Photo by Morteno
Crossing Knippelsbro you arrive at Christianshavn, a pleasant and now quite fashionable part of town. A little Amsterdam, one might call it.
Photo by Morteno
Take a walk along the canals, enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the many cafes along the waterfront and visit the well-known Christiania. Main entrance is located in Prinsessegade.
Christiania was founded in 1971 when a group of hippies took over an abandoned military barracks and developed their own set of rules, completely independent of the Danish government.
Photo by Morteno
The free city in the heart of Copenhagen has always been known for its human diversity but also for being a location where hash was sold openly on Pusher Street. In 2004 the Danish government succeeded in closing the permanent stands. Christiania has been described as a place where art thrives. There is art everywhere and often very good live-music in one of the many concert venues.
Photo by Morteno
A walk in Christiania is a unique experience – everywhere you go, you will see art in the shape of sculptures, paintings and even houses. All are individually constructed do-it-yourself houses and so, greatly varied and interesting to behold. Take a walk or join one of the guided tours. Christiania should definitely be on your Copenhagen to-do-list.
Photo by Morteno
Visit Christiania´s website for more information: http://www.christiania.org
Good places to eat in Christianshavn/Christiania
Nice and simple breakfast, amazing coffee, juice and chocolate. Yummy...
Sweet Treat, Sankt Annæ Gade 3A
www.sweettreat.dk
Gourmet dining in Christianshavn:
Noma: www.noma.dk
or
Era Ora: www.era-ora.dk
Louisiana
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is not only a museum with an impressive permanent collection. It offers world class special exhibitions as well. And the building itself it a triumph of architecture, fitting perfectly into its natural surroundings.
The trip alone to the beautiful museum makes it worthwhile. Louisiana is located 35 km north of Copenhagen and is rapidly reached by the freeway E47/E55.
But you are strongly encouraged go drive via “Strandvejen”, along the coast of Øresund. Or even better, go by train. It takes only 36 minutes from Copenhagen + a 10 minute walk from the train station Humlebæk/Louisiana.
You can buy a combined transport and museum entrance ticket with a discount in every train station in the metropolitan area. Trains leave from Hovedbanegården (Central Station), Nørreport, Østerport, Hellerup and Klampenborg every 20 minutes, even more frequently during rush hours.
The museum is situated in an old park on the North Zealand coast, with a fine view of Sweden across the Sound.
Louisiana is not merely an experience in modern and contemporary art, but a congenial reflection of the interplay between art, architecture and landscape.
The park serves as an ideal setting for displaying the museums collection of modern sculptures.
The relaxing atmosphere, the museum’s permanent collection, changing art exhibitions, films, concerts, the children’s wing, the café service indoors and outdoors, the museum shop with its large selection of books, art reproductions, graphics, posters, postcards, design and classical CDs - all combine in making Louisiana a pleasure to visit.
The café offers a wide selection of Danish lunch classics, coffee and tea. And as a novelty, you can have a “Wednesday-dinner” every Wednesday evening for only 128 DKR.
It houses an exquisite collection of modern art by international artists such as Arp, Francis Bacon, Calder, Dubuffet, Max Ernst, Sam Francis, Giacometti, Kiefer, Henry Moore, Picasso, Rauschenberg and Warhol.
Every year, the Louisiana Museum shows six to eight major exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, including classical masters of modern art as well as new and up-and-coming international artists.
In the fall of 2007, September 5 – December 2, we particularly recommend the exhibit of the works of the immensely successful young Danish artist Tal R.
Similarly, the prominent museum buildings, constructed between 1958 and 1998, offer a fascinating background for the permanent collection of twentieth century art.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art,
Gammel Strandvej 13,
3050 Humlebæk
www.louisiana.dk
Istedgade by Night
True Copenhagen atmosphere. We give no guarantees, but we ought to think you will be quite safe, even though it is a rocky neighborhood. Hanging out on the corner of Istedgade and Abel Cathrines Gade at 10 P.M. on a Friday night is an experience in itself. Prostitutes and their clients making their arrangements right in front of you, Gambian dealers screaming their discontent into their mobile phones. The tattoo shops with ongoing business in the window and all the sex shops in the middle of young local café latte drinkers strolling by in high heels and slim pants. In front of the church, Mariakirken, the drug dealers solicit and hang out in the company of dogs...
Istedgade is more than hookers and beggars; it is also a very popular neighborhood with young people and families with small children.
Af Mette Lomholdt & Katrine Salomon