Christianshavn
Something special happens when you enter Christianshavn, a section of Old Copenhagen situated on the other side of the harbor. When you cross the bridge of Knippelsbro, and enter into Christianshavn, almost a city in itself, you are transported to another time and place.
More than any other district of Copenhagen, Christianshavn feels like a village, and long-lived inhabitants are proud to be members of the original village tribe.
Christianshavn was built in 1619 by the enterprising King Christian IV, who successfully transformed Copenhagen from a sleepy fishing harbor into Denmark’s main port. He proclaimed his grandiose ambitions most abundantly with a series of remarkable buildings constructed in flamboyant Renaissance style. Among the most famous are the Rosenborg Castle and Børsen, also know as the Copenhagen Stock Exchange (both located in the old city center). Originally, Christianshavn served as an independent center for merchants and sailors and was encircled by ramparts on all sides. Many of the trading houses built along the canals, with gables facing the quay, are remarkably preserved and call to mind the port of Amsterdam. Unlike other parts of Copenhagen, ruinous fires have spared Christianshavn’s old structures and the peaceful little side streets are a good place to drink in the atmosphere of authentic, medieval Copenhagen. Above the steep roofs of the houses rises the Church of Our Savior with its unique green and golden spiral staircase. The 400 steps to the spiral’s top will surely test the faint of heart, but the long and narrow climb seems worth the trouble when you step out on the outside of the spire and unite with the sky above Christianshavn. Continuing along the exterior of the spire, you begin to feel the steeple swaying in the wind and once you reach the golden dome, you are ninety meters above the pavement. Below, with the canals and cafés of Christianshavn in sight, you have arrived at the best view of the city.
Christianhavn is inhabited by a mixture of businessmen, artists, hippies and traditional families. Out here, you can keep the busy metropolis at arm’s length. The natives of Christianshavn love their district, and they protest loudly whenever they catch wind of plans to develop modern buildings here, as was the case when a 7-Eleven opened at a central street corner. Many members of the tightly woven community fear that Christianshavn will become conventional and boring at the hands of developers. They mention Nyhavn as a terrible example of how bland things can get when Old Copenhagen is renovated and “tidied up”. Nyhavn (“New Harbor”) next to Kongens Nytorv was formerly a lively haunt for sailors and characters of “easy virtue.” The surroundings are still colorful and quaint, but now it is tourists, rather than sailors, who sip their beer outside one of the many pubs and restaurants in the summer. In Christianshavn there is still room for lopsided characters and lopsided houses. That is part of the charm.
Today, it is urban legend how the area was headed for disaster when faced with a thorough redevelopment in the 1960’s. Then, the houses were dying of old age, and the vacant ones fell victim to hostile takeovers by groups of homeless young rebels. The times were a-changing, and the police often had to go into close combat with the anti-authoritarian occupants, who strongly protested against the local government’s plans to build modern housing. As a result of the many confrontations, large areas of the oldest part of the village were preserved. Today, with these old parts still intact, Christianhavn is sought after by people seeking peace and quiet in the middle of the city.
In Christianshavn, you move at your own pace. The houseboats rock gently in the canals, and people sit and relax on the benches. But new things do happen from time to time, such as the arrival of new restaurants. Era Ora (Overgaden neden Vandet) is known for its exquisite Italian cuisine, and Noma (Strandgade 93) for its Nordic cooking and innovative gastronomy. Both restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars for their excellence.
When tourists go to Christianshavn, most of them visit Christiania in Prinsessegade. An abandoned military area, Christiania was occupied by a group of artists and intellectuals in 1970. They wished to create an independent state within Denmark, with its own rules and regulations. Today, “The Free Town” still exists, though much to the dismay of many right-wing parliament politicians. In addition to its free spirits, Christiania also boasts several popular restaurants, including Spiseloppen.
If you continue down Prinsessegade, away from central Christianshavn, you will eventually stumble upon one of Copenhagen’s best-kept secrets, the small island of Holmen. Its military barracks and canon boat houses date back to a time when Denmark was still a proud shipping nation. In the last few years new life has been breathed into the once bleak area. It is now the home of several creative institutions, such as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the National Film School of Denmark. On Holmen, you will also find the new Opera House, which was donated by Danish shipping magnate A.P. Møller and inaugurated in January 2005. The ultramodern and state-of-the-art Opera House has already become a great international attraction. You can take a regular bus to the opera house, but if you want a spectacular tour of the whole area, take the boat version of the characteristic yellow bus- “the harbor bus”- which sails from the city center across the harbor. This most unusual bus ride is an attraction in itself.
May 2006