Welcome to a fairytale

Think of Copenhagen and the first thing that comes to mind is the Little Mermaid — the tragic heroine of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale. So we did first things first. As soon as we arrived at Denmark’s capital city, my travel group and I made a beeline for the harbour to gawk at the century-old bronze icon of the mermaid, sculpted by Edvard Eriksen. Perched on a rock with shoulders hunched and eyes cast shoreward, she looks forlorn. The overcast skies and incessant drizzle messed up our pictures with the sea princess a little bit, but didn’t dampen our spirits.

Moving on, even apart from the mermaid’s charm, Copenhagen, delicately poised on the isle of Zealand, has a dreamlike quality. It was like walking straight into a fairytale. Whether it was the Tivoli Gardens, the towering sand sculptures by the canal side or Nyhavn, where Andersen had lived for decades, the ambience was ethereal. As a child, I had loved Andersen’s fairytales.

Now, I was gazing at the picturesque location where the master storyteller’s inspiration ran riot. It was an out-of-the-world experience. Just while we were settling in to gaze some more and frantically using sign language to get ourselves cups of steaming hot coffee at a quayside mobile café, our guide hurried us off to Amalienborg Palace Square to witness the changing of the Royal Guards at noon. It was an impressive display. The guards wore bearskin caps, carried muskets and paraded smartly with deadpan expressions, unmindful of the ogling onlookers. I got a rare opportunity to occupy a sentry’s little outpost as he vacated it for a brief moment. An obliging tourist quickly clicked a photo and my day was made!

For those seeking architectural delights, Copenhagen has a lot to offer too. Queen Margarethe II resides in one of the four palaces flanking the square. The centuries-old equestrian statue of Frederick V stands at the centre of the square.

Christiansborg Palace houses the Folketing (Parliament) and Supreme Court. Some of the rooms are used by the royals for special events. The Great Hall contains the Queen’s Tapestries, depicting 1,000 years of Danish history.

The Throne Room opens on to a balcony where the Danish monarchs are proclaimed. The Oresund Bridge, a magnificent eight kilometre-long architectural marvel connects Copenhagen with the town of Malmo in Sweden. The Kronburg Castle at Helsingor at the head of the Oresund Sound is the ‘Elsinore’ of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Dyrehavsbakken is probably the oldest amusement park in the world and was founded in 1583 by a woman named Kirsten Piil. The Copenhagen Zoo and the Blue Planet aquarium are popular attractions, but we decided to give them a miss.

Another interesting must-visit around here is the free town of Christiana. Covering roughly about 84 acres in the borough of Christianshavn in  Copenhagen it is a partially self-governing ‘free town’ founded by hippies. It is the site of a unique social experiment and a symbol of Danish liberalism. The occupants enforce their own rules such as the ban on cars, guns, bullet-proof vests, cameras and hard drugs. Christiana is said to have its own flag and even currency.

Last but not the least, visit the The Church of Our Lady. it has impressive marble statues of Jesus and the apostles sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The church has a chequered past, having been destroyed and rebuilt several times. It was burnt in 1317, vandalised in 1530 during the Reformation, and struck by lightning on two occasions, before the British bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807 accidentally set it ablaze. The church has hosted royal weddings and coronations over the centuries. In a sense, the Church of Our Lady exemplifies the very spirit of Copenhagen — a rare blend of liberal values, tranquility, modernity, and artistic finesse.

— Pushpa is a travel writer perennially seeking a new muse

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Christianshavn — A bohemian rhapsody

1. In the 1970s, Christianshavn developed a bohemian reputation and it is now one of the most trendiest most diverse part of the city with a very distinctive personality. Residents consider themselves first as Christianshavners and then as Copenhageners.
2. Freetown Christiania is a “city within the city”, with its own governance. It's also a venue for several cultural events on the calendar as well as a building method with one principle - "Architecture Without Architects".
3. Its cannabis trade was tolerated by authorities, until 2004.
4. Ownership of private cars is frowned upon within the community. And as of 2005, parking space for only 14 cars had been established within the main city area.