Denmark's Most Inspiring Sculptures That Aren't "The Little Mermaid"
We’re sure that while you’re planning your trip to Denmark one of the top things to see on your list is The Little Mermaid statue. But we’ve also prepared a guide with seven other renowned sculptures that are spread all over the country and represent notable figures of Danish history. Scroll down to discover in which neighborhoods you’ll spot them.
1. Søren Kierkegaard
Library, Museum
Just behind the Royal Library and among the Tojhus Museum, The Danish Jewish Museum, and Christiansborg is one of the most beautiful and quiet gardens in Copenhagen, The Royal Library Garden. There stands a bronze statue of the famous philosopher of the 19th century, Søren Kierkegaard. The famous sculpture was created by Louis Hasselriis in 1918 and represents the Danish poet and social critic seated with a notebook on his feet while holding a pen in his right hand.
Location:
Søren Kierkegaard Statue in the Library Garden, Bibliotekshaven, Kbh, Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Statue of Absalon
Church
Known for his policies of territorial expansion and his role in shaping the relations between the church and the public, Bishop Absalon was one of the most important figures of the 12th century in Denmark. Hence, a big statue that depicts him as a military commander stands in the historic city center, reminding Danes of their country’s history. The imposing statue is located on Højbro Plads, close to Christiansborg Palace, but as Abaslon’s face looks to right, it gives the impression he is looking towards Copenhagen’s City Hall. The statue was a gift to the City of Copenhagen from the director of Privatbanken, Axel Heide, and it has been standing on the same spot since 1902.
Location:
3. The Statue of H.C. Andersen at the City Hall Square
Amusement Park, Park
Introducing Hans Christian Andersen and explaining the reasons why his statue adorns Copenhagen is rather unnecessary. During a walk through the city you’ll discover many sculptures and monuments that will keep reminding you that the renowned fairy-tale author comes from Denmark. Our favorite, though, is the bronze statue in front of the City Hall square that depicts H.C. Andersen looking toward Tivoli amusement park. The beautiful sculpture was designed by Henry Luckow-Nielsen and built in 1965.
Location:
5. Equestrian Statue of Frederik V
A 22 ton equestrian statue of the King of Denmark and Norway (1746-1766), Frederik V, dressed as a Roman Emperor, has been standing in the middle of Amalienborg Square since 1771. It was just after five years of the King’s death that the statue was unveiled. French sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly finished his first sketch in 1754 and after being approved by Frederik V the next year, Saly started studying the King’s horse stalls and creating the first models which were about 3.2 feet (one meter) in height. The final statue, in neoclassical style, is 39 feet tall (12 meters) and is considered one the most noteworthy in Europe.
Location:
The Equestrian Statue of Frederik V, Amalienborg Slotsplads, Copenhagen, Denmark
6. H.C. Andersen Statue
Odense is the birthplace of H.C. Andersen, and besides his childhood home, which totally worth a visit, statues that depict characters from his popular fairy tales are spread all over the small picturesque town. We won’t name each one of them, but we suggest you take a walk through the small city and see your favorite fairy tale characters made of iron. If however, you want to see the noble bronze statue that represents H.C. Andersen himself, visit Eventyrhaven. After being relocated a couple of times it has been adorning the beautiful garden since 1949.
Location:
H.C. Andersen Haven (Eventyrhaven), Flakhaven 2, Odense, Denmark
7. Steffen Bernhardt Jensen
Steffen Bernhardt Jensen was a leftist politician and journalist and served as mayor of Aarhus from 1958 to 1971. His statue represents him holding a bike, since the reason he became so famous and beloved to the residents of Aarhus was because he was an opponent to car traffic and moved around the city on his bike. Denmark may now be known as a cycle country, but it hasn’t always been that way. During his career as mayor, Jensen fought to preserve historical buildings and neighborhoods that were planned to be destroyed so that roads would be constructed. Manden med cyklen (Man with bike) was unveiled in 2010, on Jensen’s 100th birthday.
Location:
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.