Field to Malmö. In 1926, two Danish military aircraft departed from there for Siam (Thailand) and Tokyo.
Nearby
The Christianshavn Rampart, Holmen and Christianshavns Canal Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
The Clover Field is a green haven with such high and wide-open spaces that stepping out onto them for the first time is simply breathtaking. From this, the only vantage point with a clear view of all of Copenhagen’s many classic spires and towers, it’s easy to imagine what the city looked like from a distance a hundred years ago.
In the early 20th century, this was the site of Copenhagen’s first airfield, from which the first daring flights were made over the city and out over the Sound. In the years following the Second World War, the largest refugee camp in Danish history was built here, housing 18,000 refugees from Germany.
The Clover Field has football and cricket pitches, tennis courts and weight-lifting equipment, and offers plenty of opportunities for other recreational activities, including cycling, sunbathing, kite flying, dog walking and golf. Young children explore nature’s wonders all year round in the nature workshop, and have fun on the playground’s climbing equipment. There are also bonfire areas and a maze fashioned from thuja hedges.
It was also here, in 1912, that Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin captured Copenhagen’s imagination when he landed his giant airship Hansa, on the first-ever Zeppelin flight outside Germany. Did you know? Count Zeppelin’s trip in 1912 was no mere courtesy visit – in fact, he was spying on Denmark in the run-up to the First World War, which broke out in 1914.
This is part of the demarcation line outside the old city ramparts, designed to provide a clear view of the open landscape and make it difficult for enemies to seek cover.
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Photo: Kontraframe
COPENHAGEN GREEN 85
Østerbro
THE CITADEL KASTELLET
History, recreation, nature and fortification Activities
Jogging, walking, playgrounds, picnic area, history, culture and nature. Guided tours are arranged by Friends of the Citadel (Kastellets venner): www.kastelletsvenner.dk. Open all year, 06:00–22:00.
Nature
There are 240 different herbs and types of grass in the Citadel, including garlic mustard, wild chervil, creeping campanula and shepherd’s purse. The moat is home to mallards, gadwalls, tufted ducks, coots, green-legged moorhens, mute swans, crested grebes, herons and cormorants.
History
The state prison form the era of absolute monarchy is still attached to the church at the Citadel. Struensee spent three months here prior to his execution in 1772. In 1945, Werner Best, the former head of the German administration in Denmark, was imprisoned here after the occupation.
Nearby
Østre Anlæg.
The area in and around the Citadel is a place of adventure, history, nature and recreation. For centuries, this old military area was a vital link in Copenhagen’s defence against attack from the sea. As you approach from the city centre, cross the moat to the Citadel and enter through the ancient, stately royal gate, you find yourself walking back in time to the 1660s. Sailors once dwelt in the long red buildings here, while the yellow building housed their commandant. Attached to the church is the prison where the famous Danish statesman Struensee, chained to the wall, awaited his execution. Encircling them all are ten-metre-high grassy ramparts, bastions with cannons and an old windmill. Visit in the right season and you will see wild tulips and beautiful white hyacinths. Just outside the Citadel is Churchill Park, home of the Gefion Fountain and St. Alban’s Anglican Church. Cherry trees blossom in the spring out by Langelinie, where
the Little Mermaid perches on her rock by the harbour entrance. There are children’s playgrounds at Langelinie and outside the Swedish Church, to the north-east of the Citadel. The Citadel moat is home to a rich population of waterfowl. On the ramparts and in the surrounding park, you can seek shelter under the sprawling trees, originally intended to foil the enemy’s attempts to survey the area during wartime, and to supply timber for stockades and repairs. The Citadel, which is Northern Europe’s finest and best-preserved fortification, and still houses military institutions, celebrates its 350th anniversary in 2014. Did you know? Every May, Langeline is the site of the Sakura Festival, which celebrates the blossoming of 200 Japanese cherry trees. The trees were presented to the City of Copenhagen in 2006 by the Danish honorary consul in Hiroshima, Seiichi Takaki.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 87
Inner City
CITY HALL GARDEN RÅDHUSHAVEN
Secret garden in the heart of the city Activities
Relaxation, cultural history, walks.
Nature
Tulips, rhododendrons, roses and other bushes. Against the wall are a few fig trees. These are rare in Denmark, because they love a hot climate. Today, they thrive in several places but require a sheltered spot – like this garden.
History
Copenhagen City Hall was built between 1892 and 1905. The architect was Martin Nyrop, who paid tribute to Copenhagen by taking inspiration from the city’s castles and manor houses. The City Hall is richly decorated throughout by some of the finest artists of the day, and a guided tour is highly recommended.
Nearby
Ørsted’s Park, Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, the Royal Library Garden Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Deep in the heart of City Hall is the City Hall Garden. In the midst of Copenhagen’s busiest, most hectic area, this oasis, with its birdsong and babbling fountain, offers an escape from the traffic on H.C. Andersens Boulevard. City Hall Garden is a welcome green respite in an area of heavy traffic. There are exquisite flowerbeds, including rhododendrons in the spring, and tables and benches are brought out during summer. The garden is a bit of a secret, even though it is signposted. It rarely has many visitors, but tourists from Japan are among the most regular, suggesting that it may feature in a Japanese guide book. It’s also popular with City Hall staff, who gladly swap their computers and paperwork for its greenery during their breaks. At the centre of the garden is a fountain, with a statue of a sitting bear that captures the water jets in its mighty jaws. The fountain has stood here since the garden was built, at
the same time as the City Hall. It was created by Joakim Skovgaard and Thorvald Bindesbøll, the same duo we have to thank for the Dragon Fountain on City Hall Square, a few hundred metres away. The bear is simpler than the Dragon Fountain – but still very impressive. City Hall Garden was originally called City Hall Courtyard and stretched out to H.C. Andersens Boulevard. It was popular with city residents, but when the boulevard was expanded the garden was temporarily closed to the public. It is open during the day, but it may sometimes be closed for private events. The garden is a popular place for guests to toast the happy couple after weddings at City Hall. Did you know? The City Hall Tower stands 105 metres high. Should you happen to be in the garden when the clock strikes, you will be deafened by the resounding echo between the walls.
Photo: Scanpix / Kennet Havgaard
COPENHAGEN GREEN 89
Frederiksberg, Nørrebro and Østerbro
THE LAKES SØERNE
Copenhagen’s old reservoir Activities
Jogging and cycling. Long walks. Rowing boats and pedal boats are available for hire on Peblinge Lake at Kaffesalonen, Peblinge Dosseringen 6, Copenhagen N.
Nature
Chestnuts, weeping willows and floating polygonum. Ducks and other waterfowl. Fish include perch, pike, tench, roach and bream. Crustaceans and zebra mussels.
History
The lakes were originally a single, long river valley, but in the Middle Ages part of the area was dammed off for milling. In the 17th century, the lakes were incorporated into Copenhagen’s outer defences, and used to supply water to the city. They have been split into five reservoirs since the 1720s.
Nearby
Classen’s Garden and Holmen Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Copenhagen’s Inner Lakes, popularly known as just ‘the lakes’, a string of large reservoirs outside the old ramparts, are among the city’s best-loved recreational areas. They stretch almost three kilometres from Østerbro to Nørrebro, Frederiksberg and Vesterbro. Promenades and wide grassy slopes line the water’s edge. A cycling and jogging track runs for 6.35 km around the three lakes – Sortedam, Peblinge and St. Jørgen’s – which have been split into five reservoirs. In late May, when the chestnut trees are in bloom with their clouds of white flowers, locals say that ‘the lights are on’ in the trees. You can witness this wonderful sight around most of the lakes. On the western side, small private gardens belonging to the rows of houses that border the public footpaths overlook the lakes. In winter, when the ice is thick enough, people skate on the lakes by the Pavilion (Søpavillonen).
There are several cafés with outdoor seating along the western promenade. In summer, rowing boats and pedal boats are available for hire on Peblinge Lake, just south of Queen Louise Bridge. Weeping willows grow on the banks of St. Jørgen’s Lake and floating smartweed, or polygonum, sprawls across the water. Did you know? The paths along the west side of Peblinge and Sortedam are called Dosseringen, which means a slope or a road on a slope. The path along the west side of St. Jørgen’s Lake is called Svineryggen, because local people thought that the dam looked like the back of a pig. The city stopped using the lakes for drinking water in 1959, when tadpoles and mosquito larvae started to appear in people’s morning coffee.
Photo: Scanpix / Mads Jensen
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Vesterbro
BUBBLE SQUARE BOBLE PLADS
Physical activities for all Activities
Football, climbing, street basketball, skateboarding, BMX, scooters, barbecues, picnics and music. The climbing forest is open on weekends and holidays, and you can book a slot on weekdays.
Nature
There isn’t a lot of natural scenery to look at here, apart from the tall trees in the climbing forest.
History
Apart from the small Jacobsen Brewhouse, beer hasn’t been brewed at Carlsberg since 2008. The old brewery grounds have since been used for a large-scale urban development project. Today, the area hosts science seminars, the Dansehallerne dance theatre, exhibition halls, an art book store and a supermarket. Plenty of homes and businesses are planned for the area, and Carlsberg City District will have its own S-train station in 2016.
In the heart of Carlsberg City District lies a square where physical activities are on the menu for all ages. Bubble Square is one of the most recent initiatives in one of the city’s new urban development areas. It is open all year round, and a trip here can be combined with a visit to J.C. Jacobsen’s peaceful garden or some of the other activities in Carlsberg City District. Bubble Square is a great place, with climbing frames for different levels of ability, a ‘ball wall’, football pitch and a street basketball hoop. The big asphalt ‘bubbles’ in the centre of the square are ideal for skateboards, scooters and BMX bikes. The square is floodlit on winter nights, and there’s a special area where you can enjoy a packed lunch or fire up the barbecue. Electricity sockets are on hand for your portable stereo. The whole square is buzzing with activity – not somewhere to go for peace and quiet!
And it’s mostly free, too. If you fancy a really stiff challenge, try the a ‘climbing forest’, which is for all ages and all levels of bravery. Try the cable that swings between the trees 30 metres up, or climb a high pole and imagine you are Saint Symeon the Stylite. In the middle of it all stands a bust of Carl Jacobsen, son of J.C. Jacobsen and founder of the New Carlsberg Glyptotek and brewery. There is a charge for the climbing forest, but it is guaranteed to be absolutely safe. A trip to Bubble Square can be combined with a visit to the Carlsberg stables to see the brewery’s big dray horses. Did you know? The new S-train station in Carlsberg City District will replace Enghave Station.
Nearby
J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden, the Southern Field, Western Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Ty Stange
COPENHAGEN GREEN 93
Rudersdal
JÆGERSBORG FOREST JÆGERSBORG HEGN
A marsh for romantic picnics – and dogs Activities
Walking, jogging and cycling. Nature, picnics, barbecues/bonfires.
Nature
Beech, birch, oak, larch, bog bilberry, cranberry. Ravens, badgers, foxes, goshawks, deer, squirrels.
History
People have lived in Jægersborg Forest since ancient times. In the 1850s, King Frederik VII liked to stay and hunt in Skodsborg, as he could spend time with Countess Danner here without people turning up their noses at her, as they did in Copenhagen.
Nearby
Mill Stream Valley, Dousbad Swamp and the Priest’s Plain. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Jægersborg Forest is located north of the Deer Park and the Mill Stream. The northern part, by Skodsborg Station, offers a wealth of exciting things to see and do outdoors. It was originally a part of Deer Park, but is today a separate wooded area with marked trails and an exercise route. And, not least, it is home to Bøllemose Bog. Bøllemose is one of the natural jewels of Jægersborg Forest, just 500 metres from Skodsborg Station. This large bog gives the entire area a marshy quality – when you jump, the whole forest floor shakes. With its brown, nutrient-poor water, this is a rare gem. On a hot summer’s day, you will even see snakes basking in the sun or swimming in the water. By the marsh are several spots for lighting fires, a wild campsite and a large number of self-sown birch trees. The area is surrounded by tall beech trees and dense undergrowth. Both the forest and the bog are inviting destinations for a romantic stroll or picnic in the countryside.
If you’re lucky, you may encounter badgers, foxes and the occasional raven, and many old dead trees that are home to insects, fungi, and birds that nest in hollow trees, such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and creepers. The northeastern part, between Kystebanen and Strandvejen, features a forest where dogs are allowed to run free. Ever since the Coast Line opened in 1897, the people of Copenhagen have taken the train to Skodsborg and enjoyed picnics in Jægersborg Forest. Did you know? In 1880, Bøllemose was the haunt of a group of young thugs. They may have been lured here by the intoxicating effect of the bog bilberries that grow in this peaceful, romantic woodland.
Photo: Scanpix / Henrik Pyndt Sørensen
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Ørestad
THE ØRESTAD CANALS ØRESTADS KANALER
The blue thread that runs through Ørestad Activities
Sailing, skating in winter, bike tours, walking tours. In the centre of Ørestad, out towards the Common, there is a 1.4-km ‘health trail’, where those who are so inclined can test their fitness and get in some outdoors exercise. There is also a 4 km ‘heart path’ that is particularly suitable for a brisk walk or Nordicstyle walking. The ecosystem here is still fragile, so swimming and fishing are not permitted in the canals in Ørestad. However, Kalvebod Common and Amager Common offer several good fishing spots.
History
The plans for the area are inextricably linked with the Copenhagen Metro, which was partly financed by selling land for development, including in Ørestad. The first residents moved in here in 2004. Today there are close to 9,000 people in the Ørestad neighbourhoods, which are linked to the inner city by the Metro.
Nearby
The Amager Nature Centre, Amager Common, Sluseholmen Canal District. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Kayaking, cooling off in summer, ice-skating in winter – the canals are the lifeblood of Ørestad. The blue thread that runs through Copenhagen’s new district on Amager isn’t just there for show. Visitors can go boating on the canals or relax by their banks and enjoy the reflection of modern buildings and blue skies in the water. Ørestad rises like a miniature Manhattan over Amager Common and Kalvebod Common. Where once were flat ground, landfill and military training facilities, there are now exclusive and innovative homes, right next door to Amager Common and Kalvebod Common – and everything is linked together by the canals, which wend their way from north to south. These waterways have their own ecosystem, and are home to ducks, herons and fish. In summer, kayaks and small boats throng the canals, which are made for sailing. Boats and kayaks can be borrowed by over-15s at a number of locations, including the 8-Tallet café in Ørestad South by Kalvebod Common and Kong Kaffe in the University area.
The canals are not just there to look pretty; they serve an important practical purpose as part of Ørestad’s flood defences. Excess storm water is discharged into the canals, which lead out into the harbour mouth. And should there ever be more water than the canals are able to siphon off, the lakes and wetlands on Amager Common and Kalvebod Common are easily capable of taking up the slack. All of this is controlled by the Ørestad Water Guild, which also monitors the thickness of the ice on the canals in winter. If the ice is thick enough, the canals are swept for skating. Did you know? Please do not feed the ducks and fish in the canals. One kilogram of dry bread contains about the same amount of nourishment as 500 litres of sewage and is capable of destroying the ecological balance in the water.
Photo: Scanpix / Christian Lindgren
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Vesterbro
SØNDER BOULEVARD Fun in the sun on the central reservation Activities
Sunbathing, play, ball games, relaxation, urban life, cycling, walking, picnics.
History
In the 19th century, the beach came all the way up to where Sønder Boulevard is today. But as Copenhagen ran out of space, the beaches were filled in and the city spread. Vesterbro was – and still is – one of Denmark’s most densely populated areas. Sønder Boulevard dates back to the early 20th century, but 100 years later little remained of the original plans for a grand, noble street. A new plan was drawn up thanks to the hard work of the local council, residents and the City of Copenhagen, and the new Sønder Boulevard has become one of the city’s most popular local green spaces.
Nearby
Enghaveparken, Sluseholmen, Fisketorvet Harbour Bath. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Come here on a summer morning, when the sun is gathering strength and Vesterbro slowly starts to open its eyes after the night’s excesses. That’s when Sønder Boulevard stretches out its green arms and is gradually taken over by locals with their coffee, beer, food and prams. The atmosphere is both high octane and laid back. Newcomers arrive throughout the day, and in the evening the smell of barbecues and takeaway food from the many local eateries floats along the one-and-a-half kilometre boulevard. The area in front of the local convenience store, Kihosk – a mix of grocer’s, coffee shop, newsagent, bookshop and beer specialist – is particularly popular. If the story of the Ugly Duckling had been about a road, it would have been about Sønder Boulevard. Until a few years ago, it was neglected, polluted and rough at the edges. Today it is a long, much-loved park occupying the central reservation that runs from Halmtorvet to Enghave Station, a transformation inspired by the wishes of local people.
Trees, bushes, grass and flowers have been planted, and the park offers table tennis and has cages for basketball and other ball games. There’s a popular playground for toddlers, shaped like a rough sea, complete with sinking ship. Electric sockets are available in two locations to power music or a coffee machine, for those holding an event on the Boulevard (you need authorisation in advance for this). During the Distortion festival, Sønder Boulevard is packed to the gunnels and reverberates with the party atmosphere. Currently, part of the area is enclosed behind green fences, due to construction work that will connect Vesterbro to the Metro system. The fences are regularly embellished by graffiti artists and are well worth a look. Did you know? The spot where the sinking ship ‘Trinidad’ is now situated was actually the beach in the 19th century.
Photo: Scanpix / Christian Als
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Albertslund, Glostrup, Høje-Taastrup and Ballerup
THE WEST FOREST VESTSKOVEN
The perfect playground Activities
Hiking, biking, health trail, fishing, nature playgrounds, dog woods, star watching, bird watching, horse riding, running, picnicking in the open air or in picnic huts, accommodation in a shelter or your own tent, bonfire sites and huts, cultural history, football, skiing, sledging, live-action roleplaying, berry and fruit picking. On the first working day of each month, you are allowed to drive up Herstedhøje. Café, exhibition and nature activities for groups in Herstedhøje Nature Centre at the foot of the hills.
Nature
Extremely varied, with marshes, meadows, plains, young, growing forest, river valley and lakes. Diverse birdlife, including migrating birds, but also many breeding pairs, especially birds of prey and songbirds. It is a good place to hear nightingales. There is a birdwatching tower at Harrestrup Bog. West Forest has Denmark’s densest population of deer. Other mammals include foxes, badgers, squirrels and rabbits. Highland cattle act as four-legged nature conservationists. Many of the lakes have good fish stocks
The West Forest is the best playground in the west of the city. It is close enough to the centre of Copenhagen for you to see the capital’s towers and spires from the highest points on Herstedhøje. In fact, in a way, you are actually in a part of Nørrebro up here – the hills were fashioned from building waste from projects like the ‘Black Diamond’ and the urban renewal of Nørrebro back in the 1970s and ’80s. The relatively new hills say something about the age of the forest. This is Denmark’s youngest big forest, growing hand-in-hand with the Copenhagen suburbs on what were previously fields and meadows. With its lakes and marshes, rivers valleys, meadows, hills, paths and growing trees, the West Forest is a centre for so many activities that there isn’t enough space to list them all. There are several playgrounds in the forest, bicycle paths including mountain-biking trails, dog-exercise woods, riding trails and health tracks, running routes, hiking trails, bonfire sites and camping areas. When it
snows, there’s cross-country skiing and sledging down Herstedhøje – which is high enough to tickle the pit of your stomach as you whizz down. In winter, the nearby museum at Kroppedal often organises stargazing sessions here. The famous astronomer Ole Rømer had a country observatory in the area, the remains of which are still visible in the forest near Porsemosen. And don’t be surprised if you encounter a knight, a medieval doctor or an orc here – the forest is popular with live-action roleplayers. Did you know? There had been plans for a West Forest since the 1930s, but it was only following a campaign by the newspaper Politiken in the 1960s that the public mood turned the plans into reality. The first tree was planted in 1967. Since then, more than 10 million have been added.
