Copenhagen's Bredgade Street
Bredgade embodies the style and history of Denmark's capital.
Apr 20, 2007
Shopping and Danish Design
The storefronts lining Bredgade Street sell everything from avant garde housewares, antique furniture, jewelry, to locally designed clothing. Design buffs will appreciate the Danish Design Museum, which is a few blocks past the Amalienborg Palace. It has permanent and rotating exhibitions featuring historical and cutting edge design, a design poster collection, and a library. On Wednesdays, admission is free.
Amalienborg Palace and Churches
One block from Bredgade towards the water are the four rococco style palaces of the Amalienborg Palace (Amalienborg Slot) complex. The palaces are set in a large, octagonal "square" and they are the official residences of the Danish royal family. The Amalienborg Palace Museum gives a bit of insight into how royal families throughout history have lived and the palace offers tours of private rooms of royalty past. Every noon, when the royal family is in residence, visitors can witness the changing of the guard ceremony, complete with a brass band.
Frederick’s Church (Frederikskirken), across from the Amalienborg Palace, is an imposing baroque style church whose dome was inspired by the dome of St. Peter’s Church in Rome. The round interior is covered with stained glass, gold mosaics behind the altar, and a massive pipe organ. The church frequently holds classical music concerts open to the public. Visitors can ascent the dome, usually open on the weekends, for a bird’s eye view of the city. Outside, there are statues of notable Danes, including Grundtvig and Kierkegaard.
Continuing north on Bredgade Street, you’ll pass the Alexander Nevsky Russian Church on the left, with magnificent gold domes perched on top of the spires and the Catholic St. Agnes’ Church on the right, with a simple, wooden interior and a mosaic covered dome.
Copenhagen Citadel and the Little Mermaid Statue
Built in the 17th century and occupied by the Nazis during World War II, the Citadel is now the headquarters of the military intelligence service. On the east side of the complex, by the harbor, Copenhagen’s iconic Little Mermaid statue gazes at passing boats and tourists.The bronze statue is based on a character in a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The sea king's daughter, she is half man, half fish. The story is that she has to wait 300 years on her rock perch to enter the world of human beings.
For lunch or a light snack with wine, 6 Sommalier is a good choice. Café Oscar has a wider range of pan-European options for lunch or dinner. Or, stop for coffee in the café inside the Danish Design Museum.
