Press feature
June 2008

The Wonderful Copenhagen of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was born and raised in city of Odense on Fyn, but his destiny always lay in Copenhagen. He dreamed of travelling to the Danish capital as a boy, and finally arrived as a poor, skinny 14-year-old on the morning of Monday 6 September 1819. Copenhagen educated Andersen, inspired him, gave him some of his closest friends, and provided the backdrop for many of the most formative events of his life.

Today, thanks to the excellent preservation of much of its historic centre, Copenhagen looks much as it did in Andersen's day. All of the houses he lived in remain: The Royal Theatre that was at the centre of his world is still home to Denmark's leading opera, theatre and ballet companies, and many of the cafes and homes he visited are still serving coffee and housing locals today. Even though Copenhagen has developed into a lively contemporary city, Andersen would have no problem finding his way around the city centre and would recognise many of its buildings.

In search of a stage career
When Andersen arrived in the city, his ambitions were fixated on the Royal Theatre, the spiritual heart of the nation. On the first day, he made a beeline for this imposing neo-classical building on Kongens Nytorv and circled it a couple of times. "I looked up to its walls, and regarded them almost as a home", he later recalled.

Unfortunately the Royal Theatre did not take to Andersen as quickly as he would have liked. He first tried to make his way onto its stage as a ballet dancer, approaching the ballerina Madame Shall at her home at Bredgade 19 to ask for help (she thought him a lunatic). Next stop was the manager of the theatre, who pronounced Andersen 'too thin for the theatre', and so, after 12 desperate days in the city, he approached the director of the Royal Choir School. He was impressed with Andersen's voice and supported him until, that is, his voice broke. Andersen's stage career never really recovered. The sum total of his appearances at the Royal Theatre were as a footman, pageboy, warrior and shepherd, although, of course, many of his plays, and works inspired by his fairytales, were to be staged there.

By the mid-19^th century Andersen had found a new venue for his plays, the new Casino Theatre on Amaliegade. This was the first private playhouse in Copenhagen and Andersen found the owners easier to work with than the autocratic regime at the Royal Theatre.

A home near the habour
Andersen lived in many different houses during his lifetime in Copenhagen - from a windowless room in a house in the (at that time), slum brothel street Ulkegade behind Kongens Nytorv; to suites at the posh Hotel du Nord (now the department store Magasin du Nord, opposite the theatre) and Hotel d'Angleterre. He stayed for a time in Copenhagen's oldest house, Vingårdstræde 6 (reputedly once home to King Hans), and lived above and frequented the Café a Porta (next to Magasin). But he spent most of his life living at three different houses on the canal of Nyhavn. Andersen's s first Nyhavn home was on the second floor of No.20, which is where he wrote his first fairytales. From 1845-64 he lived with the Anholm family at No.67; and he ended his days at No.18, next door to his first Nyhavn address. Today the picturesque harbour street is a very popular spot with open air cafes, restaurants and bars.

A writer's inspiration
Early on in his Copenhagen life Andersen would spend many hours in the university library at the top of the Rundetårn, the remarkable 17^th century observatory with the spiral ramp. The librarian there was also from Odense and out of sympathy for this poverty-stricken student he allowed Andersen to take books home. Later in his life Andersen’s publisher would be located on the same street, Købmagergade.

Copenhagen not only educated and gave a home to Andersen, his daily walks around the city directly inspired his work, including his first published piece: Fodreise fra Holmens Canal til Østpynten af Amager i årene 1828 og 1829 (A Journey by Foot from Holmens Canal to the Eastern Point of Amager in the Years 1828 and 1829). This was a description of a walk in the city - a walk that can still be taken today.

As his writing began to be known, Andersen was invited to join the artistic clique centred on the home of the poet Knud Rahbek, Bakkehuset (the House on the Hill), in Frederiksberg. He entertained the assembled writers and painters there, and they in turn influenced his development as a writer. Today this idyllic house near the Carlsberg Brewery is open as a museum most of the furniture dates back to the days when Bakkehuset was a literary salon.