Nearby
Albertslund Cycle Route, the Western Ramparts. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk 100 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Scanpix / Christian Lindgren
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People who live
A MAXIMUM OF 300 METRES
FROM A GREEN AREA have markedly
BETTER HEALTH THAN THOSE 1,000 METRES AWAY.
Those who live close
TO GREEN SPACES: » are more physically active » are less stressed » have fewer mental health problems
« « are slimmer «
suffer less pain function better socially
Source: University of Copenhagen, SUSY Green Study, 2011
52 %
OF COPENHAGEN’S POPULATION
~ about 293,000 people ~
CYCLE
TO THEIR PLACE OF WORK
or study ~
MORE THAN TWICE the national average. Source: City of Copenhagen
Sundby
KASTRUP FORT KASTRUPFORT
An idyll among the bullet holes Activities
Picnics, relaxation, history, running, play, cycling.
Nature
Grass and old trees. Recently, a lot of scrub has been cleared and the contours of the fort now stand out more clearly. The fort is surrounded by a moat, with fish including roach, perch and silver carp. There are many small birds at the fort, but not many by the moat, possibly because escaped mink steal eggs and chicks in that area.
Nearby
Amager Beach Park, Kongelunden, Kalvebod Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Once, guns were positioned here. Now, there are benches and picnic tables. Today, Kastrup Fort – or Kastrup Battery, as it was once called – is a place for leisure and relaxation. But it once had a grim purpose.
In some places, there are bullet holes in the wall, and legend has it that deserters were shot here – but sceptics point out that this is an impractical place to execute people, there being no way for blood to drain away.
Copenhagen had been bombarded by the British in 1807. After Denmark lost the second Schleswig War in 1864, it faced a serious security problem. Denmark was now a small, vulnerable country. It was vital to fortify Copenhagen, both on land and at sea, so the capital could at least be defended until help could arrive from friendly nations.
Nowadays, the Fort is more idyllic. The stairs and hills pose a challenge for runners, there’s a playground for kids and, for those who have had enough of Amager Beach, the fort is a great place to shelter from the wind and sand and noise.
Kastrup Fort is a testament to that time. It was built in 1886–1887 to defend from attack by sea from the south. During the First World War, 300 soldiers were stationed here in readiness for war. The fortification was abandoned in 1920. When Amager Beach opened for the citizens of Copenhagen in 1933, Kastrup Fort and its surrounding green spaces were used as a public park. Before it was taken over by the Germans during the Second World War, the park had an open-air theatre and several places to drink.
The fort is only open during the day; its doors close as the evening draws in. Did you know? From 1950 to 1963, the fort’s courtyard was used as an open-air cinema during the summer months. There were 1,200 seats and 3,000 standing places. During good weather, visitors could enjoy daily newsreels, cartoons and travel movies for free.
Photo: Stine Trier Norden
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Christianshavn
CHRISTIANSHAVN’S RAMPARTS CHRISTIANSHAVNS VOLD
The treasures of the old ramparts Activities
Walking and jogging, children’s playground, sunbathing, picnics, barbecues, and lots of nature and culture.
Nature
The main tree species to be found here are ash, maple and hawthorn, and you’ll also see wild cherry, chestnut and rowan. There are about 60 different breeding birds on and near the ramparts.
History
Christian IV built the ramparts in the 17th century, together with the market town of Christianshavn, on a shallow, swampy area between Copenhagen and Amager. The ramparts are 3 km long, with 12 bastions and a moat, now called the City Moat.
Christianshavns Ramparts form a playground for children and a place to enjoy long runs. The old bastions and paths along the moat also make a great walking route. There have been trees and shrubs here since the fortifications were built in the 1600s, and out on the moat live coots, moorhens, grebes and swans. You can hang out on the green slopes, enjoy nature from one of the many benches and explore the host of cultural monuments. In spring, the ramparts are in bloom – but the pretty hawthorn originally served a very practical function, providing a barbed-wire defence against the enemy.
Nearby
Holmen and the Blue Route. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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There are plenty of places to settle down with a picnic, special barbecue areas, and restaurants and cafés on the ramparts. The adventure playground features many challenges for children of all ages, including a ‘hamster wheel’ that recharges cellphones.
It’s possible to walk around the entire ramparts, which include part of Christiania. On the Elephant’s Bastion, dogs are allowed to run free, as long as you bring a bag and clean up after them. The ramparts stretch for some considerable way, so there is always a peaceful spot and a slope facing the sun. It’s perfect for lonely wanderers, romantic dates or family outings. The ramparts are also packed full of fascinating history and right next to the city centre. Did you know? The Little Mill on the Lion’s Bastion was the last mill on the ramparts. Today, it is a restaurant and museum. Just inside the door of the old miller’s house are urns containing the ashes of the last couple to own the mill.
Photo: Scanpix / Henrik Pyndt Sørensen
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Vesterbro
SAXO PARK SAXOPARKEN
Green oasis in a concrete desert Activities
Playground, ball games, nature and environment guides, relaxation, green inspiration, picnics, barbecues.
Nature
The work to make the green area a good habitat for plants and animals has been successful. Many birds now live here. Saxo Park is also a demonstration garden, showing how an urban garden can operate sustainably, collect rainwater, flourish without the need for too many hands-on helpers, and still provide plenty of fruit, herbs and vegetables.
Nearby
The Shooting Range Garden, Enghave Park, Kalvebod Wave. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Much of the densely populated Vesterbro seems far removed from any green areas. However, sandwiched between tenements and backyards, nature continues to thrive, not only in large, private gardens, but also in small public parks like Saxo Park, which is also home to the district’s nature and environment workshop, the Tree Stump. The long, narrow park was established as part of the many urban-regeneration programmes in Vesterbro. The clearing out and cleaning up of backyards and vacant lots created green opportunities for the local population – something that was particularly badly needed in Vesterbro. The few existing green areas were also revamped at the same time. Today, in the heart of the concrete jungle, Saxo Park is an example of how to live sustainably alongside nature, and hosts events for youngsters and their parents throughout the year. With the help of the nature workshop, Saxo Park has been transformed, not into a manicured park but into
a wild urban garden with bees, an insect hotel, herbs, shrubs and lots of activities that let children get their hands dirty, as well as giving them food for thought. This is why the Tree Stump was awarded the City of Copenhagen Environment Prize. True to the spirit of the place, it is housed in what used to be a public toilet. Before it became a nature centre, it had been closed for more than a decade and was a complete mess, covered with graffiti and ripe for demolition. Today, you’ll find kids baking bread over a fire here, grinding flour or conducting experiments with earthworms and compost. Or you might encounter adults looking for inspiration to make their own backyards greener and more attractive to animals and plants. Did you know? The Tree Stump is part of ‘Blooming City’, which involves local residents adopting and looking after plant beds. In 2013, 42 beds were adopted by people in Vesterbro.
Photo: Rikke Milling
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Gentofte
CHARLOTTENLUND FOREST AND PALACE GARDENS CHARLOTTENLUND SKOV OG SLOTSHAVE
‘Come with me into the grove’ Activities
Walking, jogging, cycling. Orienteering. Dog walking, picnics and sunbathing.
Nature
Beech, oak and the two historical larch trees. Among the many bird species are hawfinches, short-toed tree creepers, cuckoos, tawny owls, wood warblers, nuthatch, mistle thrush and great spotted woodpeckers.
History
The first inn in the Grove opened in 1663, offering ‘all sorts of fun and games to while away the time’. From 1730 to 1930, the royal family used the castle. It was named Charlottenlund after Frederik VI’s sister, Princess Charlotte Amalie. The site was given to her, and the palace built on it.
Nearby
Charlottenlund Fort and Bernstorff’s Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Charlottenlund Forest consists of both rather wild deciduous forest and well-tended parkland. It also has a popular ‘dogs’ forest’ where our four-legged canine friends are allowed to run free. Dotted throughout the forest are 30 orienteering posts for public use. At the heart of the forest is Charlottenlund Palace, which is surrounded by a beautiful park that is under a conservation order. The forest was converted into a royal deer park before the ‘real’ Deer Park was established near Klampenborg. Since the 17th century, better-off Copenhageners have used ‘Lunden’ (the Grove), as the area was called, for recreation, entertainment and drinking. The old Liva Weel song, ‘Come with me to the Grove’ (Gå med i Lunden) is from a 1932 movie that was filmed here and at the racecourse that is still to be found next door. The forest consists of old beech and oak trees and small lawns, connected by natural paths tramped by countless feet over many years. The palace gardens around the castle were originally in the Baroque style, and the allé still runs from the palace down to Strandvejen. In the late 19th century, the gardens were converted into the
English landscape style. On the lawn behind the castle are two large 300-year-old larch trees, planted when the royal family took over the castle. Almost all of Denmark’s entire population of larch trees is descended from these two specimens. But it is not only in recent times that people have appreciated this place. Around the forest and park are 15 ancient mounds, evidence of early settlements overlooking the Sound. In the south-west corner of the forest lies the Botanical Garden, with its large variety of rare and exotic trees and plants. It was for many years a somewhat wild and neglected area, but thanks to local activists, who created the association Forstbotanisk Haves Venner (Friends of the Botanic Forest), the garden has now, in collaboration with the Danish Nature Agency, been restored. Did you know? The last reigning monarchs to live in the castle were Frederik VIII and Queen Louise, who died in 1926. Christian X was born there. In front of the castle stands an obelisk in memory of the last royal couple to inhabit it.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Vanløse
RØDKILDE PARK Lose yourself among the wild cherry trees Activities
Nature playground, jogging, ball games, sunbathing, dog walking and picnics.
Nature
The adventure playground is set in a deep forest of beech trees, wild cherry and evergreens.
History
A century ago, what is now Rødkilde Park was nothing but countryside. The park is built on agricultural land from two farms.
Nearby
Degnemose Bog and Bellahøj Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Most people know Rødkilde Park as the large green park situated between two long, beautiful avenues of lime trees rising towards Bellahøj from Hulgårdsvej. It is also known as the location of Vilhelm Bissen’s sculpture Youth on Horseback. But in another part of the park, hidden in a small forest, you’ll find an imaginative adventure playground.
next to the beautiful Bakkehusene houses, which are now listed. Inspired by Nyboder, and built 1921–23, these were among the first modern terraced houses in Denmark, built as a counterpoint to (and protest against) the rampant rise of apartment buildings at the time. They were an attempt to bring back a form of housing that had been typical of Danish towns in days of yore.
Located up toward Bellahøj and surrounded by trees and bushes, the playground’s treasures include a ropeway, a water-pump system, a ship’s hull, a small cave, a slide, natural sandy areas and lots of wooden bridges. In the bushes, you can play hide and seek and be completely concealed in the wild cherry trees. There are also tables and benches to enjoy your own food and drink.
Five years after the construction of the six long rows of identical terraced houses, each with its own garden, Rødkilde Park was added as a green oasis on the outskirts of the city.
The big lawn has plenty of space for ball games and sunbathing. In the south-western part of the park, you’ll find proper pitches for ball games. And you’re also right
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Did you know? From 1938 to 1967, in the neighbouring area (now called Bellahøjmarken), an annual cattle show was held at which farmers from the whole of Zealand would show their animals. Facilities in the area include a campsite.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Lyngby-Taarbæk (The Deer Park)
DOUSBAD SWAMP DOUSBAD MOSE
The swamp with the ancient, magical troll forest Activities
Plenty of opportunities for walks, jogging and cycling. Riding trails and pony trekking for children at Fortunen, in the south-west part of the Deer Park. Picnics and horse-drawn carriage trips. Skiing, tobogganing and skating in winter.
Nature
Apart from the alder in Dousbad Swamp and many beech trees, the Deer Park is known in particular for its many ancient, solitary oaks and hawthorns.
History
The Deer Park – officially named Jægersborg Deer Park – was adapted for riding to hounds, inspired by France, and as a supplement to the royal household, as the Court ate its way through 1,000 deer a year at the time. In 1900, Denmark’s last recorded duel was fought in Deer Park, between theatre critic and later editor of the Politiken newspaper Edvard Brandes and actor Robert Schyberg, who had been the subject of a bad review. Neither was hurt but both were sentenced to 14 days in jail because duels were forbidden.
It looks like a troll forest straight out of The Hobbit. At any moment, you expect a small, hairy creature to emerge from the mud or from behind one of the many misshapen alder trees with their roots deep in the damp, swampy ground. In fact, the only thing you are likely to encounter here is a herd of deer or a lonely wanderer who has strayed into this little-known part of the Deer Park. This old coppice section of woodland is part of the original forest, which dates back to the 13th century, long before Frederik III decided to make the current Deer Park a royal hunting ground in 1669. Farmers from the nearby village of Stokkerup would fetch wood from the coppice in Dousbad Swamp for fuel and timber. Posts, poles and fences were all cut from the trees here, which are common alder. The term ‘coppice’ means that the tree is regularly cut down to the root, so new shoots form.
The trees here still bear the marks of this original pruning, visible in the overgrown ‘foot muffs’ that have spread like knots just above the roots. Over the last 400 years, the trees have been allowed to grow more freely, although the wet soil does inhibit their growth. When the king set up the Deer Park, the Stokkerup farmers were ordered to demolish their homes and move elsewhere. As compensation, they were granted a threeyear tax exemption. Did you know? All that remains of the original village is Stokkerup Pond on Heremitage Plain, 200 metres south-west of Hermitage Palace. Due to its special enriching qualities, mud from Dousbad Swamp was used in baths at the popular Klampenborg Spa (built 1844). Part of the spa has now been turned into The Red Cottage (Den Røde Cottage), a restaurant on Strandvejen.
Nearby
The Priest’s Plain in the Deer Park and Raadvad. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk 114 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Søren Rud
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Nørrebro
BANANNA PARK A success story in Nørrebro Activities
Ball games, skate park, running, cycling, rollerblading, playground, table tennis, barbecues, picnicking and climbing frame. You must be a member of Nørrebro Climbing Club to climb here. The park is lit up in the evenings.
Nature
Lawns and ‘jungle’ consisting of self-seeded deciduous trees, cherry trees and bamboo bushes.
History
Originally, the area was a big, sprawling wasteground with polluted soil, used by locals and institutions as an ad hoc playground. At one point, the land was destined for housing, but thanks to a local petition, the construction project was stopped and the land purchased and cleaned up by the city council. In 2010, what had once been known as “the poisoned ground” was turned into BaNanna Park.
Nearby
Balder’s Square and Superkilen.
BaNanna Park is a success story about a toxic old wasteground that has been transformed into an exciting, attractive, green haven for locals and anybody else who wants to use the many amenities in this urban park. The name comes from the big, yellow, banana-shaped embankment that makes a great skate park – and, of course, from its location on Nannasgade. As you enter, you are greeted by a 14-metre-high climbing frame, almost like a triumphal arch. The park itself is divided into three areas: ‘the jungle’, ‘the lawn’ and ‘the square’. There are two playing fields, one with blue Astroturf and one with grass, while the big yellow ‘banana’ also serves as seating for spectators. Around the lawn runs a large, oval path for running, biking and roller-skating.
playground for toddlers, with all the kit they could wish for. Just inside the triumphal arch is space to sit and enjoy your packed lunch and a drink or fire up the barbecue, and admire the large gable-end paintings that adorn the surrounding houses. BaNanna Park is both beautiful and exciting, a spiritual oasis in the middle of densely populated Outer Nørrebro. Not only does it bring a breath of fresh air to the area, but it also helps cool it down during the hot summer months. Did you know? Pocket parks are small green areas in the city. Often created on old wasteground, they are used for recreation, generating fresh air and helping to cool the city down in the summer.
The ‘jungle’ – a cluster of self-seeded deciduous trees, cherry trees and bamboo bushes – is well named, as it really feels like a tropical rainforest. Behind this is a
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Thomas Lekfeldt
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Frederiksberg
ROYAL DANISH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GARDEN HAVESELSKABETS HAVE
An antidote to the stress of the city Activities
Gardening inspiration, peace, relaxation, walks, picnics. Dogs and bicycles are not allowed. The garden is open around the clock.
Nature
Some of the trees and hedges are more than 100 years old, and date back to the garden’s earliest days. There are many rare trees and flowers, and the varied vegetation, together with streams and ponds, provides good living conditions for birds and insects. There are many songbirds and other small birds. As for mammals, squirrels have found out that the garden makes an excellent pantry. No chemicals are used here, partly to provide the best possible conditions for the bees and other pollinating insects, and partly to inspire other Danish gardeners to do the same.
Nearby
Frederiksberg Garden, the Southern Field, Enghave Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Water gurgles from one of the many small fountains. A red squirrel shimmies on the yellow-tinted wall. The sun glimmers through the treetops, casting fine, flickering shadows. Frederiksberg Gardens’ discreet neighbour has its own distinct mood – and a sense of deep tranquillity. You won’t be overtaken here by breathless runners or busy cyclists. Bikes are banned from the garden and must be carefully parked by the entrance. The Royal Danish Horticultural Society Garden is designed for serenity and inspiration. It occupied several sites before finally settling here, near Frederiksberg Palace, which you may catch glimpses of as you explore the garden. The grounds were once part of the palace garden, but after it lost its status as a summer residence and there was no longer a need for the vegetable gardens, the Horticultural Society moved in. The idea was that the garden would be a place where people
could find help and ideas for their own gardens, and that remains the case today. As you warm your back against a sun-drenched bench overlooking the fountains, ancient trees and statues, there is a wonderful feeling that you’ve stepped back in time – but this is no museum garden. It is renewed periodically, as new ideas and ideals gain ground. Coming from Frederiksberg Runddel, the entrance to the garden is by Brøndsalen, part of an old spa where visitors could take the spring water from the well, which was believed to be curative. Today, the garden provides an antidote to city stress. Did you know? The garden has its own beehives, and honey produced here is on sale at several places in Copenhagen.
Photo: Scanpix / Mads Jensen
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Gentofte
BELLEVUE BEACH PARK BELLEVUE STRANDPARK
Flypaper, functionalism and fun for all Activities
Swimming, beach volleyball, picnic, showers.
Nature
Several old hardwood trees on Stauning’s Lawn and in Cottage Park.
