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Copenhagen

Capital of Denmark, on the islands of Sjaelland and Amager (the two sections of the city are connected by bridges); population (2003 est) 1,094,400, urban agglomeration 2,335,700. Copenhagen is a Denmark's chief commercial, industrial, and cultural centre and an important commercial, fishing, and naval port. The city is near Malm̊, Sweden, and there is a ferry service as well as a new bridge and tunnel link (opened in 2000) connecting the two cities across the Øresund (The Sound). Manufacturing includes ships, pharmaceuticals, machinery, beer, processed food, textiles, furniture, marine engines, and the celebrated Copenhagen porcelain ware.

History

Copenhagen was a trading and fishing centre by the early 11th century. It was fortified in 1167 by Archbishop Absalon, and was chartered in 1254 by the bishop of Roskilde. The city was twice destroyed by the Hanseatic League, but successfully resisted a third attack in 1428, and it replaced Roskilde as the Danish capital in 1443. The university was founded in 1479. The city expanded considerably during the 16th and 17th centuries as trade grew, and its prosperity grew during the 18th century through its textile and tobacco-processing industries. In 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, British naval vessels severely damaged the city by bombarding it to prevent the Danes from surrendering its fleet to Napoleon. However, Copenhagen recovered quickly and its industrial base grew rapidly in the 19th century. The city was under German occupation from April 1940 until May 1945, and its shipyards were bombed by the Allies. The city itself was only slightly damaged.

Features Copenhagen has often been referred to as ‘the Paris of the North’ because of its charm and design. To the east is Amalienborg Square, enclosed by four 18th-century palaces, one of which has been the royal residence since 1794; the 17th-century Charlottenborg Palace houses the Academy of Arts, and parliament meets in the Christiansborg Palace (18th century, restored 1916). The statue of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid (by Edvard Eriksen) is at the harbour entrance. The Tivoli amusement park (opened 1843) is in the heart of the city. Other famous landmarks include the citadel (c.1662); the city hall (1894-1905); the Cathedral of Our Lady (c.1209; rebuilt in the early 19th century), with sculptures by Albert B Thorvaldsen (1768-1844); and the famous round tower, which the astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) used as an observatory. In 1996 Copenhagen was named Cultural Capital of Europe.

Andersen, Hans Christian Árni Magnússon Bohr, Aage Niels Frederick VI Gade, Niels Vilhelm

Holmboe, Vagn Kobenhavn Nelson, Horatio Siboni, Erik (Anton Valdemar)