Christiania – is a part of Copenhagen, which is the capital of Denmark. The district’s name has religious roots, as it may seem, but it is a mistake. Here are the military barracks, which once belonged to King Christian. Until 1972, these buildings were empty, but as long as there moved courageous colonists and hippies. Nothing prevented them from settling there as at home, and declare the area as a free city. They adopted their own laws, have introduced their own currency, printed their own newspapers.
By the way, they organize leisure facilities for dwellers and visitors of Christiania. They did not want to pay any taxes and utility payments, but the governors insisted and they finally agreed. Christiania is also divided into small districts. The municipality has its own garbage collection service, its hospitals, a school and, of course, a hotel.
The main street is called Pusher Street. The person who comes here for the first time may be scared by the ban of taking photos and by plenty of suspicious individuals. However, while wandering down the street a little longer, you will notice that even the sale of marijuana and hashish in this town is held decently.
The residents of a free town independently monitor the sale of large quantities of hard drugs and the formation of gangs. Now, the area of this district is about 35 hectares, about half a million tourists come here each year to see how free people live (reported at tuko.co.ke).
There are many reasons why you should visit Christiania
It is interesting that at the entrance you can see two main inscriptions: “You leave the territory of the European Union!” and “The life of this small town flows in accordance with the manifesto of Jacob Ludvigsen”. According to the manifesto, the residents of Christiania are trying to create a “self-governing society where each individual is responsible for the welfare of the whole community”.
What is more, you will be encountered a tablet, where three basic rules of Christiania have been written:
Have fun.
Do not run – it causes panic.
Do not take photos. Sale and purchase of drugs are still illegal.
The following reason is that you will see amazing paintings and graffiti on the walls around you. This is because of the concentration of creative people. Everyone tries to give something unusual and interesting to this small city.
Also, you can have a great tour on famous bikes “Pedersen”. They resemble a rickshaw and are known as cargo bikes. But for a small fee, visitors may take a ride around the town.
By the way, several times a year Christians organize themed parties and fairs, during which the inhabitants of the city offer visitors free drinks, hand-made jewelry, furniture, paintings, rugs, and even the possibility of getting a tattoo.
The next interesting fact is that the houses do not have the ordinary numbers. While walking you may see “The House on the tree”, “The House near the lake”.
To be honest, if you can not live without photos, there are some special places, where tourists can make the selfie. This fact is represented by illustrations “Photo is ok”, which you may see near remarkable sculptures or art creations. But be careful, because the local children are forbidden to be photographed by law.
Many tourists admire souvenirs that are sold in this town. They are quite unusual, because are made by people’s own hands, and differ from the usual souvenirs in Copenhagen. Furthermore, the prices are cheap and it becomes impossible to find analogs for such souvenirs.
If you travel in summer, you will have an excellent opportunity to visit free concerts. They are held on Sundays in the Café Nemoland. There you will enjoy the Danish atmosphere, that is made by classic bands.
Many tourists adore visiting the Morgenstedet. It is a vegetarian café in the town. One thing you can be sure of is that it is a homemade vegetarian meal that is based on natural ingredients. The great mixture of cuisines is represented here.
So, Freetown Christiania is a great example of true, independent, bigoted people, who have decided to get together and create their own state. Christiania is not historical or architectural, but rather a cultural monument, in the sense that at the center of such a significant, elegant and slightly conservative Copenhagen suddenly appeared something so unlike to him. The city is a phenomenon these days. Come just to get acquainted with this friendly, peaceful, and now the official community.
About the Author
Marta Trenton is an inspired blogger from Poland. 5 years ago she started writing her own short stories on a wide range of topics including education and information technologies. Marta finds travelling a great way to get back to what’s really important in life. You can follow her on Twitter.