Travel Guide to Copenhagen, Denmark

In the 18th century the capital of Denmark was totally destroyed by the fire, in 1807 it was again burnt by the British, that's why in Copenhagen there is practically no historical center with its narrow streets. But nevertheless, there are a lot of attractive sights there: marvelous palaces, plenty of museums and galleries, lively well-planned amusement parks, one of the longest market streets in the world and cozy districts with bars, restaurant and cafes with open terraces.

The Little Mermaid Statue. Just being a rather small statue of Mermaid, this girl became one of the most frequently photographed women in the world. Edward Eriksen created it by the request of Carl Jacobsen, the founder of beerhouses Carlsberg. 'The Mermaid' is a fairy-tale that came from the pen of Hans Christian Andersen. The main heroine saves the prince's life, when his ship suffered a shipwreck. To have an opportunity to marry him she has to sacrifice her beautiful hair and the fish's tail. In 1909 Carl Jacobsen saw the staging of this fairy-tale by the Danish Royal Ballet and under the strong impression of it he decided to present a statue to the city. In 1913 the Little Mermaid Statue was placed and soon it became the symbol of Copenhagen.

Eriksen's wife, the prim ballerina Ellen Price modeled for the statue and the face of the Mermaid very much takes after her. By the way, unknown vandals for several times beheaded the Mermaid, so the present head is not the original. In the 60s the Mermaid regularly became the centre of different protest actions, it was desecrated for many times. Those times passed, but nevertheless even nowadays from time to time graphite appears on it. The bronze statue is one of the most popular sights of Copenhagen, so in daytime it's very difficult to make a good photo of her without numerous tourists on the background. The best time for photographing the Mermaid and only the Mermaid is the sunrise, when there is almost nobody in the streets.

Amalienborg. Amalienborg is the winter residence of Danish Royal family. This ensemble consists of four palaces, which are situated around the octagonal square with the equestrian statue of Frederic V in the middle. Primordially noble families lived in Amalienborg, but after the fire in the Christiansborg Castle this area became the property of the Royal family. Outwardly all the four palaces look the same: all they are built in rococo style, but their interiors differ a lot. Two of the palaces are open for tourists. Christian's VIII Palace serves as the Royal House of Glücksborg (1863-1972). There one can look at the private offices of Christian IX, Christian X and Frederic VIII, the Royal dining-room, Queen's Luisa's salon and also the Queen's wardrobe. All the rooms have original furnishings.

Christian's II Palace is rarely opened for visitors. It's often used by the Royal family, because it's the official place for audiences with the Danish Queen. To Amalienborg pertains Amaliehaven, the public park, which is located between the palace and the port. This park doesn't have a long history: it was only created in 1983 by the Belgian architect Delone. Not only the natives, but also a lot of tourists spend much time in this oasis in the very heart of the big city.

Rosenborg Castle. Every day at 12 o'clock one can watch at the guard changing. The guard march from Rosenborg Castle to Amalienborg. Rosenborg was built in the beginning of the 7th century. Outside the castle is surrounded by beautiful channels and the cozy park. Inside one can see rooms with marvelous paintings, ceramics and jewelry of the Danish Royal family, including Christian's V crown. The dining-room is decorated with fantastic wall-carpets with the image of the glorious victory of the Danish at the Danish-Sweden war (1675-1679).

Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli Gardens is one of the most famous amusement parks in Europe, projected by George Carstensen in the 1840s. Besides the world biggest carrousel 'Star Flyer', in the park you can go to the aquarium, to the museum, to the two theatres or to enjoy a performance on the open-air scene. On weekends and holidays at 17.30 and 19.30 along the alley of the park you can see the young Tivoli Guards, followed by the orchestra and the horsed stage-coach. Though sometimes Tivoli Gardens seem to be overcrowded, too expensive and maybe a little bit tasteless, it has its unique charm, especially in evenings, when the trees are lightened with the street lamps. From April to September numerous concerts are organized there and in December a Christmas market takes place. Rundetarn. Rundetarn is the oldest observatory in Europe. The tower, built during the rule of Christian IV, was a part of the educational center of the 17th century, which also includes the university library (nowadays it's a pavilion) and students' church. By the spiral staircase, which is more than 209 m long, one can get to the very top of the tower and enjoy the amazingly beautiful view on the ancient part of the city.

The National museum. The National Museum is located in the former royal palace and it's considered to be the best historical and cultural museum in the country. Its permanent exhibition tells us about the Danish history starting with the Ice Age and ending with the 17th century. There also take place ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman exhibits. A part of the display acquaints us with the way of the life of natives in prehistoric times. Moreover in museum there is the interactive section for children.

Read more about Copenhagen:
Restaurants and cuisine in Copenhagen
Local traditions and lifestyle
'Must visit' places in Copenhagen
Nightlife and attractions in Copenhagen
Preparing for Copenhagen: Advices
Copenhagen photogallery