The Danish capital is steeped in intellectual history and is home to a number of interesting philosophical monuments. Here is a guide to 5 curious pilgrimage spots in Copenhagen for the bookish tourist.
Assistens Cemetery
This peaceful cemetery is found just off from Carlsburg station. It is home to the graves of Copenhagen’s most beloved writer, Hans Christian Anderson, and the city’s most accomplished philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. You can find busts of their faces and memorial plaques devoted to their illustrious memories.
Andersen’s Nyhavn
The picturesque pastel-colored houses at Nyhavn is the most photographed spot in the city. Number 20 was inhabited by Hans Christian Anderson when he wrote “The Princess and the Pea”, later moving into number 67. Today this is the Anderson cafe, where you can enjoy a traditional Danish lunch.
The Little Mermaid
Gazing out to sea by the old military fort is the famous sculpture of Anderson’s Little Mermaid.
Bredgade 70
Number 70 Bredgade is the old house of the famous philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. A renowned early 19th-century philosopher and theologian, the young Kierkegaard’s family nickname was “the fork” because he could skewer other people’s vulnerabilities.