History
In the 19th century, Klampenborg Spa and Baths were set up in what is now called the Cottage Park, north of Bellevue. Here, the architect Gottlieb Bindesbøl built a number of small cottages. The Yellow and Red cottages have survived to this day – both are now gourmet restaurants.
Nearby
Dousbad Swamp and the Priest’s Plain. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Bellevue isn’t just any old beach. The whole beach, park and surrounding area have played a key role in recent Danish cultural history. And the beach itself is still one of the most popular in the Copenhagen area. As soon as the water and sand reach the appropriate temperature, the season’s latest swimsuit fashions are aired at Bellevue. This has been true ever since the park opened in 1932, when the 700-metre artificial beach was quickly nicknamed ‘the flypaper’ because bathers are often squashed so closely together. Today, it is not just the Sound’s waves that attract people. The two beach-volleyball courts are particularly popular, and on Stauning’s Lawn, named after the prime minister who inaugurated the park, people shelter from the sun under the trees, spread out blankets for picnics and relax with a book.
At the same time as the beach park was established, the architect Arne Jacobsen built his iconic, functionalistic Bella Vista housing estate and the Bellevue Theatre, also known as ‘the White City’, on the other side of Strandvejen. They are now listed. In the middle of Stauning’s Lawn sits a small, beautiful thatched house known as the Yellow Cottage. It now houses a restaurant but was once the entrance to a large spa complex. Arne Jacobsen also made his mark on the beach – he designed the service buildings, which today house shops and showers. Did you know? Dousbad Swamp in the Deer Park supplied mud for baths at the spa. Cottage Park, just north of Bellevue Beach, features a forest where well-behaved dogs are allowed off the lead.
Photo: Stine Trier Norden
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Lyngby-Taarbæk
RAADVAD VILLAGE RAADVAD
A historic gem surrounded by nature Activities
Nature, walking and jogging, fishing, history, wild camping, cooking over a bonfire.
Nature
The area around Raadvad features 400 different species of flora, from anemones, coltsfoot, beech, oak and willow to edible mushrooms in the autumn. The pond is home to roach, pike and bream. Bird life includes woodpeckers, nuthatches, tree creepers, kingfishers and the occasional osprey.
History
The millpond was artificially created to dam the Mill Stream and operate the water mill more effectively. Knives and bread slicers were made in Raadvad until 1973.
Nearby
Dousbad Swamp, Mill Stream Valley and the Priest’s Plain.
The preserved village of Raadvad and its millpond, Raadvad Dam, together form a historical, isolated pocket in the heart of the forest, on the border between the Deer Park and Jægersborg Hegn. The surroundings have hardly changed in three centuries. With a bit of luck, you’ll see osprey and kingfishers foraging in the pond. This area is an authentic part of Denmark’s history. One of the country’s first industries was founded here, next to the Mill Stream, in the mid-17th century. Gunpowder, flour and metal were among the local products, and over time a small village grew to house the workers at what would eventually become Raadvad Knife Factory.
Mill Stream. There is direct access to the Deer Park via the red gate, or you might choose to explore Jægersborg Hegn, with its lush flora and fauna. Raadvad has a youth hostel in the old village school. In the Stampeskoven woods, less than a kilometre away, there is a wild camping and bonfire site. Fishing with rods is allowed in the Mill Pond at Raadvad (no permit necessary). Did you know? Since 1986, the Centre for Building Preservation has been housed in Raadvad’s old industrial buildings, where traditional crafts and building techniques are kept alive and practised.
Today, the village looks just like it did more than 200 years ago and is one of the most beautiful places imaginable in which to reflect on history or embark on a trip along the
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
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Gentofte
CHARLOTTENLUND FORT From fort to public park Activities
Ball games, play, sunbathing, swimming, picnics.
Nature
Reeds, broadleaf bullrush, yellow iris, plain meadowsweet, grey willow, alder, hairy willow herb, loosestrife, gipsywort, water mint, bittersweet nightshade and bent grass.
History
The beach was originally part of Gentofte Deer Park, established in 1622 by King Christian IV. Later, Gyldenlund took possession of the land. When Charlottenlund Palace was built on the site in 1886, Crown Prince Frederik – later King Frederik VIII – leased the northern section, razed the park and divided it up into vegetable gardens.
Nearby
Charlottenlund Forest and Palace Gardens, Bellevue.
Charlottenlund Fort isn’t just an old military fort. It is also an exciting and beautiful park with a popular swimming beach and bathhouse. It lies between Charlottenlund Forest and the Sound, and its open green spaces provide the setting for a host of leisure activities. It affords opportunities for sunbathing, play, ball games, picnics and a dip in the waves of the Sound. The fort was built below Charlottenlund Palace as part of the fortifications around Copenhagen in 1886–88. In 1910, it was converted into a regular sea fort, one of several designed to protect Copenhagen from attack from the sea. A high earth rampart was built around the whole area, along with a 30–40-metre-wide, three-metre-deep moat. You can still see the old cannons on the ramparts and the remains of the dense scrub intended to help protect against invading enemies.
Today, the fort and its surroundings at the beach constitute a popular recreational area, which has also been used for concerts. Inside the fort itself is a campsite, while there is a restaurant on the ramparts, facing the Sound. Outside the fort, the park is dominated by large, open grass commons dotted with trees, and small garden spaces bordered by close-cropped hedges – ideal spots for a quiet picnic. The baths at the beach are private, but can be used in summer for a small charge. Did you know? The fort and the park have been public since 1932. Rock concerts were once held at the fort but these were stopped as a result of complaints from local residents. Opera is still staged here though.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Arne Magnussen
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Christianshavn
ARSENAL ISLAND ARSENALØEN
Sport, play and relaxation on Holmen Activities
Ball games, kite flying, walking, jogging, mountain-bike path, picnics, sunbathing, play and relaxation.
Nature
Lots of wild deciduous trees in the ‘forest’.
History
Arsenal Island was originally a small independent island just north of Christianshavn, called Motzmann’s Square. It was used to store naval guns, but as space became tight, the island had to be expanded.
Nearby
The Blue Route, Christianshavn’s Ramparts, Dyssen. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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For many years, Arsenal Island was a well-kept secret, known only to a few people on Christianshavn and residents of the new buildings at Holmen. But now, thanks to the creation of a multipurpose hall and the blue kayak route, more people are becoming acquainted with this artificial island, where the fleet’s weapons and ammunition were once kept. Arriving at Holmen from Christianshavn, the first things you spot are the large, green sports fields, running tracks and rugby pitch. The pitches can be booked in advance, but are otherwise freely accessible. As well as playing ball games, locals love to fly kites here. Between the pitches and the Laboratory Ditch (as the canal here is known), stands a new, big red multipurpose building known as Hall C. But it is not just used for indoor activities. Wooden terraces have been erected beside the canal on several levels, some continuing right into the water. They are south-west facing, and are therefore a perfect place to enjoy the sun, have a picnic, meet up with friends, play and perform. The canal is part of the Blue Kayak Route and is also designed as a rafting course.
A new local cycle path, the Christianshavner Route, will go through the area. In addition, a new promenade and relaxation area are planned, facing Laboratory Ditch. Behind the playing fields, toward the south-facing part of the canal, lies a small wild wooded area, which is still a secret to many. There are plenty of opportunities for play here. The big, challenging mountain-bike course that threads through the trees is popular among local kids. Along the waterfront is a wide path used by runners and walkers. The Danish Scouts have a centre at the southernmost tip of Arsenal Island, with a campsite and cabins. Scouts from around the world stay here, combining camping with city life. Did you know? On the north side of Arsenal Island is the housing complex known as ‘Half Eleven’. The name dates back to the naval days, when the gunboat sheds were in building no. 11. The three sheds next door were named ‘Half Eleven’.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Bispebjerg
LERSØ PARK AND ALLOTMENT GARDENS LERSØPARKEN OG KOLONIHAVEPARKEN
Ball games, play and picnics among the allotments Activities
Picnic, ball games, playground, sledging, cycling, running and walking.
Nature
Deciduous trees and shrubs. Various wild herbs like wild chervil (cow parsley), ground elder, smallflowered balsam and greater celandine, buttercup, hops, medick, clover and garlic mustard.
History
The name Lersø (literally ‘clay lake’) comes from a large lake that was originally on the site, stretching all the way from Lyngbyvejen to Nørrebrogade, by the now-defunct Lygten Station. The lake once provided some of Copenhagen’s water supply.
Nearby
Bispebjerg Cemetery and Ryvangen Nature Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Lersø Park is a large, green area opposite the old main entrance to Bispebjerg Hospital. Under a conservation order, it’s surrounded by large trees, school gardens and scrubland. Here, you’ll find full-sized football pitches, a playground and one of the city’s best hills for sledging. In continuation of the park, along the S-train line between Ryparken and Bispebjerg, is a big conservation area with allotment gardens that is open to the public. The point of the conservation order for the park and allotments is to stop this green wedge from ever being developed. There are almost 400 allotment gardens. Although they are private, the whole area is steeped in traditional Danish allotment culture, with public footpaths, and the green areas between the allotments make ideal picnic spots. The Green Bicycle Route goes through both Lersø Park and the allotments, connecting the area with other green and open spaces in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg.
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The dedicated exercise route, known as the City’s Green Pulse, that connects the parks and green spaces in Nørrebro, North West and Brønshøj, also goes through Lersø Park. From here, there are views of the beautiful and imaginative Bispebjerg Hill housing development designed by the artist Bjørn Nørgaard. With its natural materials and curving, organic shapes, this is a work of art in itself and adds a novel edge to the beauty of this protected area. Plans are afoot to reopen the underground river, Lygten, which used to flow through the parks, and to grow a wild forest that will attract even more animal species. Did you know? In the late 19th century, Lersø gradually became overgrown. It was eventually replaced by a wild area where several hundred destitute people, known as ‘the Lersø rowdies’, lived in caves and huts.
Photo: Scanpix / Lars Bahl
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Dragør
DRAGØR SOUTH BEACH DRAGØR SYDSTRAND
Salt and seals The air is filled with the shrill trilling of the oystercatcher. The sun has barely risen, but early summer on Dragør South Beach is a busy time for the many breeding birds. Activities
Running, bird watching, hiking, swimming, fishing, relaxation, picnics, kite-surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, horseback riding (with a permit from the Nature Agency), peace and quiet.
Nature
Salt marshes with several rare plants and animals. Many waterfowl. At the right time of year, this is a great place to watch migrating birds. Occasional seals and many fish. Garfish are caught from the beach in season.
History
Tourism came early to idyllic Dragør. The first people to flock here were artists. After the Amagerbanen railway reached this small town in 1907, it became a popular destination for more affluent Copenhageners. Dragør really took off after the Holiday Act of 1938 gave everyone the right to holidays. Today, it is hard to believe that South Beach was once Copenhagen’s answer to Sunny Beach.
Nearby
The King’s Grove, The Amager Coastal Path, Pinseskoven Forest.
Dragør South Beach is a beautiful rarity in the Copenhagen area. It is a tidal meadow with salty lagoons, flourishing grasses and lots of birds – the flat landscape allows them to spot enemies approaching from far and wide. The meadow is constantly changing. The waves both give and take, moving sand from one spot, depositing it elsewhere. Sometimes the meadow is completely flooded, so only the most salt-tolerant plants thrive here. They include chive-like sea pink, which forms large, bright green carpets when it blooms in late spring. For Dragør’s residents, South Beach is a jogging route, a place to blow away the cobwebs after a busy day or just somewhere to walk and enjoy the scenery. It is also good for swimming, as the bottom is sandy and the water fresh. You may even be lucky enough to spot a common seal.
A large group of them live on Saltholm, and sometimes visit the beach. South Beach has changed drastically, but in a way that runs contrary to the usual tide of progress. In the late 19th and early 20th century, this was a lively holiday resort with beach hotels, campsites, guesthouses and restaurants. However, its popularity gradually dwindled, and eventually part of the area was used as landfill. The last campsite closed in 1980. However, Dragør Sea Bath remains, and if you continue along the beach to Søvang, you can swim from the country’s longest wooden pier, 279.1 metres in length. And it just so happens that Dragør’s postcode is 2791… Did you know? The swimming jetty in Søvang is almost 100 years old. It features in the famous old Danish film Ved Kongelunden (By Kongelunden). In 1998, it entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest jetty in Denmark.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Johnni Balslev
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Inner City
ST. PETER’S GERMAN CHURCH SKT. PETRI KIRKES ANLÆG
A time warp at the heart of the medieval city Activities
Relaxation, contemplation and fun for kids. Open all year. The church is open every day during the summer, 11:00–15:00. The burial vault and herb garden are open during the same period. Entrance: DKK 25.00. For guided tours of the church, burial vault and herb garden: Call (+45) 33 13 38 33, Monday–Thursday, 09:00–12:00.
Nature
Green trees and lawns.
History
There has been a church on this site since the 13th century. The present church dates from the 15th century and is the oldest in Copenhagen. If you could look through the floor of the burial vault, you would see the remains of hundreds of corpses stacked over three floors. St. Peter’s has been the church of the German-speaking Lutheran congregation in Copenhagen for more than 400 years.
Nearby
The Academic Senate Yard, Ørsted’s Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Peace and quiet reign behind the high cemetery walls around St. Peter’s German Church, in the middle of Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter. This is an oasis that speaks to the soul, the eye and the imagination. There has been a cemetery on this site since the Middle Ages, and in the 18th century it was used for plague victims. Now, the graves are long gone, replaced by plants, stone benches, lawns and an open space where children play. With a good book, newspaper or iPad in your hand, this time warp provides tranquility in the heart of the city, refuge behind the thick walls of the church and cool shade beneath the tall deciduous trees. The oldest parts of the church date back to the early 15th century, and the bricks are from the brickworks that gave its name to the neighbouring street, Teglgaardstræde. Today, the church is a place of worship for Copenhagen’s German community.
A long baroque chapel extends from the church, with richly ornate brickwork that’s pleasing to the eye and stimulating to the imagination. Inside the cool chapel, a number of Copenhagen dignitaries have been laid to rest in impressive mausoleums. Behind the burial vault is an enclosed herb garden on a site that used to serve as a cemetery. On the wall facing Skt. Peders Stræde, as if to underline the site’s history, stands Niels Hansen Jacobsen’s symbolist sculpture ‘Death and the Mother’, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale ‘The Story of a Mother’. Did you know? The popular Danish name for the area around Skt. Peders Stræde is ‘Pisserenden’ (The Pissoir). Skt. Peders Stræde 29 houses Copenhagen’s oldest functioning bakery.
Photo: Stine Trier Norden
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96%
OF THE POPULATION of Copenhagen
(ABOUT
550,000 PEOPLE)
HAVE ACCESS ~ ON FOOT ~ TO A
GREEN AREA, beach or harbour bath WITHIN 15 MINUTES. In 2007, the figure was 63%. Source: City of Copenhagen
Children who play in NATURE PLAYGROUNDS ARE LESS SUSCEPTIBLE
TO SICKNESS, have better motor functions AND CONCENTRATE BETTER
THAN CHILDREN WHO
PLAY INDOORS or in traditional
PLAYGROUNDS. Source: Outdoor Daycare (Ute p책 dagis), Swedish report
Østerbro
HOLMEN CEMETERY HOLMENS KIRKEGÅRD
From naval graveyard to celebrity resting place Activities
History, walks, peace, tranquility and reflection.
Nature
Lime beech and traditional graveyard plants. Crocuses and butterfly bushes.
History
In 1794, former church minister Laurids Smith was the first person to be allowed a stone monument. As a compromise, it was located just outside the cemetery fence, where the main entrance is located today. The minister was known for his love of animals, so a statue of a dog rests at the foot of the memorial, which has been renewed several times by a local animal welfare society. Today a small group of feral cats, neutered and released by the cat charity Kattens Værn, lives in the cemetery. Local animal guardians look after them.
Nearby
Garrison Cemetery, Classen’s Garden and Østre Anlæg Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Unlike the army cemetery on the other side of Dag Hammerskjölds Allé, which has been described as a ‘charming mess’, there’s plenty of order in the navy’s counterpart, Holmen Cemetery. There are carefully laid-out paths, a long, straight avenue of lime trees and trimmed low beech hedges. But it wasn’t always like that. Holmen Cemetery is Copenhagen’s oldest cemetery still in use. It was founded in 1660, when the graveyards within the city walls began to become overcrowded. At first, it was a cemetery for naval ratings and destitute sailors, and was named the Ship Graveyard. However, memorials, in the form of gravestones or wooden crosses, were not allowed, so the more affluent naval officers didn’t want to be buried there. Also, grazing cattle from the surrounding fields used to wander in and mess up the graves. In the late 18th century, the place was made more orderly. A moat was dug around the cemetery and a hawthorn hedge was put in place to keep out the cattle. At the same time, a tight plan was drawn up for the cemetery, which eventually gave permission for memorials. A long, beautiful poplar avenue was established, running
diagonally through the cemetery. It was named Admiral’s Passage in tribute to the site’s origins. Tall lime trees have since replaced the poplars. From the entrance to the chapel, funeral corteges proceed along avenue, which leads into three straight paths that form a half-star shape. The current monumental wooden chapel dates from 1902. Over the years, its distinctive design, modelled on a Norwegian stave church, has been much-criticised by aesthetes. Today, Holmen Cemetery is one of the city’s peaceful oases, where parents stroll with prams and pushchairs and settle down on the benches, and where many wellknown artists from the past two centuries are buried. Did you know? The cemetery has several major monuments, including one for around 500 sailors who perished during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801. Among the VIPs in the cemetery are the Golden Age painter Otto Bache, actress Johanne Luise Heiberg, author Christian Winther, composer Hans Lumbye, writer Emma Gad, dancer and choreographer Harald Lander, actor Kjeld Petersen, journalist Gunnar ‘Nu’ Hansen and the Social Democratic politician Svend Auken.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Christianshavn
DYSSEN AT CHRISTIANIA DYSSEN PÅ CHRISTIANIA
Peace and tranquility in the ‘unknown’ part of Christiania Activities
Walking, jogging and cycling. Nature and play.
Nature
Ash, maple, hawthorn, elder, rowan and wild cherry. Chiffchaff, willow warbler, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat, swans, coots, moorhens, grebes and herons.
History
Dyssen is a low rampart in front of the moat. The idea was to fire cannons from behind it. Solid, arrow-shaped gunpowder magazines were built here, situated far enough from the defences not to destroy them in the event of an explosion.
Nearby
Christianshavn’s Ramparts, Arsenal Island, Clover Field. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Everybody knows Christiania, but very few have visited Dyssen, the long, narrow strip of land parallel to the free town, on the eastern side of the city moat. This is the ‘unknown’ Christiania, a place to run, walk or cycle in relative peace and quiet, watch the birds on the water and in the trees, wave to the residents or find a quiet spot to relax. Dyssen (literally dolmen or cairn) is part of Christianshavn’s ramparts, but was built about a century after the rest of the defences, as a low secondary rampart outside the moat. Unlike the old Bådsmandsstræde Barracks, which were occupied and turned into the free town of Christiania in 1971, Dyssen was outside the barracks area. The only buildings here were the old powder magazines. The area had no electricity and was almost completely untouched until Christianites moved into the old magazines and started building new homes amidst the greenery.
