The castle playground
One of three large playgrounds, built as a castle.
Stig Nygaard from Copenhagen, Denmark — CC BY 2.0 · Leif Jørgensen — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Guillaume Baviere from Copenhagen, Denmark — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Guillaume Baviere from Copenhagen, Denmark — CC BY-SA 2.0
Copenhagen's largest public park, about 58 hectares north of the centre, and far more a residents' park than a visitors' one. The ground was **common grazing land** for the city's inhabitants before it became a park in 1908 — the name itself means "the common's park". The decision came out of labour-movement pressure on a city whose new districts were packed with no open space at all. What you see today is a space for use rather than a view: **football pitches** that are never empty, running tracks, **three large playgrounds** including one built as a castle, a skate line, and small lakes. On the first of May the park becomes the site of **Denmark's largest labour gathering**, as it has for over a century, with a hundred thousand people or more. It suits anyone staying in the city for several days who wants an hour outdoors without a plan, or a family with children who need to run.
One of three large playgrounds, built as a castle.
Never empty of neighbourhood players all day.
Quiet water between the lawns, away from the pitches.
Edel Sauers Vej, Copenhagen
SMK — National Gallery of Denmark**SMK** is Denmark's largest art museum, built around the collection of the Dani20 minutes walk4.7
Queen Louise's BridgeA short bridge across the Copenhagen lakes joining the **Nørrebro** district to 21 minutes walk4.6
Rosenborg Castle & the Crown JewelsRosenborg is the home of Denmark's crown jewels: a Dutch Renaissance summer pala24 minutes walk4.5It depends what you want. **Fælledparken** is the largest, with three playgrounds and unlimited room to run — the first choice for children with energy to spend. **Frederiksberg Gardens** is the prettier one, with rowing boats in the canals in summer and a view of the zoo's elephants. **Kongens Have**, behind Rosenborg Castle, is smaller and closest to the centre and has a free puppet theatre in summer — the right choice if you have one hour between two other visits. All three are free and always open.