Christianshavn

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The Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelser Kirke) in the Christianshavn city district, Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo: Niels Elgaard Larsen, 2005.

Christianshavn is one of the 15 administrative, statistical, and tax city districts (bydele) comprising the municipality of Copenhagen, Denmark. It covers an area of 3.43 km², has a population of 10,140 and a population density of 30 per 2,960 per km².

Neighboring city districts are as follows:

• to the west is Indre By, also known as "Copenhagen Center" or "Downtown Copenhagen" or "City", separated from Christianshavn by the Inner Harbour (Inderhavnen) and Copenhagen Harbour (Københavns Havn)
• to the southeast are Vestamager, Sundbyvester, and Sundbyøster separated from Christianshavn by Stadsgraven
• to the north and east is the Øresund, the strait which separates the island of Zealand from Sweden

[edit] The Christianshavn district

The Christianshavn district, just southeast of the inner city, is primarily located on an artificial island. The primary residential area is the Christianshavn neighborhood, although there is a significant population living in the Free City of Christiania, a partially self-governing neighborhood which has established semi-legal status as an independent community in an area of abandoned military barracks.

The Christianshavn Canal, one of the few canals left in the center of Copenhagen, gives the area its special feeling, which often invokes the image of a Copenhagen Amsterdam. Old and new boats line the canal, which is a popular place to hang out. Beautiful old buildings line the streets, and many new office building line the harbour’s southern side facing into downtown Copenhagen.

Our Saviour’s Church ("Vor Frelsers Kirke") with its unique corkscrew spire is a landmark. The large park built on the remains of the city’s old fortification is very popular.

The area has been immortalised in the extremely popular 1970s Danish television series "Huset på Christianshavn" ("The House in Christianshavn"), one of Danish television’s most popular shows ever.

[edit] History

Christianshavn is characterised by its canals.

During the period 1618-1623 King Christian IV erected fortification in the swampy area between Copenhagen, the area now known as the Inner City or Indre By, and the island of Amager. Five bastions were completed in 1623.

At the same time the idea was hatched of creating a new merchant town in the area. In 1639 the little merchant and fortress town of Christianshavn was established. Competition however with Copenhagen was too great for the little town, and by 1674 it was incorporated into Copenhagen.

The fortification was further developed with six more bastions in the 1660s, and seven more bastions between 1682-1692. Additional reinforcements occurred between 1779-1791, and again in 1810-1813. Even though the fortifications around the Inner City were being dismantled in the late 1800s, Christianshavn's fortifications continued in use into the 1900s. Some areas were opened up in the late 1910s-1920s, and the final areas were made public space in 1961.

The fortifications are a part of the total fortification system around the old part of Copenhagen, and are one of Denmark’s best preserved fortifications from the 1600s. Today the area around the fortifications is a park area.

[edit] Attractions

• Arsenaløen ("Arsenal Island")
• Christiania
• Christianshavn neighborhood
• Copenhagen Opera House
• Holmen
• The Little Mill
• Nyholm
• Park at Christianshavns Vold ("Christianshavn Fortification")
• Vor Frelsers Kirke ("Our Saviour's Church")

[edit] External links

• City of Copenhagen’s statistical office