Christiania, Copenhagen — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Christiania is one of the most unusual communities in Europe, a self-proclaimed "freetown" in the heart of Copenhagen that has been operating outside conventional norms since 1971.

In September 1971, a group of squatters, hippies, and activists cut through the fence of an abandoned military barracks on the Christianshavn waterfront and declared it an independent community. Journalist Jacob Ludvigsen named it "Freetown Christiania." The Danish government declared it a temporary social experiment in 1972, and 50 years later, it's still going.

The community covers 85 acres and is home to around 900 residents. It has its own rules (summed up famously as "have fun, don't run, no hard drugs, no guns, no violence"), its own flag, and its own governance structure. Buildings range from hand-built wooden houses to converted barracks, many decorated with murals, mosaics, and sculpture.

In July 2012, the residents made a historic transition from squatters to property owners, purchasing the land from the Danish government. In 2024, residents dug up the cobblestones of Pusher Street, a symbolic rejection of the drug market that had overshadowed the community's founding ideals.

Today, Christiania attracts around 500,000 visitors a year. It's the fourth most visited tourist attraction in Copenhagen. Cafes, galleries, a music venue, and handmade craft shops give the community an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Scandinavia.

If you're on a Questo quest through Copenhagen, Christiania is a stop where the rules are different, the art is everywhere, and the story is still being written.