Copenhagen: Christiania squatters village, still there?
Jul 7th, 2009, 08:31 AM
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Copenhagen: Christiania squatters village, still there?
Rick Steves and a discussion on this site suggest that this interesting sounding place in Copenhagen has been due for demolition for a while now. What's the current scoop on it? Has it been demolished? If it's still there now, is it due to be demolished very soon? I think we'd like to see it while we're there for 4 days in August/early September.
If it's still there, can anyone who has been there tell me whether it's really interesting or maybe only really interesting to Rick Steves. Thanks.
If it's still there, can anyone who has been there tell me whether it's really interesting or maybe only really interesting to Rick Steves. Thanks.
Jul 7th, 2009, 08:44 AM
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Jul 7th, 2009, 09:02 AM
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I visited a few years ago and can say that for me it's much more interesting in theory than in practice.
Whilst it's interesting reading about the history of the place, what it initially stood for, the trials and tribulations it's been through and how it developed, I feel that I didn't gain anything by actually going to visit.
In fact it took away all the mystery and showed how much it has moved away from its initial ideals and has now pretty much become an average 16 year-old's idea of what a counter culture should be. All in all I found it oddly depressing and felt that if that was a prime example of a 'freetown', I didn't want to be free.
The final decision is of course yours, but that's my opinion on it. Hope it helps.
Whilst it's interesting reading about the history of the place, what it initially stood for, the trials and tribulations it's been through and how it developed, I feel that I didn't gain anything by actually going to visit.
In fact it took away all the mystery and showed how much it has moved away from its initial ideals and has now pretty much become an average 16 year-old's idea of what a counter culture should be. All in all I found it oddly depressing and felt that if that was a prime example of a 'freetown', I didn't want to be free.
The final decision is of course yours, but that's my opinion on it. Hope it helps.
Jul 7th, 2009, 09:21 AM
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Thank you both. I've planned it for our last day before leaving on a cruise so I think I'll leave it there and do it only if we wind up with some extra time between lunch in Christianshaven and getting to the ship.
Jul 7th, 2009, 09:48 AM
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I think Rick likes it because he likes the sticky icky. Really, it is basically something of a junkyard. And the cops have been cracking down on the drug trade so, while it is still pretty obvious where they are selling, it isn't the free-for-all that it once might have been.
Worth checking out so that you can form your own opinion, but that's my two cents, anyway.
Worth checking out so that you can form your own opinion, but that's my two cents, anyway.
Jul 7th, 2009, 10:49 AM
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It might be worth checking out if you have some time before your cruise but I wouldn't put it on a must-do list of places to see in Copenhagen. While it has an interesting history, I thought the area in reality was not that different from some inner city neighborhoods in the US.
Aug 26th, 2009, 01:20 AM
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I think it's worth a visit if you're in Copenhagen especially as it doesn't cost anything and since it's in central Copenhagen it's not difficult to get there.
It also depends on when you go there, I've been there at night in the winter and it was just grey and awful with nothing but drugdealers and street dogs. But I've also been there during the day in the summer when there was a live band playing and lots of happy friendly people around and then it was really nice to just have a walk around.
It also depends on when you go there, I've been there at night in the winter and it was just grey and awful with nothing but drugdealers and street dogs. But I've also been there during the day in the summer when there was a live band playing and lots of happy friendly people around and then it was really nice to just have a walk around.
Aug 26th, 2009, 01:53 AM
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My 21yo daughter was there about 3 weeks ago, she said the old buildings were lovely but ruined by graffiti. She reckons she got "high" just walking around and saw plenty of drug deals going on. Didn't stay long and was glad to leave, gave her the creeps.
Aug 26th, 2009, 03:33 AM
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It is mainly inhabitated by an aging population who have forgotten why they had come. Most of them have porous brains due to long-term drug consumption.
You can go there and buy a hashish pipe in one of the souvenir shops (I still have one which I have bought there in 1985).
But in any case, to avoid physical attack, do respect their wish not to be photographed. Cameras are instantly smashed and burnt, and the photographer will take bruises as souvenirs home. Police avoids Christiania.
A visit to Christiania is a good opportunity for a field trip after reading T.C. Boyle's "Drop City".
You can go there and buy a hashish pipe in one of the souvenir shops (I still have one which I have bought there in 1985).
But in any case, to avoid physical attack, do respect their wish not to be photographed. Cameras are instantly smashed and burnt, and the photographer will take bruises as souvenirs home. Police avoids Christiania.
A visit to Christiania is a good opportunity for a field trip after reading T.C. Boyle's "Drop City".
