A few blocks from the imposing King’s Gardens in Copenhagen, you will find the historic, but somewhat unassuming neighborhood of Nyboder. At the center of this colorful district you will find the intensely orange housing units that were originally built to house members of the Danish naval forces. But while these orange row houses seem to dominate the area, there is much more to Nyboder than these orange dwellings, which give the area its unmistakable “military” atmosphere. Walking along the Gerdersgade street and past the imposing St. Paul’s church (see photo above), you get the feeling that this both a family-friendly neighborhood and a historical military district. Of course, the fact that around 09:00 in the morning its streets were pretty much deserted kind of gives away the fact that the military no longer inhabits the neighborhood, but the past continues to live through the architecture and neatly-kept streets. The center of activity on the morning I visited seemed to be the local bakery (see photo above), where people seemed to trickle in slowly, but steadily, as in an orderly procession to purchase some of the best baked goods I’ve tasted in a long time.
And then there are the roses. All along Kronprinsessegade, which runs through the middle of Nyboder, the somewhat strong facade of the row houses is dramatically softened by row after row of colorful rose bushes which even in the early morning hours of the day were being meticulously cared for by local residents. Roses seem to be quite popular in Copenhagen, but in Nyboder they kind of assume a more prominent role when splashed against the deep orange walls of its humble buildings. Nyboder is indeed a great off-the-beaten-path neighborhood to explore on your way to visiting the adjacent Copenhagen University or the Gefion Fountain area with its views of the Opera House and the historic Kastellet. What’s even better, this is a great place to take photos without having to bump into fast-moving tourist groups exiting large buses on their 10-minute stop. No, on the contrary. You’ll be pretty much alone here, but that is precisely what makes Nyboder such a wonderful neighborhood to explore.