The most popular tourist attraction in the city, The Tivoli Gardens, was equally popular in Andersen's day. He is reputed to have been among the opening day’s crowd in 1843, and was inspired to write one of his most famous fairy tales, The Nightingale, by a performance he saw there. Today, Tivoli commemorates this association with various Andersen-themed productions and shows; the amusement The Flying Trunk, which depicts 32 scenes from the fairy tales of HC Andersen; the Hans Christian Andersen Castle; and the Hans Christian Andersen Shop.

Opposite the eastern side of Tivoli, on HC Andersens Boulevard is one of two statues to the writer in the city. The other can be found in Kongens Have (the Kings Garden, beside Rosenborg Slot). Of course, the most famous statue in all of Denmark also has a HC Andersen link: The Little Mermaid, for many the symbol of Copenhagen, was donated by the Carlsberg brewery in 1913 to commemorate Andersen’s famous fable.

Hans Christian Andersen died, aged 70, in 1875 and is buried among many of his famous contemporaries in Assistens Kirkegård in Nørrebro. This beautiful cemetery is used by locals as a park and has a lively and friendly atmosphere.

Anniversary 2005
As the build up begins towards the major celebrations that will take place throughout Denmark and the world to mark Andersen's bicentenary in 2005, a new HC Andersen House will open in the summer of 2004 near the pedestrian street, Strøget. Here cutting edge exhibition technologies, lectures, performances and displays will evoke Andersen’s life and work, bringing the magic of his story telling to life for yet another generation.

To experience Andersen's Copenhagen you can also try a cycling tour by City Safari, which visits many of the locations associated with the writer.

Mentioned in this press feature:

Hans Christian Andersen ’fact file’:

- Ida Davidsen:
The well known lunch restaurant serve a HC Andersen smørrebrød (open sandwiches).
- Thorvaldsens Museum:
A frieze around the museum depicts Andersen among other literary celebrities like Oehlenschläger, Heiberg, Hertz and Grundvig. The frieze represent Thorvaldsen’s homecoming to Copenhagen from Rome in 1838.
- The Copenhagen Airport:
Displays HC Andersen's trunk.
- Hviids Vinstue:
Andersen visited this inn from time to time.
- Conditory H. C. Andersen:
Bakery in Rådhus Arkaden, named after HC Andersen.
- Divan II, Tivoli:
Restaurant built in 1843, and as such contemporary with Andersen.
- DFDS Canal Tours:
Boats named after Andersen's fairytales.
- HC Andersen walking tours:
Contact www.guides.dk, www.copenhagenwalks.com or www.copenhagen-walkingtours.dk 
for guides with HC Andersen knowledge/theme.
- Louis Tussaud’s Wax Museum:
The writer and his fairy tales depicted in "Louis Tussaud's Fairy Tale Land".
- The last name Andersen:
In 2003 the last name of 173830 men and women is Andersen.
- The Little Mermaid:
The birthday of the famous statue is the 23/8. In 2003 she turned 90.
- The Royal Library:
The exhibition "Skatte og klenodier" (treasure and gem) with Andersen items, among other things one of his famous paper cuts.
- La Glace:
Patisserie founded 1870, serves a Hans Christian Andersen cake.
- Restaurant Hans Christian Andersen
Situated 44 Gammel Strand downtown Copenhagen. While enjoying your meal you will be surrounded by Hans Christian Andersen. Cutlery, plates, decorations on the wall, ceiling and floor even the beverages, beer, Madeira and fine wines are among the poet's favorites.

Where Andersen lived in Copenhagen:

- Vingaardsstræde 6, Kvisten (1827-28). From 2005 open to the public.
- Store Kongensgade 33, 3. sal (1828-34)
- Nyhavn 20, 2. sal (1834-38)
- Kongens Nytorv, "Hotel du Nord" (1838-47)
- Store Kongensgade 49, 2.sal (1847-48)
- Nyhavn 67, 2. sal (1848-66)
- Lille Kongensgade 1, 1. sal (1866-69)
- Tordenskjoldsgade 17, 1. sal (1870)
- Nyhavn 18, 1. sal (1870-75)Gl. Kalkbrænderivej, "Rolighed" (12/6-4/8 1875)

Recommended link:
www.hca2005.dk