Copenhagen - The City Hall @ Kohenhaven Rathaus

Date of visit: 15th October 2015

Photo selection for this entry is being the most toughest for me since I had so many, captured inside that I wish to share. My apology should I posted more than what I supposed to. I would strongly suggest to those who happen to be in the city, to pay Copenhagen City Hall a visit. Take a chance for  a paid guided tour for more and proper information about this beautiful building, inside out. 

Copenhagen City Hall was in our original itinerary but many of the places we visited on 15th October was impromptu. We didn't expected that we could discovered so much more than what we original anticipated. All thanks to a free walking tour guide that has helped us to understand the map vis-a-vis Copenhagen attractions. With its 105.6 metres height, this beautiful City Hall is one of the tallest buildings in Copenhagen. There are about 300 steps from the sidewalk and up to the tower, which gives a view of Tivoli Gardens and the inner city. Admittedly, we were not aware that we could actually climbed to the tower for an opportunity to view the whole city from afar.

The City Town Hall is a very attractive and popular building, not only to the foreign visitors but also to the local people. The entire complex is designed by architect Martin Nyrop, who based his project on the Italian Renaissance style as well as on medieval Danish architecture. He placed a figure of Bishop Absalon in gilded copper, who is the founder of Copenhagen in 1167, above the main entrance.

The Town Hall complex of Copenhagen was built during 1892-1905, exactly where the former West Gate (Vesterport Gate), the old Lucie Mill and Gyldenloves Bastion were located and demolished in 1888 to give space for the upcoming exhibition and New Town Hall. The 105.6 metres high tower is equipped with a carillon that chimes its familiar tune all over the capital every day and is a very dependable "must hear" sound for all Copenhageners in every 15 minutes. Anyone is welcome to visit the Town Hall, either to admire Jens Olsen’s astronomical clock or to climb the highest tower in the city with an outstanding view over Copenhagen and surrounding areas which covers the Oresound Bridge and the sea shores of Sweden under a clear weather conditions.

The World Clock and Grand Hall is a special attraction that can be found inside the city hall. Visitors may experience the world’s most advance clock at the Town Hall as designed by Jens Olsen with 13 different clockworks that shows the exact time from all over the world including a precise position of all planets. There is a Grand Hall in this place that has been a venue for concerts, exhibitions, cultural events, sales presentations, musical performances etc.

Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the municipal council as well as the Lord mayor of the Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. The building is situated on the City Hall Square in central Copenhagen, next to Tivoli Garden.

The current building was inaugurated in 1905. It was designed by the architect Martin Nyrop in the National Romantic style but with inspiration from the Siena City Hall in Italy. It is dominated by its richly ornamented front, the gilded statue of Absalon just above the balcony and the tall, slim clock tower. The latter is at 105.6 metres one of the tallest buildings in the generally low city of Copenhagen. Pay attention to arches above the second entrance door. It has beautiful door sculptures that brought awe to my face.

Construction began in 1892 and the hall was opened on September 12, 1905. Before the city hall moved to its present location, it was situated at Gammeltorv/Nytorv. The first city hall was in use from about 1479 until it burned down in the great Copenhagen fire of 1728. The second city hall was built in 1728 and was designed by J.C. Ernst and J.C. Krieger. It was also burned down during the Copenhagen fire of 1795.

It was not until 1815 that a new city hall, designed by C.F.Hansen, was erected on Nytorv which was intended to house both the city hall and a court. Today it is still in use as the city court of Copenhagen. Please refer to my next entry as that ex-city houses attracted my attention being an external jurisprudence student at present.

 

You may see Copenhagen city from above the city hall tower and learn some history at the same time with a guided tour of Copenhagen City Hall or the city hall tower. Tours of the tower runs Monday-Friday at 11:00 and 14:00. On Saturdays, the tour runs at 12:00 noon. The tour costs DKK 30. Tours of the city hall take place Monday-Friday in Danish at 10:00 and 15:00, and in English at 13:00. Saturday's tours take place in Danish at 11:00 and in English at 10:00. The city hall tours cost DKK 50. For your information too, in 2007, the National Bank of Denmark issued a 20 DKK commemorative coin of the tower.