Along the two-kilometre Dyssen path, which is reached from Christiania by bridge or from Holmen in the north, there are ash, maple, hawthorn, elder, rowan, wild cherry and other self-seeded deciduous trees and shrubs. Enjoy the birdsong from the scrub, perhaps while you hunt for edible snails. In the moat you will spot nesting swans, coots, moorhens and great crested grebe. There’s lots for children and adults to discover in this glorious green space, including many species of butterfly. It’s also a great place for a picnic. Did you know? Dyssen was the site of Denmark’s last execution ground. Twentynine people faced the firing squad here after trials in the aftermath of World War II. The final one, in June 1950, was the last ever execution on Danish soil. The concrete floor and drain are still visible.
Photo: Kontraframe
COPENHAGEN GREEN 139
Sundby
AMAGER BEACH PARK AMAGER STRANDPARK
Costa Copenhagen Activities
Swimming, relaxation, running, rollerblading, ball games, diving, underwater activity courses, snorkelling, windsurfing, kite-surfing, kayaking, sailing, picnics, barbecues, sunbathing, hiking, play areas for children, concerts, sporting events. Dogs are allowed on the beach, but only on a leash – and during the bathing season, only on designated paths. There is an area just north of the beach where dogs are allowed to run free. Outside the bathing season, fishing is allowed throughout most of the area.
History
The area was originally swampy, shallow water. It was gradually reclaimed, and the first Amager Beach opened in 1933. The idea of improving the beach was suggested as part of the Metro project. In 2005, the new Amager Beach opened for the first time.
Nearby
Amager Common, Kastrup Fort, Kongelunden. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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It’s never been so easy for the people of Copenhagen to go to the beach. And go they do. In huge numbers. Amager Beach Park has become one of the city’s hubs of activity in the summer season, but there’s activity here all year round. Just five kilometres from City Hall Square, and with three Metro stations almost on the dunes, Copenhagen’s big beach offers something for everyone, no matter their age. In its present form, the beach isn’t even 10 years old yet, but it’s already difficult to imagine Copenhagen without it. This is not the beach to find peace and quiet on a hot summer’s day, unless you arrive very early in the morning. In the high season, people flock here to swim, sunbathe, run, cycle, sail, kayak, snorkel, try out the underwater activity pitch, windsurf, kite-surf, picnic, paddle, build sandcastles, people-watch, rollerblade, play beach volleyball, lift weights and much, much more.
Fortunately, the beach is big enough to accommodate all of these activities. Like Køge Bay Beach, its big brother to the south, Amager Beach Park was created by building a new beach further out from the original shoreline, creating both open beach and protected, kid-friendly lagoons. The Helgoland Baths were also rebuilt in a new but familiar form. The old popular gathering points, Femøren and Tiøren, look the same as ever, full of life and activity, and continue to host concerts. On summer evenings, the atmosphere is quite Mediterranean, with large groups of families and young people gathering to eat and enjoy themselves until long after the first stars appear in the sky. Did you know? Femøren and Tiøren were named after old Danish coins. One explanation for this is that people used to come here to dance, and the entrance fee was Femøren (the five-øre coin). Tiøren (the ten-øre coin) got its name simply because it is larger than Femøren.
Photo: Scanpix / Jan Djenner
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Nørrebro, Frederiksberg and Bispebjerg
THE GREEN PATH/ NØRREBRO ROUTE DEN GRØNNE STI/NØRREBRORUTEN
Cycle path full of surprises Activities
Cycling, picnics, hiking, playgrounds. Nørrebro Park and Superkilen have a particularly wide range of options. There is a small playground near the Frederiksberg Centre.
Nature
The route mostly runs through parkland, much of which features large trees and numerous birds. Flowers, grass and flowering bushes. If you are up and about early, you may spot foxes, particularly in the northern section.
History
The Nørrebro Route started out as a pilot project in 2008. Since then, it has served as a model for several other green cycle routes.
Nearby
Superkilen, Frederiksberg Garden, Valby Park.
Riding along the cycle route that runs diagonally through Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, gives you the same feeling as seeing a city from a train. You get a glimpse of its private life. The Nørrebro route offers surprising insights into what lies behind the façade of Copenhagen. Maybe this isn’t really all that remarkable – the route runs along an old railway route through Frederiksberg. The trains now run underground as part of the Metro. Elsewhere, the route runs past trees so tall that the city feels far away, even though you’re in the heart of the capital. You pass several parks and activity areas on the way. Although the bike path is mainly used by commuters, it’s a popular destination for outings as well.
It runs past back gardens, parks, allotments and housing blocks, and new things to see and do emerge all the time, including the Superkilen park and activity area with its Red Square in Nørrebro, the bike and pedestrian bridge over Åboulevarden, and the green, undulating landscape of the campus at Copenhagen Business School. The vast majority of the route is on actual cycle paths, but at some points the path runs alongside roads and traffic. Pedestrians are allowed to use the route too, and there are plenty of benches long the way. A total of 40 kilometres of green routes run through Copenhagen; the Nørrebro route is just one of them. The plan is for 110 kilometres of cycle routes through green areas within the next decade.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
The route is almost 10 kilometres long and runs from Lyngbyvej in the north to Valby in the south. The Frederiksberg section is called the Green Path, but the name is equally apposite for much of the route. 142 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Did you know? In 2013, the Nørrebro Route was awarded the Town Planning Prize, which Copenhagen has only won twice before.
Photo: Scanpix / Mikkel Østergaard
COPENHAGEN GREEN 143
Østerbro
THE GARRISON CEMETERY GARNISONSKIRKEGÅRDEN
A charming and atmospheric shambles If you think the army does everything in straight lines, tight forms and massed ranks, think again. Not in the Garrison Cemetery! Activities
Exploring history and the cemetery maze. Relaxation and reflection. Dog walking. Opening hours from 08:00 to between 16:00 and 21:00, depending on the season.
Nature
Deciduous trees, shrubs, thuja and box trees.
History
Founded as the ‘soldiers’ cemetery’ in 1664. Plague cemetery from 1711. Garrison Cemetery from 1723, with burial sites for military personnel and civilians. The cemetery houses a large monument to the fallen in the wars of 1848–50 and 1864.
Nearby
Holmen’s Cemetery, Classen’s Garden, Østre Anlæg Park and the Lakes. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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The author Peter Olesen dubbed it “a charming and atmospheric shambles” and he couldn’t have been more right. Unlike the naval cemetery, further down on the other side of Dags Hammerskjölds Allé, the army’s graveyard is a colourful hodgepodge of labyrinthine paths, dark corners, soaring thuja trees, box trees in attractive shapes, and little hidden squares where you will stumble upon trees and monuments. It’s a great place for people of all ages to explore. Let the sun, the silence and history take hold of your imagination.
Originally a damp meadow, it was classified as the ‘soldiers’ cemetery’ in 1664. In the early 1700s it was extended to accommodate plague victims, and in time it came to be used as an ordinary cemetery. Visiting it is like walking through several chapters of the history of Denmark, during which you encounter the graves of unknown fallen soldiers, senior military commanders and well-known cultural figures from both the recent and distant past. Did you know? Among the cultural figures interred here are Tivoli’s founder, Georg Carstensen, cookbook author Kirsten Hüttemeier, designer Verner Panton, actor Buster Larsen, Major General Olaf Rye and Minister of War A.F. Tscherning.
Sandwiched between the American, Russian and British embassies, the cemetery forms something of a buffer zone, and extends almost the entire length of Dag Hammerskjolds Allé.
Photo: Kontraframe
COPENHAGEN GREEN 145
Inner City
THE ACADEMIC SENATE YARD KONSISTORIEGÅRDEN
A square with a sense of history Activities
Peace, quiet and a sense of history.
Nature
Lime trees and ivy.
History
The square is surrounded by a wealth of historical buildings. Kommunitetsbygningen (an old student residence) faces Nørregade, and its oldest parts date from the 16th century. The Academic Senate House, which is Copenhagen’s oldest surviving house, was built around 1520. The blue-black Professor Villa from 1732 is in a style called Citizen Baroque. The main building facing Frue Plads and the adjacent Ceremonial Hall dates from 1836. Frue Plads and the Church of Our Lady, the city’s cathedral, were designed by F.C. Hansen and built in 1826. There has been a church on this site since around 1200.
Nearby
St. Peter’s German Church (Skt. Petri Kirkes Anlæg). Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Students and prominent intellectuals have frequented the Academic Senate Yard ever since the University of Copenhagen was founded more than 525 years ago. Enter the courtyard through the large, solid gateway facing Frue Plads, pass through the deep, arched port, and a small, cobbled square opens up before you. In the middle stands a tall lime tree surrounded by ‘Ove’s Bench’, named after former University Rector Ove Nathan. At the back of the University’s old main building, ivy covers the walls, turning a spectacular burgundy in autumn. Opposite the entrance is Copenhagen’s oldest secular building, the Academic Senate House (Konsistoriehuset), which dates from around 1420. This was originally the residence of the Catholic Bishop of Copenhagen, but following the Reformation, and for many years afterwards, it housed the supreme university body, the Academic Senate – members of which have included famous figures such as Ludvig Holberg, Adam Oehlenschläger, Ole Rømer and Niels Bohr.
Peer through the pointed-arch cellar windows in the Academic Senate House, and you’ll catch sight of the medieval dungeon where rebellious students were incarcerated. Sit back on Ove’s Bench, enjoy the changing colours of the ivy leaves and feel the history. You may even find yourself in the company of one of the prominent intellectuals of our own day. Did you know? The door into the yard is painted in a colour known as Copenhagen Green. The shade emerged in 1809 following the discovery of chrome yellow, which results in a deep green when mixed with the classic colour Parisian blue. It was originally called Amsterdam Green and was brought to Copenhagen by Dutch immigrants.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Østerbro
ØSTRE ANLÆG PARK ØSTRE ANLÆG
Nature galore, art, and space to play Activities
Playgrounds, walking and jogging, picnics, barbecues, nature and art.
Nature
Birch, oak, alder and willow trees. Rhododendrons, roses, wild tulips, chicory and St. John’s wort. Fifty different species of bird, butterflies, dragonflies, water nymphs as well as roach, perch and bream in the lake.
History
Østre Anlæg Park was created ‘with soft waves, hiding places and lookout points’, as landscape architect H.A. Flindt described it. He also designed the Botanical Garden and Ørsted’s Park. Since it opened, the contours of the park have been altered by the addition of two art galleries.
Nearby
In the long, undulating terrain of Østre Anlæg Park, the soft contours of the old ramparts, which were transformed into an English-style park in 1879, are still visible. It immediately became a popular destination for the people of Østerbro. Today, the park attracts locals of all kinds, but is a paradise for children and art lovers in particular. The younger generations frolic on grassy knolls, hide in thickets and sledge on the hill in front of the National Gallery of Art. Special playgrounds cater for toddlers, there’s a play area with ball cages, a paddling pool, a basketball court, a fishing boat and tennis courts. It’s teeming with nature too, with a birch grove, a rose garden, a rhododendron garden, bracken, wild tulips and herbs like chicory and St. John’s wort. After dark, you
might be lucky enough to hear the ‘to-wit to-woo’ of the night owl, just one of 50 different species of bird found here, along with butterflies, dragonflies and squirrels. The park has several barbecue sites and picnic tables, but if you prefer, just spread a blanket on the grass. There are also two art galleries – the Hirschsprung Collection and the National Gallery of Art – both of which offer discounts for children. Did you know? A lot of work goes into making Østre Anlæg the city’s most birdfriendly park. It has probably the only high-rise birdhouse in Copenhagen. A roof has been attached to a dead tree, into which holes have been drilled to create bird apartments, with sticks as small balconies.
Botanical Garden, the King’s Garden and the Lakes. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Torben Huss
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Gentofte
GENTOFTE LAKE AND BROBÆK BOG GENTOFTE SØ OG BROBÆK MOSE
A pure delight Activities
Running, play (there is a playground at the southern end of the lake), hiking, fishing, boat rides, nature, bird watching.
Nature
Many birds and insects. During summer, many small birds inhabit the scrub, including songbirds such as the nightingale and song thrush. A wide range of web-footed birds and waterfowl are found at the lake. Around Brobæk Bog, nature is allowed to take care of itself. As a result, a jungle-like atmosphere is emerging, with toppled and dead trees that provide good habitats for both birds and insects. The area also boasts an unusual number of orchid species.
Nearby
Utterslev Bog, Bernstorff’s Park, Charlottenlund Palace Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Gentofte Lake is quite a surprise. As the crow flies, it is just eight kilometres from City Hall Square and has a busy motorway on one side. Yet this is one of the country’s cleanest lakes, and the nature here is unusually rich and varied. Neighbouring Brobæk Bog is a conservation area, with an alluring, jungle-like atmosphere. Brobæk Bog is often colloquially called ‘Insulin Bog’, because it has been used as a recreational area for diabetes patients at the Nordic Insulin Laboratory, now part of Novo Nordisk. The forest in the northern part of the bog has not been cultivated by humans for half a century, but has been allowed to develop naturally. This has given plants and animals good conditions in which to thrive – several rare orchids are among the natural riches that grow here. The bog was originally part of Gentofte Lake, but the lake was drained and used for peat extraction, so is much smaller nowadays.
Runners know that the route around the lake is 2.5 kilometres, and can be expanded by straying from the path. With beautiful vistas along the way, it is a popular route for runners and walkers. The old Gentofte village once stood by the lake. Few traces remain, apart from some old yellow buildings from 1795. These were part of the hosiery factory belonging to the Scot, Alexander Mitchell. He built his factory by the lake because it needed large amounts of water for dyeing and bleaching stockings. The lake also provided drinking water for Copenhagen right up to 1959, and the water is still very clean – in fact, it is one of the ten cleanest lakes in the country. You can hire boats on the lake, and fish from them if you have a permit. Fishing permits are available from the council. Did you know? Carp from the lake were served at Christian IV’s court. Some specimens here can grow as large as 10 kg.
Photo: Scanpix / Anders Tvevad
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Nørrebro
BALDER’S SQUARE BALDERS PLADS
Parisian vibe in deepest Nørrebro Activities
Relax, enjoy the sun and surroundings, picnicking, coffee and games. Flea market on Saturdays during summer.
Nature
Tall lime trees, beech hedges, butterfly flowers and various lilies.
History
The area was developed between 1874 and 1901 and many of the streets are named after the old Norse gods – including Balder, the most beautiful of all the Aesir gods and the son of Odin and Frigga, king and queen of Asgard.
Nearby
BaNanna Park and Superkilen. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Balder’s Square is one of the oldest squares in Nørrebro, dating from when the area was developed in the late 19th century. Standing out from the rest of the neighbourhood, it has an exclusive, Parisian atmosphere with beautiful, stately apartment buildings surrounding a large, open space. One of the most atmospheric squares in Copenhagen’s inner city, it is used by local residents who enjoy their packed lunch and a beer or coffee from the local café at the many tables and benches toward Baldersgade. The inviting ambience tempts you to take a seat, as the absence of shops makes this area both peaceful and relatively unknown.
The square is inextricably linked to the adjacent Baldersgade. The original cobblestone paving and pollarded lime trees are still found along the pavement’s edge. In a continuation of the square along Baldersgade, behind a low, red-painted picket fence you’ll find a public playground with a football pitch, benches, a roller-skating rink and a climbing frame. Residents of the area have formed the Balder’s Square Guild (Balders PladsLaug), which organises events. Did you know? The 2000 Danish film Near Here (Her i nærheden), starring Frits Helmuth, Githa Nørby, Henning Moritzen and Thure Lindhardt, was filmed in the area around Balder’s Square.
Between the tall, old lime trees and trimmed, low beech hedge, there is plenty of space for children to play ball games. During summer, a flea market is held here every Saturday.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Christianshavn
THE BLUE ROUTE DEN BLÅ RUTE
Kayak your way through history Activities
Kayaking and sailing on boats small enough to be dragged over the slipways. There are plenty of places to go ashore. Picnics. If you don’t have your own kayak, there are several places to hire them. Alternatively, sign up for a guided tour.
Nature
Many breeding waterfowl, including swans and coots. Try not to disturb them in the breeding areas. Dragonflies are seen hunting above the water and the area is generally good for insects; a number of rare species are found here. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Nowadays, Holmen is an idyllic place of trees, birds, beautiful buildings and green embankments – but it was once Denmark’s busiest workplace. The new kayak route through the Port of Copenhagen is also a journey through a slice of military history, as well as a safe alternative to the harbour entrance, with its heavy traffic. Kayaking has become one of the most popular ways of seeing Copenhagen while also getting in some exercise. But the harbour can be a stressful place to kayak, a bit like cycling on a motorway. So it was a dream come true for many kayakers when the Blue Route opened in 2013. It runs parallel to the harbour for six kilometres, from Toldboden in the north to the Black Diamond in the south, but in the far more peaceful waters behind Holmen and through the Christianshavn canals. The dream didn’t fully come true – that would have involved removing the two dams that block the sea route.
Instead, slipways have been installed so kayaks can be dragged over the dams. But it is still a marked improvement on the past. The route has the added bonus of being a beautiful trip through a historic neighbourhood that has only recently been opened up to the public. Starting in 1690, Holmen served as a naval base and dockyard for 300 years. The pride of the Danish Navy was built here, and the whole area was dedicated to building and servicing the fleet. Many dilapidated traces of those days remain, but when drifting by in a kayak, you get a feeling of serenity and a sense of how green the area has become. Did you know? Holmen was officially closed as a naval base in 1993, but the fleet still has a base in the area and the Navy’s military academy is still located there.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Indre By
THE KING’S GARDEN KONGENS HAVE
From royal garden to firm public favourite Activities
Sunbathing, picnics, ball games, pétanque, playground, puppet theatre, music and entertainment. The park is open daily all year round, 07:00–17:00 or 07:00–22:00, depending on the season.
Nature
Lime trees, chestnuts, ash, willow, beech, Japanese cherry, tulip trees, crocuses, roses, perennials. Squirrels and many bird species.
History
When Christian IV’s palace was built in 1607, it included a pleasure and herb garden to provide the court with fruit and vegetables and entertain royal guests. At that time, it was in an open area outside the city.
Nearby
Botanical Garden, Østre Anlæg Park and Israel Square.
The King’s Garden is the oldest park in the city and has existed for more than 400 years. Originally a private royal garden, it today attracts approximately three million visitors every year. On hot summer Sundays, you might have to fight for space on one of the lawns. In summer, the puppet theatre stages two performances every day (except Mondays). The park first opened to the public in 1770, and they quickly embraced it as the only large, open area within the ramparts at the time. Today, the paths are still as straight as in Christian IV’s day but little else remains of the original garden. It has in fact changed style several times. It is famous for the many tall trees along its two old avenues, the Knight’s Path (Kavalergangen) and the Lady’s Path (Damegangen), and for its crocus lawn and rose garden. It is also the site of Northern Europe’s longest herbaceous border, at 240 metres.
