Cykelslangen / The Cycle Snake

This is Cykelslangent or the Cycle Snake … the most recent bridge to open in Copenhagen.

Designed by the architectural practice Dissing+Weitling, it forms a crucial part of the rapidly expanding network of cycle routes around the city and forms an important link between the west and east sides of the harbour. 

Coming from the city side, the new bridge curves out and over one of the boat basins on the west or Havneholmen side and crosses in front of the Fisketorvet shopping centre, before linking with the older pedestrian and cycle bridge, the Brygge Broen or Brew Bridge, that crosses over the harbour itself and was completed in 2006.

That older bridge was also designed by Dissing+Weitling and is shown here from the west side looking towards the distinctive Gemini Residence - converted from grain silos that were originally part of a soy-bean-cake factory - but now with 84 apartments designed by MVDV / JJW Architects and completed in 2005.

The cycle route links the Vesterbro quarter of the city, immediately west of the main railway station, with extensive new blocks of apartments on the Islands Brygge side of the harbour and, beyond the apartment buildings, with the new part of the university, on the Amager campus.