Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
clear: The walls needed to come down...and they did. Those formidable town
walls survive today only in echoes—a circular series of roads and the rem-
nants of moats, now people-friendly city lakes (see “The Story of Copenha-
gen” sidebar, earlier).
Stand 50 yards in front of City Hall and turn clockwise for a...
Rådhuspladsen Spin-Tour
The City Hall, or Rådhus, is worth a visit (described on here ) . Old Hans
Christian Andersen sits to the right of City Hall, almost begging to be in an-
other photo (as he used to in real life). Climb onto his well-worn knee. (While
up there, you might take off your shirt for a racy photo, as many Danes enjoy
doing.)
The wooded area behind Andersen is Tivoli Gardens. In 1843, magazine
publisher Georg Carstensen convinced the king to let him build a pleasure
garden outside the walls of crowded Copenhagen. The king quickly agreed,
knowing that happy people care less about fighting for democracy. Tivoli be-
came Europe's first great public amusement park. When the train lines came,
the station was placed just beyond Tivoli.
The big, broad boulevard is Vesterbrogade (“Western Way”), which led
to the western gate of the medieval city (behind you, where the pedestrian
boulevard begins). Here, in the traffic hub of this huge city, you'll notice...not
many cars. Denmark's 180 percent tax on car purchases makes the bus, Metro,
or bike a sweeter option.
Down Vesterbrogade towers the SAS building, Copenhagen's only sky-
scraper. Locals say it seems so tall because the clouds hang so low. When it
was built in 1960, Copenhageners took one look and decided—that's enough
of a skyline.
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