Nørrebro
All Danish people know of Nørrebro (North Bridge). Even those who have never set foot there have an opinion of the busiest, most crammed and crowded district in Copenhagen. Nørrebro is raw and unpolished. If you want the real metropolis feel, Nørrebro is your place. It has Turkish greengrocers, Asian supermarkets, Middle Eastern kebab places and a vibrant immigrant community that gives the area an international touch.
Nørrebro has a lively underground environment, the side streets abound with organic food shops, and the country’s most progressive musical environment is centered round the concert hall and nightclub Stengade 30. Nørrebro is where young demonstrators clashed with the police in the beginning of the 1990’s. On one occasion the encounter was so violent that CNN flew in to report from the site. Certainly, there’s never a dull moment in Nørrebro, where the most people from the greatest number of backgrounds are all crammed into the smallest space.
The green areas are few, so the inhabitants use the cemetery Assistens Kirkegård as a park. The historical cemetery with the yellow-washed wall running along the busy Nørrebrogade was established in 1760, back when the site was far removed from the closely packed city. The cemetery was originally laid out in tobacco fields, but today it’s surrounded by apartment houses.
In the summer, the locals completely overtake the cemetery. In the grass between the gravestones you’ll find picnickers, bikini-clad sunbathers, and students cramming for exams. Some of the locals think all the recreating has gone too far and is disrespectful to the dead, but the vast majority enjoy the easy access to the green oasis, which also happens to be the last resting place of many famous Danes (among them Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard). You can find their gravestones by following the signs, or you can take a guided tour and have the added bonus of hearing amusing anecdotes about Copenhagen’s eccentrics.
Nørrebro has a reputation for being a political hotspot with a high number of young left-wingers. But in reality, the inhabitants have all kinds of convictions. Old, worn-down working class quarters have been modernized, and a central Nørrebro condo, however small, is now more expensive than anyone would have dreamed of only ten years ago. It follows that the spectrum of political views is now probably more varied than anywhere else in the country.
The amazing transformation began in the early 1990’s around Sankt Hans Torv, the paved-stone square with a prominent water sculpture. Enterprising young people opened cafés and restaurants in former shops, and some of these have become favorite hangouts for young people from all over town, among them Sebastopol and Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus. The latter is known for its classic black Arne Jacobsen chairs, a minimalist interior and a funky fusion kitchen. Sankt Hans Torv’s atmosphere has gradually spread to the rest of Nørrebro. Ask a local and they’ll tell you that the area compares to London’s hip Chelsea neighborhood, or New York’s youthful East Village. At the Laundromat Café in Elmegade (one of the side streets adjacent to Sankt Hans Torv), you can do your laundry and have a café latte while you wait. The area around Ravnsborggade is a treasure trove of antique shops, second hand jewelry and clothing by upcoming designers. In Ryesgade, an old metal goods factory from 1857 has been turned into a restaurant and brewery, Nørrebro Bryghus. In the ten or fifteen years since its rise to prominence, Nørrebro has become one of the most popular places to go out.
Nørrebro’s streets are flooded in the early morning with cyclists making their way to work. Nørrebrogade, one of the busiest traffic arteries in town, is especially crowded. But the local bike culture isn’t just a source of morning traffic- it is also a revealing lens through which to explore the cultural differences of Copenhagen’s diverse inhabitants. For native Copenhageners, the bike is a natural way of life and the experience of maneuvering on the crowded streets is a long forgotten thrill. But for many of Nørrebro’s newest denizens, biking is a bewildering, exhilarating and new experience. Biking has become especially popular among Middle Eastern women, who come from countries where the possibility of biking through bustling busy city streets is but a dream. But having moved to Nørrebro the women sign up for cycling courses to learn how to get around safely.
The city of Copenhagen is known as a safe place where there is no need to look over your shoulder for fear of being mugged. Still, in Norrebro it is a good idea to pay attention on the streets. With so many bikers flying by, your feet are in constant danger!
May 2006