Copenhagen is known for Tivoli, the Little Mermaid and Strøget, the long ‘line’ from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv. Strøget connects the city’s two main squares. Along the way, the visitor passes several other squares, a total of (including two side trips) eight squares. Those who enter Copenhagen by train will usually arrive at København H station, the stately main station of the Danish capital. From the station you walk via Bernstorffsgade and Vesterbrogade past Tivoli. If you walk past the entrance of this world-famous amusement park, you arrive at Raadhuisplein.
Rådhuspladsen
Town Hall Square, named after Copenhagen’s town hall, is the most metropolitan square in Copenhagen. Here you will find everything you can expect on a large city square: crowds, lots of people, traffic, neon signs, large buildings and hotels. Rådhuspladsen is also probably the most lively square in the city. The clubs between the Raadhuisplein and the nearby Axeltorv are open until the small hours. On New Year’s Eve, Copenhagen residents gather here to await the twelve strokes of the clock in the Council House Tower. Major sporting victories are celebrated there, protests take place here and on April 16, Queen Margrethe II will be cheered on from the balcony of the town hall before she starts her tour through the city. From Rådhuspladsen we walk through Frederiksberggade, the first part of Strøget. Most souvenir shops and eateries are located in this section. The street ends between Gammeltorv and Nytorv.
Gammeltorv and Nytorv
The Old Market (Gammeltorv) was given this name after the construction of the slightly younger Amagermarkt. Gammeltorv is the oldest square in the city and has long been one of the two most important markets. If you come from Frederiksberggade, the Old Market is located on the left and is dominated, among other things, by the Caritas Fountain. The buildings around the Old Market largely date from the early 19th century, when much of Copenhagen had to be rebuilt after the great fire of 1795 and the English bombardments that followed a short time later. Originally, Copenhagen City Hall was located on the south side of Gammeltorv. After the demolition, the Nytorv was created on the vacated space, which, coming from the Frederiksberggade, is located on the right side. The New Market, where markets are still held, is home to Copenhagen’s city court, a building that also functioned as city hall from 1815 to 1905. From these two markets you reach the Amagermarkt via Nygade and Vimmelskaftet.
Amagertorv and Højbro Plads
The Amagermarkt (Amagertorv) owes its name to the fact that the farmers of Amager, the island south of the city center, offered their products for sale here. In the past, it was, next to Gammeltorv, the most important market in Copenhagen, although there is hardly any market in this place nowadays. However, street musicians and artists can be found here. Hawkers do their work there and Christmas trees are sold here around Christmas. We are already arriving at the more chic part of Strøget. Here we find the shops of Royal Copenhagen (crockery and porcelain) and Georg Jensen (design) and the prestigious Illum department store. Amagartorv is a large square, but is smaller than a first glance suggests. The southern part of the square is formed by Højbro Plads, which continues to the Højbro (High Bridge). This gives access to the island of Slotsholmen, where, among other things, the parliament (Christiansborg) is located. Højbro Plads was built after the fire of 1795 and is dominated by the statue of Bishop Absalon, who is considered the founder of ‘Havn’, as Copenhagen was called in the early days. North of the Amagertorv lies one of Copenhagen’s most intimate and atmospheric squares; Gråbrødretorv.
Gråbrødretorv
The market of the Gray Brothers (Gråbrødre), who had their monastery here from 1238 to 1530, was founded after the demolition of the manor farm of statesman Corfitz Ulfeldt. Like many other parts of Copenhagen, this square has been hit by fires several times and was severely damaged during the British bombardment in 1807. When the shops on Amagertorv are long closed, you can enjoy a variety of dishes served in the various restaurants on Gråbrødretorv until late in the evening.
Kongens Nytorv
From Illum we walk via Østergade to Kongens Nytorv (literally translates: The King’s New Market), the ‘royal’ square. If you look left and right while walking through this street, you will find several shops that carry the designation ‘Kongelig Hofleverandør’ (purveyor to the court). Kongens Nytorv is the largest square in the city, with a large garden in the middle called ‘Krinsen’. King Christian V had the square built on a piece of undeveloped land that was left behind after the expansion of the city. This king, sitting on his horse, is still present in ‘his’ square. This square is home to the Royal Theater, the exclusive Hotel d’Angleterre, the Magasin du Nord department store, the Charlottenburg Palace and the French Embassy. From Kongens Nytorv you can also reach the famous Nyhavn, with its colorful houses. In the winter months you can skate on the square. An ice rink will be built around Krinsen where the residents of Copenhagen will spin their laps. Open-air exhibitions regularly take place on the square.
Amalienborg Slotsplads
Although it does not belong on this list, Amalienborg Slotsplads should not be missing from this article. Coming from Kongens Nytorv we reach this square via Bredgade and Frederiksgade. This symmetrical square, dominated by the equestrian statue of King Frederick V, contains four palaces that were once built on behalf of the merchants and statesmen Levetzau, Brockdorff, Schack and Moltke. Since a fire in 1794 destroyed what was then Christiansborg, Amalienborg has been the residence of the Danish royal family. Coming from Frederiksgade, you will see Christian IX’s palace on the other side – on the right. Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik live here. On the same opposite side, but on the left, is Frederick VIII’s palace, where Crown Prince Frederik lives with his family. This palace was previously the home of his grandparents King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid. The two other palaces contain the quarters of Prince Joachim (the queen’s youngest son), the guesthouses and a museum. When the royal family occasionally appears on the balcony of Christian IX’s palace, the square is full of enthusiastic Danes waving the Dannebrog, the Danish flag. The traditional changing of the guard takes place here every day at 12 noon.
More information about the residents of Amalienborg in the special about the Danish royal family since 1863.
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- From Christiansborg to Amalienborg
- Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark
- Tivoli, a unique and attractive (amusement) park
- Borgen – This is where it takes place: Christiansborg Slot
- Amager: the unknown Dutch colony