Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Copenhagen. Give it roughly ~30 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Copenhagen Copenhagen guide
About Kongens Nytorv
Copenhagen's largest square, laid out in 1670 and ringed by theatre, palace and grand hotels, with a much-recast royal horseman presiding over its leafy central oval, the Krinsen.
Kongens Nytorv ('King's New Square') is the largest public square in Copenhagen's inner city, laid out by King Christian V in 1670 as part of a major extension of the fortified town. At its centre stands an equestrian statue of Christian V by the French sculptor Abraham-César Lamoureux, dated 1688; the original was gilded lead, and the present bronze is a recast made in 1939 and inaugurated in 1946. An elliptical garden parterre known as Krinsen surrounds the monument, framed by eighty lime trees planted in 2001 after Dutch elm disease.
Grand buildings ring the square, including the Royal Danish Theatre (1872-1874), Charlottenborg Palace (1672-1683, now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts), the Thott Mansion (1683, now the French Embassy), the Hotel d'Angleterre and the Magasin du Nord. The Nyhavn canal opens off the square's eastern corner, and a Metro station lies beneath it.
Did you know? The bronze king on horseback looks old, and it is dated 1688, but the figure standing today is a recast. The original was gilded lead, replaced with bronze between 1939 and 1946.
How long is a visit to Kongens Nytorv?
Set aside roughly ~30 min for Kongens Nytorv. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Kongens Nytorv worth your time?
Kongens Nytorv is among the 24 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Copenhagen, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Copenhagen
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Kongens Nytorv and read more:
Day 1 of the Copenhagen in 2 days itinerary →Day 1 of the Copenhagen in 3 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Kongens Nytorv
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