Nyhavn - A historical waterfront

Nyhavn (literally: New Harbour) is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stretching from Kongens Nytorv

 to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse, it is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a "heritage harbour", the canal has many historical wooden ships.

Nyhavn was constructed by King Christian V from 1670 to 1673, dug by Swedish war prisoners from the  Dano-Swedish war 1650-1658. It is a gateway from the sea to the old inner city at Kongens Nytorv (King's Square), where ships handled cargo and fishermens' catch. It was notorious for beer, sailors, and prostitution. Danish author Hans Christian  Andersen lived at Nyhavn for some 18 years.

The first bridge across Nyhavn opened on 6 February 1875. It was a temporary wooden footbridge. It was replaced by the current bridge in 1912.  As ocean-going ships grew larger, Nyhavn was taken over by internal Danish small vessel freight traffic. After World War II land transport took over this role and small vessel traffic disappeared from the Port of Copenhagen, leaving Nyhavn largely deserted of ships.

In the mid-1960s, the Nyhavn Society (Danish: Nyhavnsforeningen) was founded with the aim of revitalising Nyhavn. In 1977, Nyhavn was inaugurated as a veteran ship and museum harbour by Overborgmester i København (Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor)  Egon Weidikamp.

The great Memorial Anchor at the end of Nyhavn, where it meets Kongens Nytorv, is a monument commemorating the more than 1,700 Danish officers and sailors in service for the Navy, merchant fleet or Allied forces, who sacrificed their lives during World War II. The Anchor was inaugurated in 1951, replacing a temporary wooden cross erected on the spot in 1845, and has a plaque with a monogram of King Fredrik VII on it. The Memorial Anchor is from 1872 and was used on the Frigate Fyn (Funen), which was docked at Holmen Naval Base during the Second World War. Every year on May 5th – Denmark’s Liberation day 1945 – an official ceremony is held to honour and commemorate the fallen at the Memorial Anchor.

Nyhavn’s past is almost as colourful as the façades on the quay. It’s a history full of ships, sailors – and lots of alcohol. Drinking beer is still the number one pastime here: On a sunny day, all of Copenhagen seems to converge on the quays of Nyhavn for a glass of Carlsberg. But, however delicious, there is much more to this area than chilled lager.

No. 9, Nyhavn, is the oldest house in the area dating back to 1681. The design of the house has not been altered since that time.  Many of the houses in Nyhavn were once inhabited by prominent artists and writers. This includes world-famous fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in no fewer than three houses here at different times. Many of his stories were written in Nyhavn. Andersen initially lived at number 20, where he came up with the tale of the Princess on the Pea, among others. He later moved to number 67, which he swapped after twenty years for number 18, where he spent two more years.

Red house is #20 where  H.C.Andersen lived