Next to the Hercules Pavilion – which contains a café – is an adventure playground inspired by the park’s history, with dragons guarding their eggs, a forest of poles that looks like a maze and a sandpit crossed by a suspension bridge. A host of events are held here, including concerts, summer ballet and a sculpture biennale. The King’s Garden offers something for everyone all year round, whether it’s live music, rounders, croquet, picnics or a winter stroll on a frosty day. Did you know? Today, Rosenborg Palace is a museum. It houses the crown jewels and other precious royal treasures, as well as historical objects and works of art from the last 400 years.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Christian Lindgren
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Nørrebro
ASSISTENS CEMETERY ASSISTENS KIRKEGÅRD
A cemetery not just for the dead Activities
Culture, sunbathing, picnics, walking and jogging. Peace and contemplation. Open from April to September, 07:00–22:00. October to March, 07:00–19:00.
Nature
Weeping ash and weeping beech, the classic ‘mourning trees’. A number of exotic trees such as Caucasian walnut, Manchurian cherry, snake-bark maple, ginkgo, sugar maple, bitter orange, Persian ironwood, almond tree, dove tree, dawn redwood, tulip tree, magnolia and cork tree. Squirrels, sparrow hawks, wood pigeons, jays, woodcocks, passerines and titmice.
History
Assistens Cemetery was established in 1760 when the graveyards inside the city walls ran out of space. It was created to ‘assist’ with new burial plots – hence the name.
Nearby
As locals know, behind this long, yellow wall lies great beauty. Assistens Cemetery in Nørrebro is no ordinary graveyard. It is also a public park and a cultural treasure trove, where you can explore the history of Denmark, sunbathe on the lawns and relax with friends under the trees.
The old chapel has been converted into a culture centre that tells the story of the cemetery’s 250-year history, the many famous people buried here and its unique nature. Assistens Culture Centre organises tours of the cemetery, and its schools service provides educational resources based on the cemetery and its history.
For decades, young people from Nørrebro have studied for exams or picnicked in the company of Søren Kierkegaard, Hans Christian Andersen, Peter von Scholten and H.C. Oersted, among the cemetery’s nooks and crannies, trees, ivy, rhododendron bushes the size of houses and ancient, picturesque tombs.
The cemetery is still in use, and the graves, both old and more recent, display highly personal touches. The cemetery is now under a conservation order, so this national treasure will be protected from new development projects and continue to fascinate visitors.
As soon as the sun shows its face, families with young children, joggers, retirees, cyclists and lovers flock to the cemetery’s many green corners. This unique oasis has been compared to the famous historic cemeteries of Paris and London, and with good reason.
Did you know? More recent cultural personalities buried in Assistens include Michael Strunge, Dan Turèll, Ebbe Kløvedal Reich, Thomas Koppel, Natasja, Jens Jørgen Thorsen and Ib Spang Olsen.
The Jewish Cemetery, Urban Oasis in the ‘Old People’s Town’. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Nikolai Linares
COPENHAGEN GREEN 159
Nørrebro
URBAN OASIS IN THE ‘OLD PEOPLE’S TOWN’ BYOASEN I DE GAMLES BY
The generations meet in green surroundings Activities
Play, bonfires, open-air cooking, picnics, growing vegetables, pet zoo, green playground, aviaries. Nature activities for all ages. Open weekdays 09:30–17:30 (in winter, 09:30–16:00). Weekends and holidays 10:00–13:00.
Nature
Hens cackling, goats bleating, a parakeet singing in the aviary and trees thronged with wild birds. That sums up Urban Oasis: it’s full of life. An open activity centre for all, young and old, located in one of the city’s littleknown green gems in the ‘Old People’s Town’ retirement community in Nørrebro.
There are several mature trees and a large lawn.
History
Urban Oasis was originally an old, almost unknown area of parkland in the ‘Old People’s Town’. In 2008, a group of local residents from an environmental centre in Nørrebro began creating an active green oasis in the old park. They received support from many quarters. Since January 2014, Urban Oasis has been staffed by council employees.
Nearby
The Jewish Cemetery and Assistens Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Urban Oasis started as a local environmental initiative. Today, it is a properly staffed, council-funded area where residents and daycare centres have small allotments. Here, residents’ groups and occupants of the retirement community known as the ‘Old People’s Town’ grow vegetables in raised beds. There are also lots of animals for children and adults to interact with. Pygmy goats live in a special fold in the middle of the large lawn. The rabbits have their own hutch, and the hens have their own chicken run. Elsewhere, there are mice and guinea pigs. All of this is situated on and around a large lawn with mature trees, where you can relax on the grass with
a book or an iPad, or eat your picnic at one of the tables on the green. Because Urban Oasis is part of the ‘Old People’s Town’, there is plenty of opportunity for contact and interaction between the generations. In a large square in the middle of the Town is a big orangery that serves coffee, accompanied by the chatter of canaries, budgies and parakeets in their aviaries. An outdoor kitchen and a bonfire site are to be found on the big lawn. Urban Oasis, which is open to all, organises events throughout the year. Did you know? Urban Oasis’s vision is to promote nature, the environment and health in Nørrebro. It serves as a gathering place for children and young people from various target groups, who take part in a range of activities based on these three themes.
Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 161
Gladsaxe and Lyngby-Taarbæk
BAGSVÆRD LAKE BAGSVÆRD SØ
Something for everyone Activities
Walking, running, cycling and rowing. Jogging, fishing, nature, picnics, sunbathing, culture.
Nature
Beech forest and many old trees that provide habitats for insects, birds and bats. Aquatic plants, alder swamp and a great many different plants and herbs along the banks. Grasslands, rich birdlife and many freshwater fish.
History
The landscape around Bagsværd Lake is part of a subglacial stream trench or tunnel system formed during the last Ice Age. Approximately 1,000 years ago, the first water mills in Denmark were built here. The first competitive rowing event was held on the lake in 1930.
Nearby
Mill Stream Valley. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Surrounded by forests, hills, parks, meadows, alder swamp and cultural gems, Bagsværd Lake has something for just about everyone. It has designated running routes, plenty of space for long walks and cycling, as well as boating on the lake, which is also home to the national rowing stadium. On one side is the prime minister’s official residence, Marienborg, on the other, Denmark’s first radio transmitter, which is still in use today. Human activity in this area has been recorded stretching back about 2,000 years. A thousand years ago, the lake was used as a millpond and powered some of the very first water mills. Today, it is a great place for long walks, or there is always the monthly fun run organised by the local athletics club. Relax and enjoy the sunshine, a picnic and nature at the ruined castle in Aldershvile Castle Park. Explore the unique Ellesump swamp at Radiomarken field. Or step inside the former country seat, Sophienholm, which offers a varied calendar of art exhibitions. Canoes and rowing boats are available for hire, and there is a boat service that runs throughout the summer season.
On summer nights, bats swarm around the lake, where metre-tall flowering aquatic plants spread over the surface and goldeneye ducks nest along the banks. If you’re lucky, you might see ospreys, kingfishers and goshawks. With a few restrictions, permits are available to fish for zander, roach, perch, pike, carp and bream. Or you could just watch the national rowing team, one of the best in the world, train out on the lake. Did you know? In 1918, in response to persistent public demand, Bagsværd People’s Park was set up to provide public baths and access to the lake. In 1935, the baths and park were closed because sewage was discharged into the lake. In recent years, the water quality has improved significantly.
Photo: Scanpix / Mads Jensen
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Vanløse, Rødovre, Hvidovre and Valby
KROGEBJERG PARK AND HARRESTRUP STREAM HARRESTRUP Å OG KROGEBJERGPARKEN
A park in transformation Activities
Running, cycling, playground, sledging hill, bonfire sites, area where dogs are allowed off the lead.
Nature
Park with old trees, shrubs, herbs and grassy lawns. The northernmost part of the lake looks wilder than the southernmost part. Many insects and a number of birds and bats live in this part of the park, which is in Rødovre. There isn’t much life in the river, but once it has been restored to its natural course as planned, it will have varied flora and fauna and plenty of fish.
Nearby
Damhus Lake, Albertslund Bikeway, The Western Ramparts. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Krogebjerg Park serves as a green shortcut from the Western Ramparts in the north to Damhus Meadow in the south. In fact, it’s a river valley, but the river itself had long been neglected. It has now been restored, and its waters cleansed. The area now attracts animals, plants and nature-loving guests. Krogebjerg Park is rarely visited by people from other parts of Copenhagen. And that’s a shame, because this long, narrow park has many fine features. It has a lake in the far north and the environment here is relatively wild. Further south, the area is more park-like, stretching up to Jyllingevej in Vanløse, where it merges into Damhus Meadow. Amidst all the natural beauty, there is a playground with a climbing frame that resembles a mini-Eiffel Tower made of rope. The large swings were designed for Mauerpark in Berlin and appeal to adults as much as children.
and on to Damhus Lake and Kalveboderne at Valby Park, will be returned to its natural course. Apart from in a few spots, not much about the river is natural. The bed is tiled, and from time to time it is used as an overflow from the sewers. This will be stopped, allowing Krogebjerg Park to become a real river valley again, with varied nature and new things for visitors to see and do. The river will be clean enough for trout to thrive here, and the clear water will attract birds that hunt by sight – muddy water means hungry kingfishers. As a side benefit, the water in Kalveboderne will be so clean that Valby Park will be able to have its own beach. Did you know? The Vigerslev green cycle route goes through the park. It runs along the river, from the Western Ramparts in the north to Valby in the south.
However, in a few years the park will look quite different. Harrestrup Stream, which runs the length of the park 164 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 165
A hundred years from now, 30% MORE PRECIPITATION WILL LAND IN THE CAPITAL THAN AT PRESENT
because of climate change.
GREEN ROOFS AND RECREATED RIVERS AND MEADOWS
will help absorb the rain,
SO THAT COPENHAGEN IS NOT FLOODED DURING CLOUDBURSTS.
Source: City of Copenhagen
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Photo: Xxxxxx
THE CITY OF COPENHAGEN plants an average of 20 NEW TREES EVERY DAY.
By 2025, THE CITY WILL HAVE
100,000
MORE TREES
THAN IN 2011.
Source: City of Copenhagen
Østerbro
ØSTERGRO New York-style roof garden in Østerbro
Activities
Open garden 2–3 times a week. Workshops, green life on the fifth floor. Opening times: www.facebook.com/farmengro
Nature
Lots of vegetables, bees and chickens.
History
ØsterGro was inspired by the Brooklyn Grange rooftop garden farm in New York, which was established in 2010 on top of an old film studio in Brooklyn, overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Along with Brooklyn Grange, which is 560 m2, ØsterGro, at 600 m2, is one of the world’s largest roof gardens.
Nearby
Kildevæld Park, Ryvangen Nature Park, Copenhagen Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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A 600-m2 organic rooftop garden, five floors above an old car auction – it sounds like a scene from New York, but it is totally Copenhagen. Here in Østerbro, the ØsterGro project, comprising 90 tonnes of soil spread over neat raised beds, is just one example of how urban gardens are turning Copenhagen roofs into lush urban agriculture. One of the first roof gardens appeared three years ago on top of a shed in a Nørrebro backyard. What became known as the ‘Roof Tomato’ project has since spread like wildfire – today, it involves up to a thousand families who grow their own vegetables and flowers in self-watering ‘capillary boxes’ that don’t require daily care, and can be placed on vacant backyard roofs, balconies, in sidewalk gardens or sunny squares. ‘I have worked as an urban planner, where you talk a lot about breaking down social barriers. And that’s exactly what happens when you build a plant box together then share in the care of it. The fact that the city also becomes greener is just a positive side effect,’ says Mads Boserup Lauritsen, initiator of the Roof Tomato project. He took an entire year off to run workshops for local citizens and teach them how to make their own small gardens.
The urban gardens have spread through Copenhagen’s downtown areas at record speed. Blågårds School in Nørrebro has a small roof garden called DYRK Nørrebro. But with 90 tonnes of soil on the large roof in Æbeløgade, ØsterGro has expanded the concept into a real urban roof farm, which will not only have plenty of vegetables, but also urban bees and chickens to produce honey and eggs for the association’s 17 members (so far). ‘We are not labouring under any illusion that the people of Copenhagen will somehow become self-sufficient from urban gardens and agriculture, but we want to serve as a link between Copenhagen and organic agriculture for the city, inspire local organic markets and disseminate knowledge about food – whether it comes from rooftops or the countryside,’ said Livia Urban Swart Haaland, one of the team behind ØsterGro. Did you know? The term ‘capillary’ is a physiological one, and refers to a small blood vessel that runs along an organism’s cells and carries nutrients. In plants, capillaries are the microscopic channels through which water makes its way from the roots to the leaves. A capillary box has a base filled with water, which slowly migrates up through the soil to the plants. The Roof Tomato project includes workshops on how to make your own capillary box, which will provide plants with water for 7–14 days. Photo: Søren Rud
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Inner City
ØRSTED’S PARK ØRSTEDSPARKEN
A popular place to promenade Activities
Jogging and promenading, dog walking, sunbathing, picnicking, music. Two playgrounds with lots of activities for all ages. One of them is a staffed playground, complete with a console-gaming area for 5–15 year olds. The staffed playground is open weekdays, 10:00–17:00.
Nature
Flowers and bushes bloom throughout spring, summer and autumn. Besides the typical Danish deciduous trees, the park also has a number of exotic species from China and Japan, including black walnut, kastura, ginkgo and pagoda tree. There are around 50 different species of birds.
History
The park is named after the Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted. A statue of him can be seen on Hahn’s Bastion, facing Nørrevoldgade. His son, Carl Jacobsen, donated the many sculptures dotted around Ørsted’s Park.
No sooner do the first spring rays of sunshine warm the air than many local residents in the area around Ørsted’s Park flock to the ancient ramparts, where they relax on the sloping lawns, frequent the popular outdoor cafés, or run or stroll through the parks, enjoying the views of the beautiful lake. Ørsted’s Park was originally part of Copenhagen’s old inner defences, which were decommissioned in the 1850s. The park was established 20 years later and quickly became a popular place for more affluent locals to meet and show off on the winding paths. The beautiful wrought-iron bridge that crosses the lake, which is part of the old moat, is probably the oldest of its kind in Denmark, and was used by King Frederik VII on his rides through the city.
Today, this is a popular park in the traditional sense, with two playgrounds, barbecue areas and myriad ancient and exotic trees and shrubs. Music events are held during the summer, but there is also plenty of opportunity for peace and quiet. Dotted throughout the park are flowerbeds and statues with motifs from Greek and Roman mythology. They were donated by Carlsberg’s Carl Jacobsen. Did you know? The cellars at Hahn’s Bastion served as a beer store for J.C. Jacobsen before he moved his brewery from Copenhagen city centre to Valby, where he founded the Carlsberg Brewery. Ørsted’s Park is a popular meeting place for gay men during the evening and at night.
Nearby
Israel Square, Academic Senate Yard, St. Peter’s German Church, the Botanical Garden, the Lakes. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
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Sydhavnen
KAREN’S MINDE AND THE CHILDREN’S ANIMAL FIELD KARENS MINDE OG BØRNENES MARK
A farm in the middle of the city Activities
Horse riding (for members), looking after animals, community activities, picnics, play. You have to be a member to keep rabbits or chickens, or to have a share in a horse at the Children’s Animal Field, but anyone can enjoy the green area and the atmosphere of the farmhouse in the middle of the city. Large playground at the entrance to Karen’s Minde from Wagnersvej. Regular public events, at which non-members are allowed to try horse riding.
Nature
The southern part of Karen’s Minde is known as the ‘magic little forest’ – and you really feel small here among the big, old trees. It is home to squirrels, and long-eared owls make their presence known from time to time. Next door is a bog, a little gem of nature that attracts a lively insect population.
Nearby
South Harbour Tip, Valby Park, Western Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Horses. Rabbits. Lambs. Hens. Today, the farm is next door to a culture centre that features rehearsal rooms and hosts live music and a variety of events, but it used to be well outside the city limits. Karen’s Minde in Kongens Enghave has its roots in Danish farming culture, but it is also a story about living well in the big city. The Children’s Animal Field gives local children the chance to share a horse, keep rabbits and look after chickens. The idea is for urban kids to interact with nature and animals – and the many youngsters who come here amply illustrate its popularity. Close contact with animals is appealing, especially for those who live on the fifth floor in an urban area. It is not only children who take care of the animals. Adults are able to join the new Sheep Guild, which takes care of a flock of sheep (including slaughtering them when necessary). The sheep graze on the nearby nature reserve, South Harbour Tip, where they help to keep unwanted plants under control.
Adults are always welcome to help out at the Children’s Animal Field. It is run entirely by volunteers, who provide the children with a haven where they can learn about nature, the environment and ecology – and they get to hang out with adult role models as well. The neighbouring Karen’s Minde Culture House, the ‘South Harbour Castle’, is the district’s oldest listed building. Originally, in the early 1800s, it was a farm owned by a pharmacist who cultivated medicinal herbs on site. In 1880, the building was turned into a mental asylum. The last residents were sent to other institutions and group homes in 1987, and active local residents in the area fought to keep the site as a culture centre. They succeeded, and Karen’s Minde is now the active heart of the green part of the South Harbour (Sydhavnen). Did you know? The farm is today known as Karen’s Minde but it was originally called Lise’s Minde. In 1856, the then owner renamed the place after his grandmother.
Photo: Kontraframe
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Brønshøj
DEGNEMOSE BOG DEGNEMOSEN
Bog in an Ice Age landscape Activities
Walking and jogging, ball games, sledging, sunbathing, ball games, hide and seek.
Nature
The lake is home to mergansers, herons, grebes, moorhens, coots, swans and mallards. Plant life includes willow, alder, chestnut, hawthorn and water lilies.
History
Until 115 years ago, this was agricultural land. In the early 1900s, residential building started west of the bog. In the 1950s, the allotments on the east side of Degnemose Bog gave way to Denmark’s first high-rise housing, on Bellahøj.
Nearby
Degnemose Bog is an urban park sandwiched between an old residential neighbourhood and the Bellahøj highrise blocks. It is linked to Bellahøj Park. The whole area is used by local residents and nearby daycare centres, but is otherwise not very well known. The landscape was formed during the last Ice Age. About 14,000 years ago, as the glacier retreated, it left behind a large mass of ice that melted slowly over the centuries that followed, creating a kettle-hole lake. Today, willow and ash grow around the bog, and out on the water, lilies multiply throughout spring and summer. The benches are a great place to sit and watch the many ducks that live on the water. A paved path, ideal for running and walking, leads around the bog.
in the area for sledging. At the top of the hill, three large Bronze Age mounds sit next to a big, 2,000-capacity amphitheatre, which stages concerts and plays during the summer. Together, Degnemose Bog and Bellahøj Park comprise one of the few places in Greater Copenhagen where you get a sense of how the Danish landscape was formed by the Ice Age. Did you know? The name Bellahøj derives from the name Isabella Henriques, whose husband built a country house in the area in the 18th century. Its farmhouse now accommodates a restaurant, Bellahøj, notable for its thatched roof.
