things-to-do
Nyhavn: Copenhagen's Colourful Old Harbourfront
The row of brightly painted townhouses along Nyhavn's canal is a familiar image of Copenhagen. Here is how the old sailors' harbour became a place to stroll by the water.
How we reported this
Nyhavn, which means “new harbour” in Danish, is the short canal that runs from Kongens Nytorv down to the main harbour in central Copenhagen. Its line of tall, narrow townhouses painted in reds, ochres, blues and greens is one of the sights most associated with the city, and on a sunny day the quaysides fill with people sitting outside the bars and restaurants.
The canal was dug in the early 1670s, in the reign of King Christian V, to bring seagoing ships right up to the edge of the old town. For its first couple of centuries Nyhavn was a working waterfront, busy with cargo, sailors and the trades that served them. The gabled houses along the northern quay date from the late 17th and early 18th centuries and are among the older buildings in this part of the city.
Nyhavn has a strong literary connection. The writer Hans Christian Andersen lived at several addresses along the canal over the years, and small plaques and the houses themselves are part of what draws visitors to walk the quay today.
By the middle of the 20th century the harbour had fallen out of commercial use and the northern side grew run-down. A restoration effort turned the quay into a pedestrian promenade, the old buildings were repaired, and cafes and restaurants moved into the ground floors. Wooden sailing ships and old vessels are now moored along the water as a reminder of the canal's origins. At the head of the harbour, near Kongens Nytorv, a large anchor stands as a memorial to Danish sailors who died at sea.
For visitors, Nyhavn is both a destination and a starting point. Guided canal boat tours of Copenhagen's harbour and waterways depart from the quay, taking in sights along the water. It is an easy walk from Kongens Nytorv metro station, and it links naturally with a stroll towards Amalienborg and the harbourfront. Prices at the waterside restaurants reflect the location, so many locals treat Nyhavn as a place to walk, sit by the water and watch the boats rather than a spot for an everyday meal.