the main entrance into Christiania

If visitors to the city know about Christiania, then it is usually because they have heard of Pusher Street but the history of the old barracks here - the buildings that were occupied fifty years ago - and the topography of this area - between the old city and the island of Amager - and, of course, the subsequent history of the community here is so much more interesting than the drug trade.

From the 1830s through to the 1970s this part of the city, close to Christianshavn and immediately south of the naval dock yards, was a major military establishment for the artillery.

Called Bådsmandsstrædes Kaserne, there were barracks; training grounds; stables for the horses that pulled gun carriages; a large riding hall and workshops for producing weapons for the artillery as well as stores for supplies; weapons and gunpowder.

When the army moved out in the Spring of 1971, local people broke down the boundary wall, at first to make use of open space here as a play area for children who lived in the densely-packed housing of Christianshavn but then people realised they could occupy and make use of the buildings and on 26 September 1971 the settlement of Christiania was declared to be a free and independent town ... free of the laws and regulations of not just the city but also free of the laws of the state.

Back then, politicians and the police must have believed that this new community would survive for weeks or, at most but, fifty years later, Christiania is still here.

Christianias målsætning er at opbygge et selvstyrende samfund, hvor hvert enkelt individ frit kan udfolde sig under ansvar over for fællesskabet. Dette samfund skal økonomisk hvile i sig selv, og den fælles stræben må til stadighed gå ud på at vise, at den psykiske og fysiske forurening kan afværges. Således formuleret af Sven, Kim, Ole og Jacob med ret til forbedringer. 13.11.1971.

Christiania's goal is to build a self-governing society, where each individual can freely unfold under responsibility to the community. This society must rest economically in itself, and the common endeavor must constantly be to show that mental and physical pollution can be averted. Thus formulated by Sven, Kim, Ole and Jacob with the right to improvements. 11/13/1971

Sitting just inside the south entrance to Christiania, is the giant figure of Green George that was created from scrap wood in 2019 by the Copenhagen artist Thomas Dambo
the mural behind was painted by Rasmus Balstrøm.

graffiti and posters are important in the art work produced in the settlement …. here (above) on the outer wall of one of the main buildings that faces directly onto Prinsessegade and (below) on the boundary wall further north along Prinsessegade on the side of the boundary fence that faces out to the road

Christiania is not just the area within the former barracks but it extends north along the outer defences so encloses a large and important green area of the city.

The old buildings along the defences include stable blocks and gunpowder stores but also a number of self-built houses. There is public access to the lanes down the inner line of bastions and down the outer defence and it is a popular route for people walking between the city and Refshaleøen.

The main area of Christiania is remarkably close to the centre of the city and would be extremely valuable if redeveloped so there are occasionally rumours that the area is to be be cleared for social housing to be built here.