Rødkilde Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Up towards the high-rise buildings, you’ll find Bellahøj Park, with its huge green expanse, playing field, scrub and bushes. The steep grassy hill is one of the best places
Photo: Søren Rud
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Frederiksberg
ROYAL DANISH VETERINARIAN AND AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL’S GARDEN LANDBOHØJSKOLENS HAVE
Activities
Intense plant and sensory experiences, sunbathing, reading, peace and historical idyll. Guided tours on the first Wednesday and Sunday of summer months. Open from sunrise to sunset.
Nature
In addition to the 6,000 species of plant and tree, the garden attracts flowers, many species of butterfly and dragonflies. The trees are home to squirrels, and foxes are often seen at twilight.
History
The Royal Danish Veterinarian and Agricultural School’s Garden came into being when the school was built in 1858, and it mainly contains garden and park plants. In 2007, the school merged with the University of Copenhagen and the gardens were officially renamed the University Gardens in Frederiksberg, but most people still use the old name. It has been under a conservation order since 1965.
Nearby
Frederiksberg Gardens and the Royal Danish Horticultural Society’s Garden. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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A feast for the senses in a fairy-tale garden Stepping into the Agricultural School’s Garden on a spring or summer day is like entering a fairy tale. Your senses are immediately bombarded with colours, sounds, smells, light and shadow. The garden has over 6,000 different plants, and its thickest tree, the copper beech, has a circumference of five metres. All of the trees and plants have name-tags. The garden was established in 1858 in the Romantic style of the day, strongly inspired by landscape gardens, and features a variety of garden and park spaces. There are lawns where blooms emerge from the grass, flowerbeds, a forest, a grove, a rockery and numerous open spaces. This is an enticing place to spend time in spring and summer, sitting on a bench or relaxing on one of the lawns. At the centre of the garden is a lake with an island, accessible via a small footbridge. The most famous spot is the rose garden, which features hundreds of varieties
and is approached through an arbour topped with rambling roses. The rose and spice gardens give off an almost overwhelming array of wonderful scents. And almost everywhere you go in the garden, you hear ducks quacking away on the lake. At the back of the garden is the Væksthuset Café, set in an old greenhouse. The garden is a haven for sunbathers, readers and amateur botanists. Visitors tend to respect the peace and tranquillity by talking quietly and softly. Did you know? The free-standing ginkgo is one of the many wonderful trees in the garden. It has no natural enemies. Insects, viruses, fungi and bacteria cannot harm it, and even people find it difficult to destroy. It is said that a large ginkgo grew in Hiroshima in Japan before the atomic bomb was dropped on the city during the Second World War. Along with everything else for miles around, the gingko was incinerated, but a year later it had produced fresh shoots – the only plant in the area to do so.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Inner City
THE BOTANICAL GARDEN BOTANISK HAVE
Peace and contemplation amid a profusion of flowers Activities
Flowers, peace and introspection, picnics. Open 1 May to 30 Sept, 08:30–18:00 and 1 October to 30 April, 08:30–16:00.
Nature
Exotic wild plant species from around the world. The Danish section includes wild orchids and carnivorous plants in spring and summer.
History
The Garden was established in 1874 on the old city ramparts. The Palm House is a miniature version of the Crystal Palace, which was built for the Great Exhibition in London’s Hyde Park in 1851. A few years later, the Crystal Palace was rebuilt in South London. It was here that J.C. Jacobsen, one of the main movers behind the Botanical Garden, saw it and was enchanted. The Garden is part of the University of Copenhagen.
Nearby
The King’s Gardens, Ørsted’s Park, Israel Square, Østre Anlæg Park.
Away from the hustle and bustle of other large parks in central Copenhagen, the Botanical Garden was designed for peace, tranquillity and contemplation. Its rich and diverse flora and many shady trees create a pleasant atmosphere in which to relax and enjoy the wonders of the plant kingdom. Like several other parks, it straddles the old city ramparts. The impressive glass and cast-iron Palm House was built when the Botanical Garden first opened in 1874. Thanks to recent extensive renovations, the Garden is now even more friendly and welcoming to the general public. It is divided into different areas, each with distinctive features and specific plant species, including a bramble garden, a rock garden with Alpine plants, a rhododendron area, a herbaceous border, an area dedicated to Danish plants and, along the lake, a long, beautiful arbour.
The Garden has plenty of benches and lawns where visitors can relax and take in the beautiful surroundings. Winding, wheelchair-friendly paths link the many different areas. A new feature has been added to the Garden in the form of Observatory Hill, now the highest point in the inner city, which offers wonderful views of Copenhagen’s numerous towers and spires. In front of Observatory Hill is an inviting lawn, perfect for picnics or a quick lesson for nursery or school children. Did you know? Crystal Palace is now the name of a whole area of South London – and a football club. In one of his early novels, the Danish author Ib Michael describes how he and a friend sneaked into the Palm House in the Botanical Garden at night and took magic mushrooms – not an example to follow!
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Christian Lindgren
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Østerbro
KILDEVÆLD PARK KILDEVÆLDSPARKEN
From font of healing to people’s park Activities
Sunbathing, relaxing, jogging, general play and ball games.
Nature
Willow scrub, large deciduous trees and rose beds. Various species of waterfowl.
Nearby
Ryvangens Nature Park and the Memorial Park in Ryvangen. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Kildevæld Park is a green oasis in the middle of a dense, mixed housing area in Outer Østerbro. At the centre of the park is a big lake, which helps to circulate fresh, cool air on hot summer days. The hilly terrain, with lawns, trees, willow shrubs and flowerbeds, slopes down to the lakeshore and offers several vantage points. You can settle down and enjoy the sun on the park’s lawns and benches, seek shade under the tall trees, or go jogging, push the pram and enjoy a quiet walk around the path that encircles the lake. At the western end is a large, staffed and heavily used playground with facilities for kids of all ages – with football pitches, sand pits, climbing frames, swings and table tennis. You can also borrow balls, bikes, scooters, roller skates, stilts and skipping ropes. During the summer months, the park hosts an annual festival of song, dance, circus, and so on.
The park dates from 1927, but the area has been a haven for the people of Copenhagen for even longer. Originally, there was a spring here, which according to tradition had healing powers and was visited by a lot of people. The name Kildevæld comes from the country house that stood here in 1743, and the restaurant of the same name that stood at the corner of Østerbrogade and Kildevældsgade. Did you know? The lake in the middle of the park has nothing to do with the original spring. It was formed during the major excavation in the 1880s, when building materials were needed for the Freeport (Frihavnen), Langelinie Quay and the Citadel. There is no discharge from the lake – the water is oxygenated by the big fountain in the middle.
Photo: Scanpix / Anna Agnete Nissen
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Vanløse
DAMHUS LAKE AND DAMHUS MEADOW DAMHUSSØEN OG DAMHUSENGEN
Huge skies and wide open spaces Activities
Running, play, ball games, cross-country skiing in winter, sledging, area where dogs are allowed off of the leash, barbecue sites, bird watching, walking, picnics, biking – the Albertslund Route from Albertslund to Vesterport cuts through the area, and the Vigerslev Route from the West Ramparts to Valby passes along the meadow and lake. Fishing (requires membership of a fishing club on Zealand).
Nature
The bird life in the lakes is lively, with several rare species, including the beautiful ruddy shelduck. Cormorants and gulls have divided the two islands between them. The trees on cormorant island show just how tough these birds’ guano is on their surroundings. Crayfish are found in the lake, and bats live in the trees by the lake and meadow. The plant life in and around the lake is very varied.
Nearby
Krogebjerg Park, Valby Park, the Western Ramparts. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Damhus Lake and Damhus Meadow offer a view of the sort of wide open space that is otherwise hard to find in a big city. All sorts of activities entice large numbers of visitors here – and birds are equally fond of the lake and park. Particularly in the mornings and evenings, the area is popular with runners, who appreciate the beautiful scenery and the peaceful route. It meanders around the lake for 3.4 kilometres, while the meadow adds a further 2.6. Damhus Meadow is full of football pitches, and also has barbecue areas, nature playgrounds and an area where dogs are allowed off the leash. But it’s also a beautiful location, a wonderful place for a stroll and a popular subject for photographers. They appreciate motifs like the weeping willows over the shining surface of the lake, the sky’s reflection in the water and the modern tower blocks that overlook this rural idyll.
The lake is relatively clean, with plenty of fish. From time to time, however, the water is polluted by Harrestrup Stream, which runs through the area. Damhus Lake is not a natural one. It was created when the river was dammed to ensure a supply of drinking water to the city, even at times when the river was running low or dry. Damhus Meadow was originally part of the lake. It has been drained, but the lowest-lying part remains wet and provides ideal living conditions for a variety of animals and plants. Did you know? Damhus Lake was originally Langvaddam Lake, and the tollbooth in the area was called Langvaddam House. It later became just Dam House (Damhus), hence the name of the lake today.
Photo: Scanpix / Kjeld Olesen
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Gentofte
THE OLD BOG GAMMELMOSEN
An untouched bog in the middle of civilisation Activities
Walking and cycling. Bird watching and spotting rare plant species.
Nature
The Old Bog is home to birds like pied flycatchers, great spotted woodpeckers, woodcocks, goshawks, buzzards, blackcaps, wrens, siskins and goldcrests. You might even be lucky enough to see the Cranberry Blue, a rare butterfly that lays its eggs on the leaves of the stunted cranberry bush. Long-leaved sundew, bog rosemary, cranberries, bogbean, narrow-leaved cotton grass, silvery sedge, tufted loosestrife, heather, marsh cinquefoil, fir, alder, birch, rhododendron, yew, Irish ivy and sphagnum mosses.
History
Prior to 1844, the Old Bog provided peat for heating homes in Copenhagen. Christian VIII decided to preserve it to find out whether the peat would regenerate. The Royal Agricultural College (now the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen) has been studying its progress since 1886.
Nearby
The New Bog.
When the plants are in bloom here, the aroma of damp, rot and old marshy ground mingles with the fragrance of bog rosemary, cranberries, rhododendrons and other species that like to grow in and around acidic, damp areas. You may well hear the great spotted woodpecker chipping away at a dead tree and, at dusk, the mating call of the woodcock echoing among the trees. Just 12 kilometres north of City Hall Square in Copenhagen, the Old Bog is the world’s oldest scientific conservation area. The size of 40 football pitches, it is sandwiched between a motorway, an industrial zone and a residential area. The bog has been allowed to remain completely untouched by human hand since 1844. Not until in 2009 was the general public granted access to it, via special paths.
removed, but new layers of peat and peat moss are now slowly starting to form. A dense growth of alder, pine and birch has also grown up, and the bog is now a popular destination for people who want to experience an unspoiled natural habitat. It is host to a range of rare plants and animals such as the carnivorous round-leaved sundew, the bog bilberry and the Cranberry Blue butterfly. Did you know? A new preservation order was issued on the Old Bog in 2009, when the public was granted access. In addition to the path around the site, there are public footpaths into its centre, so visitors are able to experience it up close and feel the movement of the marshy ground under their feet.
This was originally a typical raised bog, used for peat extraction. By the time King Christian VIII decided to conserve the bog in 1844, much of the peat had been
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Photo: Søren Rud
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Christianshavn
REFSHALE ISLAND REFSHALEØEN
Copenhagen at its wildest Activities
Climbing, go-karting, paintball, water-skiing, ball games, kayaking, relaxation, sailing, bungee jumping, opera, picnics, cultural history, cycling, jogging, fishing, walking, flea market.
History
The peninsula was artificially created with landfill from the deepening of the Port of Copenhagen in the 19th century. In 1872, Burmeister & Wain (B&W) opened a shipyard here. The company also manufactured engines, but these were made in Christianshavn. Large ships were needed and Refshale Island had the space to build them. B&W was one of the world’s leading shipyards, partly because of production methods that meant the ships could be assembled indoors, in gigantic sheds. Some of these can still be seen on Refshale Island.
Nearby
The Blue Route, Clover Field, Amager Beach. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Once, this was a workplace for 10,000 people. Today you can choose to see Refshale Island as a monument to its former glory, but the peninsula is also a breeding ground for some wild ideas and activities. This rough industrial area is rapidly changing. Danish machinery and world-class ships were once produced here, but you will now find galleries, concert halls, sports facilities, beach bars, restaurants, space-rocket production... it’s as if just about anything is possible on the peninsula. And this includes organising the Eurovision Song Contest in a vast, deserted shed once used for shipbuilding. Visitors can water-ski (for a fee) on a course at the entrance to the island, try their hand at go-karting, climb the world’s highest indoor climbing course, go kayaking, play beach volleyball – even indoors – or attend one of the many cultural events that take place here throughout the year. The metal festival, Copenhell, is the most high-profile.
But it’s also a great place to walk or ride a bike and observe the changing face of Copenhagen. Buildings come, buildings go. Where once was asphalt, plants are now popping up. Where once were plants, buildings are emerging. On a cold winter’s day, when the place seems deserted, let your imagination run wild and try to picture thousands of people working in the gigantic B&W shipyard. The world’s first ocean-going motor ship, Selandia, was built here in 1912. The shipyard closed in 1996. Today, the island is Copenhagen’s version of a frontier town, but the idea is that housing will eventually be built here. The former shipyard island will also be Copenhagen’s first CO2-neutral district. Did you know? Refshale Island was so named because on the map it looks a bit like a fox’s tail.
Photo: Scanpix / Jens Nørgaard Larsen
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Østerbro
RYVANGEN NATURE PARK RYVANGENS NATURPARK
Nature downtown Activities
Jogging, riding, picnics, hide and seek in the scrub, sheep and horses, fishing without a permit. Ideal place for a family picnic.
Nature
Old trees such as ash, lime, rowan tree, oak, maple and chestnut. Bushes such as willow, hawthorn, sloe hazel, alder, bramble and elder. Great spotted wood-peckers, fieldfare, nuthatch and bullfinches nest here. Sparrowhawks are also seen in the park. On the lake are breeding mallards, mute swans, green-legged moorhens and coots, and you will also spot grebe, greylag geese, herons and cormorants. Fish include tench, roach and carp.
History
Before the military took over the land around Ryparken in 1883, this was a wide expanse of wild, swampy ground, far from any built-up area. For many years it was part of the training grounds for Svanemøllen Barracks.
This virtually untouched, thickly wooded area is less a park, more somewhere to enjoy nature. It is the ideal place for a family picnic, a jog in beautiful surroundings close to the city centre or a trip with the kids to fish in the big lake, build a bonfire, sledge, play hide and seek among the trees and bushes, and see the sheep and horses that graze on the plains. The park occupies an area that was once an old military training facility. Since the military left in 1972, it has been allowed to remain virtually untouched. In 1998, a nature park was set up but, thanks to sensitive conservation, it has retained its ‘wild’ character. You still find old bunkers and munitions plants in the park, which borders the S-train line between Hellerup and Ny Ellebjerg. A separate railway line from Hellerup once led to the centre of the current park, and old military loading bays and ramps are still visible in places.
The park is home to an abundance of rich wildlife and several hundred different plant species, including centuries-old ash, maple and chestnut trees, as well as rare species of birds that prefer hollow trees in which to nest and breed. There is also plenty of life in the lake, one of the few places in the Copenhagen area where fishing is allowed without a permit. Did you know? German troops occupied the site during the Second World War. From 1943 to 1945, they executed 197 resistance fighters at a site in the north of what is now the nature park. This site is now called the Memorial Park.
Nearby
Ryvangen Memorial Park and Kildevæld Park. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Søren Rud
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Vesterbro
THE YELLOW TOWN KINESERBYEN
Unexpected village idyll Activities
Walking, cycling, cultural history, playground, picnics.
Nature
Gardens and tall trees. Wild herbs and brambles.
History
The lovely houses in the Yellow Town were built as official residences for employees of the railway’s emergency service, who had to live nearby so that they could provide a rapid response. They are the railway equivalent of the Navy’s housing at Nyboder. The houses were built in 1909, and it was 100 years before the requirement for employees to live on site was lifted, to allow people other than DSB employees to rent the houses. The waiting list quickly grew so long that DSB had to close it. Despite its slightly odd location in the middle of railway terrain, the Yellow Town is a popular place to live, and residents refer to it as ‘Paradise’.
Nearby
Sønder Boulevard, Enghave Park, the Southern Field. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Birds singing from the treetops, peaceful Sundays in the blooming gardens, children playing and sunshine on the yellow façades. It could be a Danish village, but it’s not! Named after the colour of the houses, the Yellow Town – known as Chinatown in less politically correct days – is located in the most unexpected place in Copenhagen.
One of the entrances to the Yellow Town is via a low tunnel from the busy Enghavevej. Entering this graffitilined passageway is like disappearing down a rabbit hole in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and popping up somewhere completely different. Squinting in the darkness, you make out a yellow light at the end of the tunnel.
Between Vesterbro and Kalvebod Brygge is DSB’s huge central railway workshop. This no-man’s-land, about the size of 70 football pitches, is littered with railway tracks, wild flowers, scrapped wagons and large workshop buildings. And then – in a corner of it all – you come across the idyll that is the Yellow Town. The houses were built for railway staff in 1909, so they could be on the scene in just a few minutes in the event of a derailment or broken tracks. Alarms were installed in each of the homes to guarantee a rapid response.
Don’t expect to find much in the way of activities in the Yellow Town – though there is a small playground and picnic tables – but do expect to feel that you have discovered a quite special spot in Copenhagen that time has forgotten. Did you know? Near the Yellow Town is the Yellow Palace, officially called the Command Post Tower, from where freight rail traffic is controlled. The building played a key role in the famous Danish film Olsen Banden på Sporet (The Olsen Gang on Track).
Once one of Copenhagen’s biggest workplaces, today there is an air of abandonment here on Otto Busses Vej, named after a former director of engineering who played a key role in the development of the steam locomotive.
Photo: Søren Rud
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Bispebjerg
BISPEBJERG CEMETERY BISPEBJERG KIRKEGÅRD
A place where death is beautiful Activities
Day trips, bike rides, running, relaxation, cultural history, horticulture, reflection. During the summer months, regular guided tours are held. When visiting, please remember that you are in a cemetery, where relatives have a right to peace and space for contemplation.
History
Bispebjerg Cemetery was built in 1903 and has been expanded several times. One of Copenhagen’s most recent cemeteries, it was built to meet the need for more burial grounds resulting from the tremendous growth of the city in the latter half of the 19th century. Famous people buried at Bispebjerg Cemetery include author Johannes V. Jensen and astromechanic Jens Olsen, the man behind ‘Jens Olsen’s World Clock’ at City Hall.
Nearby
Utterslev Bog, the Nørrebro Route, the City of Copenhagen School Gardens.
