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Throughout history Copenhageners never really got to like the idea of living in a big city. Noise, traffic, tall buildings, busy business men, and displays of great wealth are all generally frowned upon. Most people live outside the city in small independent suburbs nourishing a provincial feel rather than any connection to the Capital. In the city itself, traffic is sanctioned as much as possible, and limits on building height are strictly enforced. But while the Inner City is always buzzing with activities and crammed with people, efforts are constantly made to make it more of a cosmopolitan haven than the busy centre of a great metropolis. Little refuges are found everywhere from idyllic town squares like Gråbrødretorv and Nytorv and Gammeltorv, to the many parks surrounding the old city centre. And indeed, Copenhageners have proved exceptionally successful in creating some of the worlds finest, most extraordinary, mesmerising and enchanting city sanctuaries - of which the following are only a few. SANCTUARIES Most famous of the institutionalised sanctuaries is Tivoli, the old world-famous amusement park right in the middle of town with some 100,000 lamps glowing and providing magic among the flower arrangements, antique roller-coasters, classy restaurants, and many fine performances of music, dance and theatre. Also Christiania is an institution and a sanctuary, even if it seems to be Tivolis very contradiction. It is decidedly anti-establishment, and was long considered rebel territory, having numerous clashes with the police. It is also walled in, surprisingly peaceful, and with no apparent connection to the city (nor, indeed, to the country, the EU or NATO, as is stated by the entrance) The area was squatted by hippies in the early 1970s, and has remained untouched by the government ever since. Further out on Christianshavn is Holmen, another sanctuary, this one for film students, architects and like-minded people who work and study in the former naval base. A very unusual sanctuary is Assistens Kirkegård, a cemetery that hosts such local celebrities as Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard, as well as many others - and simultaneously serves as a public park offering picnic opportunities among the gravestones. Of the citys many parks, the most enchanting is Frederiksberg Have, which offers the opportunity to rent little boats in the summer and paddle into your loved ones heart. Kongens Have, where Inner City trendies meet for picnic, spontaneous games of football and nude sunbathing. The Botanical Garden with its overwhelming number of exotic flowers, trees and plants. H.C.Ørstedsparken at night is a secretive meeting-point for gay men. ART Contemporary Patrons of modern art will find the two most important museums located outside of town in spectacular natural settings. To the north in Humlebæk, Louisiana offers brilliant exhibitions as does its smaller Southern counterpart, Arken, in Ishøj. In the city itself, large exhibition spaces for contemporary art include Charlottenborg, the refurbished church Nikolaj, Kunstforeningen (Danish Society of Arts) and Den Frie (Independent Artists? Exhibitions). Also, Statens Museum for Kunst has a strong permanent collection in its impressive new wing. A brief international boat-trip will take you to Malmö, Sweden, where Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art and Malmö City Art Gallery are among that countrys finest centres of contemporary art. For gallery-hopping in Copenhagen, the most rewarding area is traditionally Frederiksstaden, especially Bredgade and the area behind Hotel D?Angleterre by Kongens Nytorv. Recently, some of the more daring galleries, such as Nikolaj Wallner and Nils Stærk have moved en masse to Islands Brygge hopefully starting a trend that can only do good to this desolated area. Pre-War Statens Museum for Kunsts collection and enormous building is not just 'the state of the art', but the states museum of art. In English it is either called the National Museum of Art or Danish National Gallery. While it has no real obligation to lead in the avant-garde, it has one of the worlds best and most extensive collection of Scandinavian painters from all ages. For European masterpieces Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek holds a very varied and rich private collection (you guess the sponsor) that also includes an excellent Egyptian department. It too has had a recent extension that is an architectural masterpiece - as have Statens Museum for Kunst, The Royal Library on Slotsholmen, and Louisiana (every second year). Den Hirschprungske Samling, right across from Statens Museum for Kunst in Østre Anlæg, is another beautiful private collection specialising in what is often referred to as the Golden Age of Danish painting including the famous Skagen-painters such as Krøyer and Hammershøj. Thorvaldsens Museum is the countrys first public art museum, a monument to sculptor Thorvaldsen. It opened in 1848 and is still an impressive sanctuary.
HISTORY The entire Inner City of Copenhagen is in itself of historic interest, as it seems relatively untouched by the last couple of centuries. The history of the city can further be studied at the picturesque Copenhagen City Museum on Vesterbrogade.The history of the nation is told at Nationalmuseet, Denmarks main museum of cultural history, with unrivalled exhibitions of ancient art and handcrafts covering all of the nations history including Greenland, the Faroe Islands and most of Scandinavia. Anyone with interest in Norse mythology, Vikings and early Nordic history should also visit the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, the working village of Lejre, and the National Museum of Brede; each within an hour of the city. Back in Copenhagen the Royal Danish Chronological Collection at Rosenborg Castle and Amalienborg shows the history of the worlds oldest royal family through their sometimes very amusing belongings and extravagant furniture. To contrast this, the Workers' Museum has on permanent display a depiction of working-class life in the 1930s and 1950s. Georg Jensen Museum displays the unique works of the famous silver-smith, as well as antique Royal Copenhagen porcelain. The Carlsberg Museum has everything you need to know and taste about brewing beer. The Resistance Museum sheds light on the underground liberation movement during the German occupation in WW2. The Geological Museum captures other underground movements. Important castles outside the city count Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød and Kronborg in Elsinore as the largest and most impressive. The amazing twin-towered church of Roskilde, Denmarks capital before the founding of Copenhagen, is among the finest and oldest in the world and duly listed under UNESCOs World Heritage Program.
SHOWS Royal Theatre is home to one of worlds leading ballet troupes, the Royal Danish Ballet, with regular shows on the Old Stage. The national Opera and Theatre troupes too call the Royal Theatre their home while also performing elsewhere in the city. Ny Teater, Nørrebro Teater, and Østre Gasværk often show big-budget musicals. A majority of popular theatres are located on Frederiksberg Allee. Tickets for most shows and information can be obtained by phone +4570156565 or www.billetnet.dk MUSIC Performances of classical music in the highest quality can be attended at Danish National Radio Concert Hall, Tivoli Concert Hall, Den Anden Opera, and the Royal Theatre. Helligåndskirken, Holmens Kirke, Trinitatis Kirke as well as many other city churches regularly have organ concerts on weekdays. The prime jazz venues in Copenhagen are Copenhagen Jazzhouse and La Fontaine. Most important venues for contemporary rock and electronic music are Pumpehuset, Vega, Stengade 30, Rust, Loppen, Amager Bio, and Stereo Bar.
FILM Copenhagen is a city of movie-lovers, and for the connoisseur Cinemateket in Filmhuset, Gloria, Posthusteatret, Grand, Husets Biograf, and Vester Vov Vov all offer rare and high-quality screenings. Mainstream cinemas are centered around Rådhuspladsen and Vesterport Station with giant complexes Scala, Dagmar, and Palads showing Hollywood productions and the like. Nearby Imperial prides itself on having Northern Europes largest silver screen. Tycho Brahe Planetarium shows you breathtaking images of space as well as IMAX-screenings. Østerbros Park shows belated premieres and classics at discount prices. All showings are in original language with Danish subtitles except animation-movies for children (in fact, dubbing is considered so blasphemous that actors will be dismissed from the Actors? Union if caught dubbing a major motion picture). For Danish films with English subtitles see Vester Vov Vov, Husets Biograf and Cinemateket. |
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