Citytrip Copenhagen,
Denmark, April 2018






Day 2 - Part 1
Wednesday, April 18th




Good morning every one, and a good morning it is. Today the sun is brightly shining and we head off to our breakfast on the first floor. Enjoying a good breakfast we make our plans for the day. Today we will rent a bike and tour around Copenhagen on two wheels rather than two legs. It is much easier to get around by bike then walking all the way. This way you can also cover a greater area with less effort.

The city offers an extensive and well-designed system of cycle tracks. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most bicycle friendly city in the world. Copenhagen offers an extensive and well-designed system of cycle tracks. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world. Roadside cycle tracks in Copenhagen are almost all one-directional with one cycle track on each side of street.

When speaking of a greater area, I truly mean a greater area. In the hotel lobby were flyers about the various suburban areas, which together make Copenhagen. Our first objective is the furthest away; the old militairy fortress Kastellet, within its direct vicinity the Copenhagen icon; the little mermaid. From there we head south along the harbour inlet to Amaliehavn where the Royal Palace is located. From here we cross the harbour inlet to the Christianshavn to have a look at the old ramparts that protected Copenhagen in the old days. Than we are off to the Nørrebro district, and from there to the Frederiksberg district and back to the hotel.





Kastellet - 1



The former fortress is our first objective today. Following the Vester Søgade north, we cycle along the right side of the five large ponds (søerne = lake in Danish) that separate the Copenhagen centre from the Nørrebro, Østerbro and Frederiksberg districts. Cycling here is easy; the city is littered with blue marked cycling lanes. The Vester Søgade is followed by the Nørre Søgade and the Øster Søgade, finally leading to the Dag Hammarskjölds Allé. Here we turn right following the street until we arrive at the viaduct that crosses over the railway. We park the bikes and enter the park surrounding the Kastellet.









The first thing you notice while entering the west side of the Kastellet is the windmill. Built in 1847 on the King's Bastion stands a windmill of the Dutch type. The Kastellet, (English: The Citadel) is one of the best-preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe. It is constructed in the form of a pentagram with bastions at its corners. Kastellet used to encircle Copenhagen with a ring of bastioned ramparts. Today only the ramparts of Christianshavn remain.







Copenhage, Kastellet fortress





The area is still in use by the military, and houses officer's quarters, but it mainly serves as a public park and a historic site. The Kastellet is a well-maintained oasis of tranquillity where you can find some rest from the hustle and bustle of a dynamic Copenhagen. Walking through the park we come across armed soldiers that patrol the fortress. From them I learned that the fortress still houses officers and their families.





The little Mermaid - 2



Having walked towards the north side and around the moat that surrounds the fortress, we reach the point where Copenhagen´s icon resides. The statue of "The little Mermaid" from the story created by Hans Christian Andersen. When we reach the statue about a dozen or two Chinese people are photographing the statue and themselves with it. Selfies galore!

I manage to squeeze in a few of myself before stepping back, sit down on one of the benches and observe the Chinese group for a few moments. This was still a small group of people. Ten minutes later two double decker hop-on-hop-off busses arrive with a hundred or so people swarming around the statue of the mermaid. We were just in time!







The little Mermaid





St. Albans Church - 3



We keep following the park around the Kastellet and come across the St. Albans church. An interesting piece of architecture, to say the least. Unfortunately at the moment it is not open to the public. St. Albans Church is an Anglican church that was built 1887 for the growing English congregation in the city.

The church is part of Church of England in Europe, and it is dedicated to Saint Alban, the first martyr of Great Britain. The remarkable outside of the church consists of limestone from the Faxe south of Copenhagen, knapped flint from Stevns and Åland stone for the spire. The use of flint as a building material is typical English. Flint is commonly seen in church buildings in the south of England, particularly East Anglia.

Highslide JS
St. Albans Church

St. Albans Church



Highslide JS
St. Albans Church

St. Albans Church



 




 




Continues on next page...

 












and welcome!







Highslide JS
Breakfast

Breakfast



Highslide JS
Breakfast

Breakfast



Highslide JS
The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid



Highslide JS
Obligatory selfie

Obligatory selfie



Highslide JS
St. Albans Church

St. Albans Church