On a sunny spring day, Bispebjerg Cemetery makes for a special excursion. Guests come from near and far to take photos of one of the garden’s main attractions: the avenue of Japanese cherry trees that, when in bloom, form a spectacular long, pink tunnel. It might seem strange to call a cemetery romantic, but at Bispebjerg it’s hard not to. And, like all Danish cemeteries, it makes a valuable contribution to the world’s horticulture, as each grave has its own small, carefully tended garden. In Denmark, these are not spooky places. Death can be seen as beautiful; cemeteries are regarded as the land of the dead. Bispebjerg Cemetery’s own map not only marks the locations of the most important graves, but also where to find the most remarkable trees and avenues. The iconic poplar avenue is just as famous as the avenue of cherry trees. It leads all the way from Grundtvig Church to
Utterslev Bog. Unfortunately, the 90-year-old trees are diseased and will be felled in autumn 2014. Although Lombardy poplars grow quickly, it will be 10 to 15 years before the avenue looks like its old self again. When the cemetery opened in the early 1900s, it was based on a novel idea: to burn the dead instead of burying them. As a result, the graves here frequently house urns, often in beautiful, communal facilities. In the columbarium, urns stand on shelves. There are also plots for faiths other than Christian, including a special Buddhist section. Did you know? One of the original chapels and crematoria reopened as ‘the Dance Chapel’ in 2012. After a major renovation, it is now a vibrant cultural centre for dance in Copenhagen, and one of Northern Europe’s largest dance theatres.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Scanpix / Christian Lindgren
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Brønshøj-Husum and Bispebjerg
UTTERSLEV BOG UTTERSLEV MOSE
Get lost near City Hall Square Activities
Bird watching, running, cycling, peace and quiet, walking, play, ball games, picnics, barbecues, nature workshop and nature tours, fishing. Dog exercise area, where dogs are allowed off the leash to run free.
Nature
Many species of bird, including a number of terns and gulls, greylag geese, rare small birds. Foxes and squirrels are seen frequently. The lakes are home to one of Denmark’s largest populations of pike. Many butterfly and dragonfly species. Willow is the most common tree. Many herbs and berry bushes.
Nearby
Bispebjerg Cemetery, Damhus Lake, the Nørrebro Route. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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The city’s biggest wild park. A favourite spot for twitchers and runners. Time, space, air, sky, water, peace and quiet, sunbathing and playgrounds for children... all just a few miles from City Hall. Utterslev Bog has plenty of friends, but there’s room for many more. In fact, this green area is so large that it’s easy to get lost in it. Fortunately, you’ll be quite safe – you’ll soon find a path again. But in an otherwise orderly city, it’s fascinating to encounter an area that has all the hallmarks of natural disorder. The water, reed beds and undergrowth attract a multitude of birds. There is no other place in Copenhagen where so many different species breed. It was once home to a giant colony of black-headed gulls, but sadly they have moved on. Today, the usually shy greylag goose is the most noticeable bird, by virtue of its size and numbers – and here they are more tame than usual. The roads around Utterlsev Bog are probably the only ones in the world with signs warning of geese crossing.
On a May morning, the nightingale sings at full voice while the bittern sighs among the reeds, sounding for all the world like somebody blowing into a bottle. Bird watchers can spot several rare species here for most of the year, and there is an observation tower in the middle of this paradise. If you don’t care for birdlife, there is much more to entice you, like the beautiful bog – in reality, four lakes. The downside is that the water here is of poor quality. Sewage has damaged the aquatic environment, but efforts are being made on various fronts and the water quality is slowly improving. Did you know? Copenhagen once got its water from Utterslev Bog. It was piped into the city, where people collected drinking water from fountains.
Photo: Scanpix / Stig Nørhald
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Vesterbro
ENGHAVE PARK ENGHAVEPARKEN
Fresh air for local kids Activities
Relaxation, sunbathing, play, ball games, picnics, garden walks, cultural events. The playground is staffed during the day, and you can borrow stilts, balls, etc.
History
Originally the area was a common, where local farmers let their cows graze in the area that runs down to the water. In 1885, nearly 500 allotments were created for the city’s growing population in the area then known as the Queen’s Meadow Garden (Dronningens Enghave). In 1925, the decision was taken to establish a public park, and Enghave Park opened four years later.
Nearby
Valby Park, Sluseholmen, Sønder Boulevard. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Once, there were fields and meadows here, where cows would graze. It’s hard to imagine now, looking at Enghave Park’s lawns and colourful perennial beds, surrounded by the tall apartment blocks at the end of the busy Istedgade. But in the old days, this area was outside the city and formed part of the rural stretch that led down to the water at Kalveboderne. These days, Enghave Park and the neighbouring Enghave Square (Enghave Plads) are popular meeting places in Vesterbro. On a summer’s evening, children play in the playground, families gather with picnic baskets, friends play pétanque, youngsters fly around the basketball court and older citizens enjoy a leisurely stroll along the paths. There are also plenty of benches on which to relax and admire the fountain. The park is in bloom from early spring to late autumn. The herbaceous borders are at their most beautiful in high summer, when all of the colours are at their best.
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The park also attracts many butterflies that compete with the flowers to catch your eye. It opened as a public park in 1929, providing locals with a chance to enjoy some greenery and fresh air in beautiful surroundings. It was much needed. At the time, Vesterbro was densely populated and life in its tenements wasn’t exactly the healthiest. Enghave Park is still very much the district’s own park, so kids from local schools in Vesterbro were asked how they would like it to look in future. The park is to have a major facelift, and many of the children’s ideas have been incorporated into the plan, in an attempt to ensure that rejuvenation doesn’t rob the park of its soul. Did you know? In the 1950s, Enghave Park’s small bandstand was the venue for Denmark first outdoor gigs featuring new-fangled electric music.
Photo: Scanpix / Pia G Hansen
COPENHAGEN GREEN 197
Tårnby
PINSESKOVEN FOREST PINSESKOVEN
A Swedish forest in Denmark Activities
Picnics, birdsong, relaxation, cooking over an open fire, a night in a shelter, walks in the woods, picking berries and mushrooms, horse riding.
Nature
Fallow deer. Birds, including nightingales, chaffinches, cuckoos and pheasants. Hares and other rodents. Reptiles, including grass snakes and several species of frog. No fewer than eight of Denmark’s 14 amphibian species are found in Kalvebod Common, close to or in the Pinseskoven forest. Several fascinating species of insect, especially butterflies such as the comma, mourning cloak, blue underwing and the lesser purple emperor. Silver birch and common birch. Several rare plant species, including the purple northern marsh orchid.
History
Denmark’s largest birch forest is a little piece of Sweden on Danish soil. Called Pinseskoven, it lies in the middle of Kalvebod Common. Birch seeds have floated over the Sound from Sweden, landed and taken root here ever since the land was reclaimed during the Second World War. The name stems from the former warden Mardal Jensen’s tradition of bringing his family here to eat Whitsun lunch. He called it Pinseskoven (literally ‘the Whitsun forest’), and the name stuck. The forest is particularly beautiful in early summer, when young green foliage stands out against the white tree trunks. In the autumn, the leaves turn to gold, while in winter the trunks are striking due to the bright light. The birch forest is worth a visit in any season, and you may be lucky enough to see herds of deer among the trees.
Special permission has been given to allow Pinseskoven to grow freely without human interference, so the trees are closer to each other than is usual in planted Danish forests. It’s a wild forest, yet close to the capital. Go out there one morning in mid-May, and listen to the cuckoo and nightingale as the sun rises between the slender trees. If the wind is blowing in the right direction, you’ll even hear the clock strike on City Hall Square. That’s how close this piece of wilderness is to the heart of Copenhagen. Did you know? In the first season of the television series The Killing, a corpse is found in the Pinseskoven forest.
Kalvebod Common and the Pinseskoven forest, which is about 50 years old, were made the subject of a preservation order in 1990.
Nearby
Kalvebod Common, Nature Centre Amager, Kongelunden, Nokken. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
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Photo: Martin Rivero
COPENHAGEN GREEN 199
The City of Frederiksberg HAS ADOPTED A POLICY
that everybody MUST BE ABLE TO SEE
AT LEAST ONE TREE from wherever they live. Source: City of Frederiksberg
200 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Xxxxxx
THE AVERAGE PRIVATE electricity consumption p.a.
FOR A RESIDENT OF COPENHAGEN
ISalmost 1,250 kWh, a quarter less than the NATIONAL AVERAGE. THE TARGET IS to bring the figure for the city
BELOW 1,000 kWh. Source: The Danish Energy Agency and the City of Copenhagen Green Audit, 2012
Vesterbro
WESTERN CEMETERY VESTRE KIRKEGÅRD
The cemetery’s beautiful hall of fame Activities
Culture and nature, picnics, walking, jogging and cycling. Free guided tours in summer. Open: April to September, 07:00–22:00; October to March, 07:00–19:00. Access for cars.
Nature
A wide variety of exotic trees and elm, linden, beech, ivy. Squirrels, bats, foxes, frogs, toads, amphibians and newts. Birds including mallard, coot, jay, raven and red kite.
History
Since it opened in 1870, hundreds of thousands of people have been interred here in the Western Cemetery. Many of the graves have been demolished. Today, because cremation is becoming more common and many people are buried in public facilities, there is still plenty of free space. More than 125 famous Danes are buried in the cemetery.
The Western Cemetery is the largest in Denmark, and impressive in every way. Not only because of its size and natural resources, although they are remarkable, but also due to the sheer number of famous Danes buried here and the amount of artwork visible on the tombstones and memorials. Western Cemetery is a hall of fame for politicians, artists and scientists. Due to its somewhat remote location, just behind the prison, between railway tracks and very busy streets, not many people come here – so it is always possible to find a quiet spot. In particular, the area closest to the main entrance and west of the large chapel has much to offer, including a hilly area around the beautiful lake. Here are found the graves of a number of artists and no fewer than five Social Democratic prime ministers, from
Thorvald Stauning to Jens Otto Krag. Next to this is an area overgrown with ivy, which hides the grave of writer Herman Bang. The Western Cemetery is the obvious place to go in search of the final resting places of celebrities and artistic funerary monuments, as well as big lawns, long, straight lime avenues, trimmed beech hedges, labyrinthine paths and well-maintained scrub. Did you know? The Western Cemetery has Catholic, Jewish and Muslim plots, as well as areas for different nationalities.
Nearby
J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden and Bubble Square. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
202 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Scanpix / Christian Ringbæk
COPENHAGEN GREEN 203
Vesterbro
THE SHOOTING RANGE GARDEN AND OTTO KRABBE’S SQUARE SKYDEBANEHAVEN OG OTTO KRABBES PLADS
Secret garden with a New York vibe Activities
Playground, staffed playground and indoor playground in the daytime, ball games, paddling pool, table tennis, relaxation, picnics, barbecues, sunbathing.
Nature
The garden has several old trees and scrub areas, while Otto Krabbe’s Square is more orderly, with blooming magnolia, small fountains and a gable with a vertical garden. This was achieved by building shelves on the wall to create a mini rocky landscape and provide a habitat for plants and animals.
Nearby
Saxo Park, Enghave Park, the Lakes. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
Drive along Istedgade or Vesterbrogade, and you’ll get an impression of endless rows of buildings with little green space. Vesterbro is one of Denmark’s most densely populated areas. But tucked away between the streets, like lush secrets, lie parks and gardens. The Shooting Range Garden is the largest and most popular of them. From the outside, it’s almost invisible. Approaching from Istedgade, you encounter nothing but a massive wall. The actual entrance is via Vesterbrogade, behind Absalonsgade and the Museum of Copenhagen. Once you’ve found it, it’s like stepping into a completely different Vesterbro, one with green lawns, sunbathers, tables and benches, flower beds and space for reflection. However, it’s not completely peaceful – the area usually echoes to the sounds of happy children. One half of the large garden is a playground with lots of play equipment and a paddling pool in summer. It is staffed on weekdays and offers a wide range of activities. The Shooting Range Garden has been a haven for Vesterbro’s many children since 1946.
204 COPENHAGEN GREEN
A door leads to another, quieter green area on Otto Krabbe’s Square. Come here on a weekend morning or when people are leaving work during the week, and the atmosphere resembles that of similar small green areas in New York: locals meeting, taking kids and dogs out for some air, walking, talking and drinking coffee from one of the area’s many cafés. The actual Shooting Range Wall was set up in 1887 to protect Istedgade residents from stray bullets when high-society types used the area as a shooting range. The garden was originally linked with the building that now houses the Museum of Copenhagen, which is really worth a visit. It was built for the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society in 1787. Did you know? The Shooting Range Garden boasts Vesterbro’s only sledge run.
Photo: Martin Sørensen
COPENHAGEN GREEN 205
Østerbro
COPENHAGEN COMMON FÆLLEDPARKEN
Tradition and innovation Activities
Football, running, walking, pétanque, playground, skate park, sensory garden, picnic, sunbathing and much more.
Nature
Groves and woods of beech and oak. Along the lake, conifers, Caucasian walnut, weeping willows and flowering herbaceous borders. There are over 65 different species of bird in the park and several different kinds of bat.
History
The Common was originally grazing land for cattle. It was also used as a place of execution. The Danish statesman and de factor ruler of the country at one time, Struensee, was executed here in 1772 before a crowd of 30,000.
Nearby
BaNanna Park, Balder’s Square and the Lakes.
With 11 million visitors per year, Copenhagen Common is hardly a secret. But it still holds a lot of surprises for anybody who hasn’t been there for a few years. Following extensive renovations, there are hardly any limits to the activities here on the Common – an expanse of greenery surrounded by a dense growth of trees.
young people and adults alike. At the north-eastern end of the park is an area for outdoor activities, where children and adults play and train. It includes swings, small football pitches, a sand pit, a climbing area and places to warm up before exercise and warm down again afterwards.
For the last hundred years, the Common has had several football pitches. Parties, musical events and the traditional 1 May meetings are all held here. People run, walk and sunbathe on the large green lawns and children paddle in the pool.
There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature around the lake or among the trees. Denmark’s national football stadium, Parken, is right beside the Common.
Recent additions include Northern Europe’s largest skate park, a number of playgrounds and activities for all ages. In the sensory garden, adults and children enjoy fragrant plants, touch different materials and shapes and try out the maze. There is a skate park suitable for children,
Did you know? It was also the site of the 1872 ‘Battle of the Common’, when the police beat demonstrating workers and imprisoned their leader, Louis Pio. The labour movement has held its May Day celebrations on Copenhagen Common since 1890.
Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
206 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Photo: Scanpix / Bax Lindhardt
COPENHAGEN GREEN 207
Hvidovre, Brøndby, Vallensbæk, Ishøj and Greve
KØGE BAY BEACH AND PARK KØGE BUGT STRANDPARK
The water park in the west Activities
Running, swimming, fishing, hiking, sailing boats, canoes and kayaks, bonfires, barbecue areas, playgrounds, fitness equipment, kite- and wind-surfing, nature tours, bird watching, relaxing, sunbathing, picnics. Events all year round. An app with a guide to things to see and do is available from the beach park’s website. The cycle and running path Vestegn Route is 42 km long and an official marathon route.
Nature
Very varied, with beach, shallow lagoons, reed beds, streams, lakes, meadows and woodland. Rich in birds and insects. Helleborine orchids grow in the in the woods at Ishøj Beach. The 190,000 trees that were planted when the beach park was first established are growing tall now.
Nearby
Valby Park, the West Forest, the Albertslund Route. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
208 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Put ‘Copenhagen West’ and ‘natural beauty’ in the same sentence and you’ll baffle a lot of people. In large parts of Denmark, Copenhagen West is sometimes thought of as nothing but concrete and hassle. This is actually deeply unfair – Køge Bay boasts a wealth of natural sights and activities. On a warm, early summer’s morning, you are greeted by the scent of wild roses and flowering hawthorn combined with the tang of salty sea air. The lapwings are in a flap, chasing away crows, who are a little too fond of bird eggs for the lapwings’ taste. In the bushes, nightingales sing. In St. Vejle River, frogs croak. In the forest, cuckoos cuckoo. And in the river, trout and perch are jumping. Where the lagoons and reed beds end, the sandy beach begins. There are seven kilometres of it, created artificially by extending the original coastline. It’s reminiscent of a North Sea beach, and no wonder. When the beach
was established in the late 1970s, 2.6 million small tufts of prickly sea-green grass were relocated from the West Coast to hold the dunes together. The beach park was an immediate success, and the beach itself is just a small part of the experience. There are almost endless opportunities for activities, and it’s clear that the locals have taken the water park to their hearts. They run, swim, kayak, walk dogs, sail, play games, barbecue, explore and cycle. Amid all the natural glory of the protected areas around Ishøj Beach is Arken Museum of Modern Art, one of Denmark’s very best art galleries. A rare opportunity to combine nature and culture. Did you know? In the old days, it was said that if the lapwing built its nest high up on land, where it was dry, the summer would be wet. Conversely, it would be a dry summer if it nested on a damp meadow – so keep an eye out for lapwing nests.
Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 209
Østerbro
CLASSEN’S GARDEN CLASSENS HAVE
A secret fairy-tale garden with a dramatic past Activities
Sunbathing, relaxation, contemplation and play. Benches and a playground.
History
The military counter-attack in Classen’s Garden was one of the few successful Danish operations during the siege of Copenhagen in 1807. The war ended in crushing defeat, with the British bombarding Copenhagen and seizing the entire Danish navy.
Nearby
The Garrison Cemetery. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
If we could turn the clock back a couple of hundred years, we’d hear gunfire, the sounds of war and death cries. But today, all you’ll find behind the iron gates on Classensgade is peace and tranquility. This romantic fairy-tale garden is one of Copenhagen’s best-kept secrets, tucked away behind beautiful, neoclassical blocks of flats. In Classen’s Garden, you can hide in the scrub that conceals old bomb shelters, explore its many secrets, seek shade under the tall chestnut trees, throw yourself on the grass on a sunny day or immerse yourself in a book on one of the many benches while the children play on the swings or in the playhouse. This is a garden that cries out for you to picnic. It offers respite from the city, somewhere you will be left undisturbed on hot summer days when other parks are crowded. Classen’s Garden is part of a former country estate that stretched from Sortedam Lake down to Strandboulevarden. During the British siege of Copenhagen in 1807,
210 COPENHAGEN GREEN
the Danes made a sortie from the Citadel, during which they razed the country seat and its many trees to prevent the British seeking cover. After the war, the gardens remained a wilderness for many years. The current garden is all that remains of the former parkland, and was set up at the same time as the surrounding housing was built in 1924. The garden is named after Major-General Johan Frederik Classen, who originally owned the country seat. An obelisk dedicated to him stands at the entrance to the site. Did you know? J.F. Classen founded the gunpowder works and cannon foundry in Frederiksværk. He owned estates in North Sealand and Falster, as well as the country seat Justineborg, which was razed to the ground in 1807. It stood on the site of the current Classen’s Garden. Classen’s charitable foundation, Det Classenske Fideicommis, still exists. Queen Margrethe II is a patron.
Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 211
Sundby (Islands Brygge)
HARBOUR PARK HAVNEPARKEN
Coal on the quayside Activities
Relaxation, picnics, barbecue areas, swimming, culture, ball games, pétanque, running, boardwalk promenades, skateboarding, playground.
History
Islands Brygge emerged in the 1880s, the result of landfill designed to make room for new buildings. The best-known industrial building was known to locals as Soya Cake (Sojakagen), as this is where soya beans were processed for cooking oil and animal feed. It was a smelly industry and residents frequently complained about the stench. On July 15, 1980, the extraction plant exploded. The blast was heard over most of Copenhagen. It was the beginning of the end for the plant, and the residents’ protests gained momentum. In 1991 it closed and the transformation of Islands Brygge began in earnest.
Nearby
Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, Amager Common, Nokken. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
212 COPENHAGEN GREEN
A few short decades ago, Islands Brygge was a rundown industrial area. The residents had other ideas, however, and now the quayside along the harbour is one of the most desirable places to spend the summer in Copenhagen. Not only that, but Islands Brygge has become a popular place to live. Throughout the summer, the harbour park is the setting for concerts and other cultural events, swimming, barbecues, ball games, pétanque and sunset walks with views of both new and old Copenhagen. A time traveller from the 1950s would barely recognise the place. Back then, the place was full of industrious activity, but today you’re more likely to see people relaxing and soaking up the sun. Where once stood mountains of coal, there is now grass. Bicycles have replaced the railroad, and the thousands of locals hard at work have given way to even greater numbers enjoying summer pursuits. Traces of the past are still visible in the Harbour Park, and are used to highlight its history.
Railway wagons, rail tracks, remains of ships and equipment have been incorporated into the park. Many of the old buildings are now used as homes, and preserved foundations used to screen areas off. In the late 1970s, active local residents of the area had already started to plan the transformation of this derelict and contaminated area into an urban park. They created the first part of the park themselves, financing it with their own money. That was in 1984. The council accepted the plans, and ten years later the harbour park was expanded. Since then, a cultural centre and harbour bath have been added, making the place even more popular. It hosts events from March to October. The Kulturhavn (Culture Harbour) summer festival is particularly well attended. Did you know? The cycle and pedestrian bridge dates from 2006. It has become a popular place for people to attach small padlocks engraved with the name of their loved one.
Photo: Thomas Rousing
COPENHAGEN GREEN 213
Lyngby-Taarbæk
MILL STREAM VALLEY MØLLEÅDALEN
The cradle of industry in Denmark’s own Amazon Activities
Canoeing, cycling, walking and jogging tours, fishing. Picnics and bonfires. Plenty of natural beauty and cultural attractions. Canoes for hire from 15 April until 1 October.
Nature
Reed beds, swamps, marshes, forests with deciduous trees overhanging the river. Bird life includes woodpeckers, starlings, titmice, tree creepers, nuthatches, tawny owls, herons and, if you’re lucky, kingfishers.
History
Six water mills were built in the 17th century at Raadvad, Brede, Ørholm, Nymølle, Stampemølle and Strandmølle. They produced gunpowder, metals and paper. The last industrial plants didn’t shut until the mid-20th century.
Nearby
Bagsvaerd Lake, Dousbad Swap and the Priest’s Plain. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
214 COPENHAGEN GREEN
Mill Stream Valley is not only one of the most beautiful natural areas in the Greater Copenhagen area, it is also steeped in culture and history. The water mills along the river were the cradle of Danish industry. As you pass by in a canoe, on foot or by bike, you encounter a varied landscape with small woods, marshes, meadows, reed beds and alder swamps. It’s the closest thing we have to a Danish Amazon. Rent a canoe at Frederiksdal or at Lyngby Lake on Nybrovej, or cycle, jog or walk along paths that cover most of the valley, which stretches from Lyngby to the Sound at Strandmøllen. The water descends 19 metres along this stretch, which is why a number of industries driven by water mills were established here as early as the 17th century. The beautiful old industrial buildings remain, some of them now restaurants. There are bonfire sites along the route, and you can collect firewood in the forest. Several of the mill ponds allow free fishing.
During early summer, nightingales are heard in the evenings, and in winter you might catch sight of a rare visitor, the dipper, at the mill ponds. All year round, the birdlife is vibrant: woodpeckers, starlings, titmice and, if you’re lucky, kingfishers. This place invites you to take in its exceptional natural beauty while watching history pass before your eyes. It’s spellbinding, and well worth the effort of getting here. Why not do it? Did you know? The Mill Stream is 36 km long, starting at Bastrup Lake. The first corn mills were built here in the Middle Ages. Several of the mills have now been taken over by the National Museum.
Photo: Scanpix / Kasper Monty
COPENHAGEN GREEN 215
Østerbro
BRUMLEBY Rural Italian idyll in Copenhagen Activities
Walking, peace and quiet, historical inspiration, playground.
Natur
Lime trees, acacia trees, fruit trees and garden plants.
History
Brumleby was formerly Medical Association Housing, built for the poor. In fact, ‘Brumleby’ was a nickname, and refers to the sound of grazing cattle on the nearby Eastern Common. The area has played its part in Danish culture.
Nearby
Copenhagen Common. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
216 COPENHAGEN GREEN
When Brumleby was first built, 150 years ago, the development was far outside the city, on the Eastern Common. It was built after the great cholera epidemic of 1853, which killed 4,800 people in the city. The idea was that the residents should have light and air and greenery – and they still do, in this peaceful enclave in the middle of Østerbro. Walking along the public roads and paths between the four rows of yellow-and-white, two-storey apartment buildings, you sense that the inspiration for them came from the houses of Italian farmworkers. With a little imagination, these houses, with their tall, pruned lime trees and green lawns, could almost be from an estate in the Po Valley. The many green, open spaces between the houses represented a completely new way of planning residential buildings in the 1850s, and in the 1960s the intimate atmosphere attracted many young students. It was partly thanks to them that plans to demolish the listed, historic
area and replace it with more ‘modern’ social housing were thwarted. Instead, the whole area was renovated and refurbished, and some of the apartments were combined and made larger. As a result, the area still exudes peace and quiet and has the ambience of idyllic countryside, except when there is a concert or big football match in Parken, Brumleby’s nearest neighbour. In front of some of the houses are small, green, private gardens. At one end of the development is a playground designed to reflect the area’s unconventional character. Described as the ‘dizzy playground’, it is full of quirky fixtures that seem to turn the world upside down. Did you know? Martin Andersen Nexø, the author of Pelle the Conqueror and Ditte, Child of Man, among others, lived here as a child in the 1870s. Peter Høeg, author of several novels including Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, also lived for many years in Brumleby.
Photo: Søren Rud
COPENHAGEN GREEN 217
Sundby, Tårnby, Ørestad and Dragør
AMAGER NATURE PARK NATURPARK AMAGER
One of the biggest city parks in the world Activities
Running, walking, cycling, horse riding, nature, play, wild camping, cooking over an open fire, fishing, kite- and wind-surfing, bird watching, flying kites and model planes, roleplaying, guided tours, picnics, kayaking, swimming.
History
Much of Amager consists of reclaimed land and has been used in the past as both a rubbish dump and a military training facility. Large parts of the area did not become publicly accessible until the mid-1980s. The Metro has made the Nature Park easily accessible, and new paths make it possible to cycle along the coast all the way from Islands Brygge to Dragør. For the history of the various parts, please refer to Pinseskoven Forest, Amager Nature Centre, the King’s Grove, Dragør South Beach and the Dyke around West Amager.
Nearby
Amager Nature Centre, Amager Common, Dragør South Beach. Read more at www.copenhagengreen.dk
218 COPENHAGEN GREEN
A number of the capital’s biggest natural attractions are linked together in Amager Nature Park. It has everything from savannah, dense woods and salt marshes to bird-rich lakes and canals with frogs and snakes – all just a few kilometres from City Hall Square.
Along the coast, you get an impression of how the Øresund coast used to look, with low salt marshes and natural lagoons. This is almost the only place where the natural coastal environment endures – the rest has either been used for building or converted into artificial beaches.
One of the largest parks of its kind in the world, Amager Nature Park presents a green vision for how unique natural areas can thrive in close proximity to a metropolis. It consists of 3,000 acres of nature – equivalent to around 4,000 football pitches – within cycling distance of the city centre. And very varied nature it is too, with a large number of species and exceptionally rich birdlife.
The vision for Amager Nature Park is to make the many things to see and do even more accessible and attractive to all, whether you are looking for peace and quiet, or want to study rare plants or exercise outdoors. New paths will complement the existing ones and new traditions will be developed to encourage more people to come here.
A country as densely populated as Denmark needs to look after its nature and safeguard its diversity. In Amager Nature Park, grazing cows, horses and sheep help keep trees and large plants under control, while large flocks of fallow bucks are charged with the task of preserving the commons as a savannah landscape with scattered trees.
The potential is huge: if you discount the park’s nearest neighbours, more than half of the people of Copenhagen have yet to visit it. Did you know? The park covers a total of 3,000 acres. By comparison, New York’s famous Central Park only covers 350 acres, and the Deer Park to the north of Copenhagen is 1,000 acres.
Photo: Martin Rivero
COPENHAGEN GREEN 219
Gentofte
Gladsaxe Allerød
Rudersdal
Herlev
MAP OF GREATER COPENHAGEN
94
62
122
Furesø
114 20
Lyngby-Taarbæk 82 214
120
162
56 184
150
Egedal
194
Brønshøj Husum 174
Høje Taastrup
Rødovre
8
108 204
Syd172 havnen
78
190
Frederiksberg 64
76
Sundby 48
170
140
146
156
Inner City 30
104
52
36
Ørestad 96
34
218
126
46
138
106
Vesterbro
4
Valby
208
58 12 132
88
Ishøj
Tårnby
Greve
Dragør 28
198
66
220 COPENHAGEN GREEN
178
212
68
Hvidovre
øndby
154
84
196 98 74 6 Vesterbro
92 8
26 202
Brøndby
186
118
18
Valby
Vallensbæk
90
Frederiksberg 142 176
32
54
Nørrebro
210
144 136 86 148
116 152 Nørre160 16 bro 158 60
r.H
Glostrup
Albertslund
206 42 216
Vanløse
182
10
188
168
40
Vanløse
INNER CITY AND CHRISTIANSHAVN
180 Østerbro
NV
164
Rødovre
NV
Østerbro
Ch
Glostrup
Bispebjerg 22
192
112
124
80
50 128 Bispebjerg
100
110
Gentofte
Brønshøj Husum
Herlev
Ballerup
44
n
Gladsaxe
The map shows local authority boundaries, except inside the City of Copenhagen where it is split into districts.
av
72
Sydhavnen
130
Sundby
ALPHABETICAL INDEX 146 Academic Senate Yard, The
84 Clover Field, The
104 Kastrup Fort
54 Albertslund Bikeway
206 Copenhagen Common
180 Kildevæld Park
140 Amager Beach Park
42 Copenhagen Common Skatepark
66 King’s Grove, The
28 Amager Coastal Path, The
182 Damhus Lake and Damhus Meadow
156 King’s Garden, The
76 Amager Common
174 Degnemose Bog
164 Krogebjerg Park and Harrestrup Stream
114 Dousbad Swamp
208 Køge Bay Beach and Park
36 South Harbour Tip
218 Amager Nature Park
130 Dragør South Beach
90 Lakes, The
18
126 Arsenal Island
138 Dyssen at Christiania
128 Lersø Park and Allotment Gardens
158 Assistens Cemetery
196 Enghave Park
214 Mill Stream Valley
162 Bagsværd Lake
62 Farum Lakeside Path
44 New Bog, The
152 Balder’s Square
8
116 Bananna Park
4
Amager Nature Centre, The
50 School Gardens 204 Shooting Range Garden, The
and Otto Krabbe’s Square
52 Sluseholmen 82 Sorgenfri Palace Garden
Southern Field, The
132 St. Peter’s German Church 40 Superkilen 22 Svanemølle Beach
64 Nokken
98 Sønder Boulevard
144 Garrison Cemetery, The
184 Old Bog, The
10
Trekroner Sea Fortress
120 Bellevue Beach Park
150 Gentofte Lake and Brobæk Bog
198 Pinseskoven Forest
12
Urban Bees, Copenhagen City Hall
56 Bernstorff’s Park
142 Green Path, The/Nørrebro Route
34 Plug N Play
192 Bispebjerg Cemetery
68 Harbour Bath, The (Islands Brygge)
20 Priest’s Plain, The
154 Blue Route, The
212 Harbour Park (Islands Brygge)
122 Raadvad Village
178 Botanical Garden, The
72 Hareskoven Forest
186 Refshale Island
216 Brumleby
30 Havnegade
48 Remise Park
92 Bubble Square
136 Holmen Cemetery
118 Royal Danish Horticultural
32 Western Ramparts, The
110 Charlottenlund Forest and
58 Israel Square
176 Royal Danish Veterinarian and
96 Ørestad Canals, The
Palace Gardens
124 Charlottenlund Fort 106 Christianshavn’s Ramparts 86 Citadel, The 16
City Garden 2200
88 City Hall Garden 210 Classen’s Garden
Frederiksberg Gardens
26 J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden 60 Jewish Cemetery, The 94 Jægersborg Forest 74 Kalvebod Brygge, Green Walkway 6
Kalvebod Wave
172 Karen’s Minde and
the Children’s Animal Field
Society Garden
Agricultural School’s Garden
46 Royal Library Garden, The 80 Ryvangen Memorial Park 188 Ryvangen Nature Park
160 Urban Oasis in the ‘Old People’s Town’ 194 Utterslev Bog 78 Valby Park 100 West Forest, The 202 Western Cemetery 190 Yellow Town, The 170 Ørsted’s Park 168 ØsterGro 148 Østre Anlæg Park
112 Rødkilde Park 108 Saxo Park
COPENHAGEN GREEN 221
CONTENTS 2
Credits and info
3
The Copenhagen Green City
Brøndby 32 The Western Ramparts
220 Map of greater Copenhagen 221 Alphabetical index
Brønshøj-Husum 174 Degnemose Bog
Artikler 14 A Love Affair
176 Royal Danish Veterinarian and
Agricultural School’s Garden
142 The Green Path/Nørrebro Route 190 The Lakes 18
The Southern Field
32 The Western Ramparts 194 Utterslev Bog
24 Painting the town green 38 Green isn’t just for decoration
Christianshavn
106 Christianshavn’s Ramparts
54 Albertslund Bikeway
138 Dyssen at Christiania
100 The West Forest
186 Refshale Island 154 The Blue Route
Ballerup 72 Hareskoven Forest 100 The West Forest
Dragør 218 Amager Nature Park 130 Dragør South Beach
Bispebjerg
66 The King’s Grove
192 Bispebjerg Cemetery 128 Lersø Park and Allotment Gardens 50 School Gardens
Frederiksberg 54 Albertslund Bikeway
Frederiksberg Gardens
142 The Green Path/Nørrebro Route
8
194 Utterslev Bog
118 Royal Danish Horticultural
Society Garden
54 Albertslund Bikeway 100 The West Forest
Hvidovre 164 Krogebjerg Park and Harrestrup Stream
Furesø 62 Farum Lakeside Path 72 Hareskoven Forest
126 Arsenal Island Albertslund
Glostrup
32 The Western Ramparts
Høje-Taastrup 100 The West Forest
Gentofte 120 Bellevue Beach Park 56 Bernstorff’s Park 124 Charlottenlund Fort 110 Charlottenlund Forest and
Palace Gardens
150 Gentofte Lake and Brobæk Bog 44 The New Bog 184 The Old Bog
Gladsaxe 162 Bagsværd Lake 72 Hareskoven Forest
Indre By 88 City Hall Garden 30 Havnegade 58 Israel Square 132 St. Peter’s German Church 146 The Academic Senate Yard 178 The Botanical Garden 156 The King’s Garden 46 The Royal Library Garden 10 Trekroner Sea Fortress 12
Urban Bees, Copenhagen City Hall
170 Ørsted’s Park
Ishøj 208 Køge Bay Beach and Park
Lyngby-Taarbæk
Rødovre 54 Albertslund Bikeway
218 Amager Nature Park
164 Krogebjerg Park and Harrestrup Stream
198 Pinseskoven Forest
32 The Western Ramparts
28 The Amager Coastal Path
162 Bagsværd Lake
4
114 Dousbad Swamp 214 Mill Stream Valley
The Amager Nature Centre
94 Jægersborg Forest
Valby 164 Krogebjerg Park and Harrestrup Stream
82 Sorgenfri Palace Garden
Sundby
78 Valby Park
Vanløse
218 Amager Nature Park
54 Albertslund Bikeway
158 Assistens Cemetery
212 Harbour Park (Islands Brygge)
182 Damhus Lake and Damhus Meadow
152 Balder’s Square
104 Kastrup Fort
164 Krogebjerg Park and Harrestrup Stream
116 BaNanna Park
64 Nokken
112 Rødkilde Park
16 City Garden 2200
48 Remise Park
40 Superkilen
84 The Clover Field
142 The Green Path/Nørrebro Route
68 The Harbour Bath (Islands Brygge)
60 The Jewish Cemetery
Vesterbro 54 Albertslund Bikeway 92 Bubble Square
90 The Lakes 160 Urban Oasis in the ‘Old People’s Town’
and Otto Krabbe’s Square
98 Sønder Boulevard 190 The Yellow Town 202 Western Cemetery
Ørestad 34
Plug N Play
96 The Ørestad Canals
76 Amager Common 140 Amager Beach Park
Nørrebro
204 Shooting Range Garden, The
Rudersdal
122 Raadvad Village
20 The Priest’s Plain
Tårnby
Sydhavnen 172 Karen’s Minde and
the Children’s Animal Field
52 Sluseholmen 36 South Harbour Tip
196 Enghave Park 26 J.C. Jacobsen’s Garden 74 Kalvebod Brygge, Green Walkway 6
Kalvebod Wave
108 Saxo Park
Østerbro 216 Brumleby 210 Classen’s Garden 206 Copenhagen Common 42 Copenhagen Common Skatepark 136 Holmen Cemetery 180 Kildevæld Park 80 Ryvangen Memorial Park 188 Ryvangen Nature Park 22 Svanemølle Beach 86 The Citadel 90 The Lakes 144 The Garrison Cemetery 148 Østre Anlæg Park 168 ØsterGro
COPENHAGEN GREEN presents 100 of the most exciting green spaces in and around the city. Amazing photographs accompany thought-provoking articles about Copenhagen’s popular, lesser known and almost secret oases. Read the stories behind all kinds of green spaces – from wide-open plains, secret gardens and parks to woodlands, lakes and bogs – and discover the range of activities they offer, from cycling, running and canoeing to kids’ playgrounds. Copenhagen Green will help you get the most out of nature in and around the city. The book also tells the story of the colour known as Copenhagen Green, which has adorned the city’s windows, doors, benches and dustbins for two centuries. 100 fantastic photographs. 100 thought-provoking articles. Hundreds of things to see and do. www.copenhagengreen.dk