Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and its most populous city. First documented in the 11th century, Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in the beginning of the 15th century. During the 17th century, under the reign of Christian IV, it became a significant regional centre.


Since the summer of 2000, Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö have been connected by a toll bridge/tunnel (Øresund Bridge), which carries railroad and automobile traffic. As a result, Copenhagen has become the centre of a larger metropolitan area which spans both nations. The construction of the bridge has led to many changes to the public transport system and extensive redevelopment of Amager, south of Copenhagen. 

Øresund Bridge

Copenhagen has repeatedly been recognized as one of the cities with the best quality of life. It is also considered one of the world's most environmentally friendly cities. The water in the inner harbour is clean and safe for swimming. 36% of all citizens commute to work by bicycle. Every day, they cycle a combined 1.2 million km.
The city's appearance today is shaped by the key role it has played as a regional centre for centuries. Copenhagen has a multitude of districts, each representing its time and with its own distinctive character, making up a dense urban fabric. Other distinctive features of Copenhagen include the abundance of water, the many parks, and the bicycle paths that line most streets.

One of the richest cities in the world and boasting a high quality of life, the Danish capital is lively and charming, a feel-good city if there ever was one. One of the nicest things is that Copenhagen travel is so simple – a walkable city, the sights of Copenhagen splay themselves out before you, with winding streets and blossoming flowers.

Copenhagen travel is not complete without a stop in the harbor, to see where the mighty Vikings once raised their flags. You can also find the famed Little Mermaid statue, placed in honor of Denmark’s most famous author, Hans Christian Anderson. For an even more in depth look at Denmark’s history, there are plenty of ancient cathedrals and museums available for tourists to visit. The amount of museums is overwhelming, especially considering the relatively average size of Copenhagen Denmark, and the subjects range from the pedestrian (the Worker’s Museum) to the typical (the National Art Gallery) to the controversial (the Museum Erotica).

As of 2009, Copenhagen had 13 Michelin star restaurants, the most of any Scandinavian city. The city is increasingly recognized internationally as a gourmet destination. Apart from the selection of upmarket restaurants, Copenhagen offers a great variety of Danish, international and ethnic restaurants. It is possible to find modest eateries serving open sandwiches ("smørrebrød") – the traditional and best known Danish lunch dish; however, most restaurants serve international dishes. Another local specialty, Danish pastry, can be sampled from any of numerous bakeries found in all parts of the city. The restaurant Noma (Short for Danish: nordisk mad English: Nordic food) was ranked as the Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant in 2010 and 2011.   Copenhagen has long been associated with beer. Carlsberg beer has been brewed at the brewery's premises at the border between Vesterbro and Valby districts since 1847 and has long been almost synonymous with Danish beer production. However, recent years have seen an explosive growth in the number of microbreweries so that Denmark today has more than 100 breweries, many of which are located in Copenhagen. 

                                                     Copenhagen’s Top 5:

   
1. The Little Mermaid.   At Langelinje Pier you will find one of Copenhagen's most important tourist attractions: The Little Mermaid. The statue from 1913 was originally a gift to the city donated by brewer Carl Jacobsen,  son of the founder of Carlsberg, who had been fascinated by a ballet about the fairytale in Copenhagen's Royal Theatre and asked the prima ballerina, Ellen Price, to model for the statue. The sculptor Edvard Eriksen created the bronze statue, which was unveiled on 23 August 1913. The statue's head was modelled after Price, but as the ballerina did not agree to model in the nude, the sculptor's wife, Eline Eriksen, was used for the body.  The statue is made of bronze, is 125 cm tall and weighs 175 kg. The story of the Little Mermaid is from writer Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale by the same name, a story about the unhappy mermaid who wishes she could go on land. 
2. Amalienborg Palace.  is the winter home of the Danish royal family. It consists of four identical classifying palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard (Amalienborg Slotsplads); in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burnt down on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces.
3. Christiania.  The free city within the city, is without a doubt one of Denmark’s most popular tourist attractions. This controversial area is loved by many, but has been a topic for strong debate especially because of the locals relaxed view on so called soft drugs and their at times quite anarchistic statements. Many will say that Christiania was better before the mission to 'normalize' the area was started in 2004 – when Pusher Street was removed. But the area is still a breath of fresh air in the busy city. Christiania was founded in 1971, when a group of people cut a hole in the fence to the military barracks in Bådmandsgade. Soon the area was known for Pusher Street, where you could buy hash and pot – but no hard drugs – from various stalls. Today many of the original settlers still live in the collectively controlled village, and the area has a clear 70s feel to it. Around 1,000 people live here and every year more than 500,000 people come to visit.
4. Kronborg Castle is a striking Renaissance castle and monumental military fortress. The Castle is located by the sea, surrounded by major fortifications with bastions and ravelins. The original Kronborg - or "Krogen" as it was called - was a fortress built in the 15th century. King Frederik II renewed the castle in the 16th century, and added several towers, pillars and spiers. The castle burnt down in 1658, but was re-built by King Christian IV. Among the most important attractions are perhaps the 62-metre long ballroom, the wonderfully preserved chapel, and the statue of Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane) in the castle dungeons. According to legend Holger Danske will come alive, and rescue Denmark if the country is every threatened. Kronborg Castle became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in year 2000.
5. Tivoli Gardens (or simply Tivoli) is a famous amusement park and pleasure garden . The park opened on August 15, 1843 and is the second oldest amusement park in the world. With more than 4.5 million annual visitors Tivoli is the most popular seasonal theme park in the world, the most visited theme park in Scandinavia and the second most visited in Europe, only behind Disneyland Paris. Tivoli's founder, Georg Carstensen (b. 1812 – d. 1857), obtained a five-year charter to create Tivoli by telling King Christian VIII that "when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics". From the very start, Tivoli included a variety of attractions: buildings in the exotic style of an imaginary Orient: a theatre, band stands, restaurants and cafés, flower gardens, and mechanical amusement rides such as a merry-go-round and a primitive scenic railway. After dark, coloured lamps illuminated the gardens. On certain evenings, specially designed fireworks could be seen reflected in Tivoli's lake.
   
   
   

   

   Kronborg Castle

   
   

References: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/see-and-do/top-attractions
                 http://www.destination360.com/europe/denmark/copenhagen