Kastellet (the “Citadel”), just north of the city center, was commissioned by Frederick III in 1662 to defend the port of Copenhagen. The pentagon-shaped structure is today one of Northern Europe’s best-preserved forts.

On our fifth day in Copenhagen, we walked north of Nyhavn to visit Kastellet. On the way, we toured Amalienborg Slot and watched the changing of the guard; viewed several historic churches; and stopped off to see Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue. After walking through Kastellet, we finished the afternoon with a visit to Designmuseum Danmark, showcasing Danish design and architecture.

Below are trip highlights from October 11th, 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.

Amalienborg Slot Position: 55°41.07’N, 12°35.56’E Amalienborg Slot, the official residence of Denmark’s Royal Family, consists of four 18th-century identical palaces arranged around a cobbled square. This model shows the layout. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families, but became the Royal Residence after Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794.

Frederick V Position: 55°41.04’N, 12°35.58’E Statue in Amalienborg Slot of Frederick V, the king of Denmark from 1746 to 1766, who founded Amalienborg.

Drawing Room Position: 55°41.07’N, 12°35.56’E One of the palaces contains and exhibit featuring reconstructions of the various Royal Apartments at Amalienborg between 1863 and 1947. This is the drawing room of Queen Louise, who ascended the throne in 1863 with her husband Christian IX.

Changing of the Guard Position: 55°41.04’N, 12°35.58’E The Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Slot occurs daily at noon.

Marmokirken Position: 55°41.09’N, 12°35.40’E The impressive dome of 18th-century Marmokirken (the “Marble Church”) was based on St. Peter’s in Rome and is the largest church dome in Scandinavia.

Marmokirken Interior Position: 55°41.09’N, 12°35.40’E The spectacular interior of Marmokirken. The church was consecrated in 1894.

Mustang Mach 1 Position: 55°41.10’N, 12°35.44’E We’ve seen a surprisingly large number of classic American cars in Scandinavia. This Mustang Mach 1 was parked at Marmokirken.

Aleksander Nevskij Kirke Position: 55°41.12’N, 12°35.49’E Aleksander Nevskij Kirke, commissioned by Tsar Alexander III of Russia, was completed in 1883 following the Russian Byzantine style.

St. Ansgar’s Cathedral Position: 55°41.17’N, 12°35.54’E St. Ansgar’s Cathedral was consecrated in 1842 and is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Copenhagen, which covers Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Valkyrie Position: 55°41.28’N, 12°35.64’E Statue in Churchillparken of a Valkyrie, a maiden in Norse legend who the god Odin sent to the battlefield to choose the slain.

Churchillparken Position: 55°41.29’N, 12°35.64’E Tranquil Churchillparken, adjacent to the fortress Kastellet. The park was named after Winston Churchill to commemorate the British assistance in the liberation of Denmark during World War II.

Toldboden Position: 55°41.39’N, 12°35.99’E A great lunch along the water at Toldboden near the fortress Kastellet.

Global Visionary Position: 55°41.37’N, 12°35.97’E The sculpture Global Visionary, made from a mixture of scrap metal shows “how we are all consist of different parts, but also how we are made from the same universal elements”.

Little Mermaid Position: 55°41.59’N, 12°35.97’E Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue, based on the story by Hans Christian Anderson, was commissioned in 1909 by Danish beer baron Carl Jacobsen. The statue is one of the most photographed sights in the country and is a symbol of the city, much to the chagrin of many Copenhagen residents, who would prefer a more dramatic icon for their city of spectacular and innovative architecture.

Crowds Position: 55°41.57’N, 12°35.94’E The Little Mermaid statue had a crowd around it whenever we passed.

Kastellet Position: 55°41.42’N, 12°35.71’E Bronze relief map showing the star-shaped layout of the fort Kastellet, commissioned by Frederick III in 1662 just north of the city center.

Barracks Position: 55°41.42’N, 12°35.71’E Colorful 18th-century barracks line the cobbled streets inside Kastellet.

Moat Position: 55°41.40’N, 12°35.79’E Looking from the Kastellet rampart to the entrance over the moat, with Marmokirken visible in the distance.

Windmill Position: 55°41.50’N, 12°35.50’E The windmill inside Kastellet was built in 1847 to replace a previous one dating from 1718 that was destroyed by a storm.

Monument Position: 55°41.54’N, 12°35.77’E The Monument for Denmark’s International Effort Since 1948 inside Kastellet.

St. Alban’s Church Position: 55°41.34’N, 12°35.81’E St. Alban’s Anglican Church in Churchillparken was dedicated in 1887 and is designed as a traditional English church.

Gefion Fountain Position: 55°41.32’N, 12°35.82’E The dramatic Gefion Fountain outside Kastellet features the Norse god Gefion driving a large group of animals.

Designmuseum Danmark Position: 55°41.19’N, 12°35.53’E After touring Kastellet, we stopped in at the excellent Designmuseum Danmark that showcases Danish architecture and design.

8 House Position: 55°41.19’N, 12°35.53’E Photograph at the Designmuseum Danmark of 8 House, an apartment building in Copenhagen in the shape of a figure 8. The building was designed by Danish firm BIG, who also designed the Maritime Musuem of Denmark and Amager Bakke.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise. On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.