It was on a small, canal-encircled island called Slotsholmen in 1167 that Bishop Absalom constructed a small fortress within a harbor side village to try and stifle regular raids by the German Wends on the east coast of Zealand, thereby laying the foundations for the future capital of Denmark. The fortress inflated the village's sense of self-worth, causing it to grow significantly and to adopt the name Købmandshavn or Merchant's Port. The moniker was eventually shortened to København. The fortifications were destroyed during an attack on the town by raiders from northern Germany in 1369 and work on a new defensive structure, Copenhagen Castle, began seven years later. The reigning monarch, King Erik of Pomerania, moved into his sturdy new castle quarters in 1416 and named the city as his capital.

Copenhagen grew swiftly in size and population, and by the beginning of the 18th century had around 60,000 people living within its confines. The next 100 years weren't kind to the burgeoning capital, however. By 1711 nearly one-third of the population had died from bubonic plague, and a pair of fires, in 1728 and 1795, turned large areas of the city, including most of its wooden buildings, to ash. To top it all off, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1800, Britain's Admiral Horatio Nelson decided he'd had enough of Denmark profiting from wartime foreign trade, and of rumors that the neutral Danes were considering putting their naval fleet at Napoleon's disposal, and ordered a savage bombardment of the city. Much of Copenhagen went up in flames and the British rubbed salt into the wound by confiscating the entire national fleet. After Denmark became a democracy in 1849, it went through a lengthy and fairly peaceful period of economic development, not counting a political hiccup in 1864 when a short-lived war was successfully waged on it by Prussia.

Denmark managed to retain neutral status during WWI, but that ploy didn't work during WWII. The Nazis marched on Copenhagen on 9 April, 1940, and ended up occupying it and the rest of the country for five years. Although it survived the war relatively unscathed, Copenhagen was in a poor state by war's end. Today, Copenhagen is flourishing as a center of culture and the arts, and has had its historic skyline marred by only a few high-rise developments.

Vor Frelsers Kirke

Vor Frelsers Kirke, or Our Saviour's Church, is Copenhagen’s most attractive and ornate church. It is topped by a 311 foot steeple which affords breathtaking views over the city. One ascends the steeple by a 400 step spiral staircase protected by a gilt railing. The church was completed in 1696, with the spire being added in 1752. The golden globe, topped with a 10-foot Jesus holding a flag, was a target for Admiral Nelson’s fleet in 1807, although they only managed to hit its leg. Within, elephants hold up the church’s immense organ, represent the royal Order of the Elephant. The Order, induction into which is Denmark’s highest honor, was founded by King Christian V, who commanded the church’s construction

Nationalmuseet

The Nationalmuseet or National Museum is the place to visit to learn about Danish history and culture. The museum has artifacts dating from the Upper Palaeolithic period to the mid-19th century. Highlights include the Sun Chariot, which is over 3500 years old, and an exhibition of 3000-year-old bronze lur (Danish horns). Of course the highlight is the Viking exhibit. Other permanent exhibits include a collection of coins, a segment on Victorian homes, and general facts about Danish history, ranging from prehistoric to modern times.

The collections are arranged on two floors, starting with the earliest artifacts in room 1 from the first people in Denmark, up to 9000BC, and leading you logically through the Stone, Bronze, Iron and Viking Ages. Be sure to check out the Hjortspring boat, an early Iron Age longboat found in 1921. It is currently the oldest known plank built boat in Northern Europe. Also interesting are the Gundestrup cauldron, depicting Celtic deities and the oak coffin burials. Bronze Age bodies are so well preserved that even hair and textiles remain intact.

Rosenborg Slot

Rosenborg Slot, a royal palace, houses a museum and the treasury where the royal regalia and jewels are kept. Downstairs is a public viewing room where you can marvel at incredible jewelry. These include Christian IV's ornately designed crown; the jewel-studded sword of Christian III; and Queen Margrethe II's emeralds and pearls, which are kept here when the queen is not wearing them to official functions. The palace was built in Dutch Renaissance style by Christian IV to serve as his summer home. A century later Frederik IV, who felt cramped at Rosenborg, built a larger palace north of the city in the town of Fredensborg.

Christiansborg Palace

Christiansborg Palace is located on the island of Slotsholmen, connected to the rest of the city by a series of bridges. It contains the Denmark government offices. The original Christiansborg palace was constructed in the 1730s to replace the pokey Copenhagen Castle and several buildings, namely the royal stables and edifices surrounding the main courtyard, date from this time. Folketinget, the parliamentary chamber, can be toured on Sunday year-round, as well as on weekdays over summer. The tour includes a peek at Wanderer's Hall, which contains the original copy of Denmark's Constitution. For sheer Renaissance grandness, De Kongelige Repræsentationslokaler or the Royal Reception Chambers won't disappoint. It's where royal banquets are held and heads of state entertained.

Tivoli

Tivoli is a beautiful combination of amusement park and flower garden. It is a particularly lovely place when the lights that accent the trees and buildings are turned on. The rides are not quite as gut wrenchingly thrilling as some are in American theme parks, but Tivoli itself is spotlessly clean. There are also some sumptuous restaurants available. Tivoli has been operating for over 150 years and so has had plenty of time to figure out how to best cater to the hordes of tourists and locals, many trailing enthusiastic youngsters, who flock there between mid-April and late-September each year. There are all the usual fun-park attractions, such as roller coasters, Ferris wheel, open-air performances, carnival games and food pavilions. For the more cultured palates, there are also traditional folk dances and a large concert hall hosting international symphony orchestras and ballet troupes. Tivoli also opens up for a few weeks prior to Christmas for holiday festivities, a seasonal market and ice-skating on the lake.

The Little Mermaid

No trip to Copenhagen is complete without a visit to the Little Mermaid, as famous a Danish girl as ever immortalized by Hans Christian Anderson. She is a lithe, bronze statue that seems to be taking her ease on a rock in the Copenhagen harbor, easily admired from the shore.

Visiting Copenhagen

Kastrup Airport serves Copenhagen and has international flights which connect the city with the rest of Europe and the world. Copenhagen is also readily accessible by road and rail. Copenhagen, unlike many cities, has a lack of snarling traffic. It is served by a good public transportation system, but walking and bicycling is an ideal way to see the city.

No discussion of the charms of Copenhagen would be complete without a mention of the famous Strøget shopping street, which is actually five streets interconnected. One can buy anything from woolen ski sweaters to amber jewelry. At the risk of treading into political incorrect territory, it is said that Strøget is a place where a man might traverse in a half an hour, but a woman will take all day going through.