Okay, no more hollyhocks with muted backgrounds to show he surroundings for this time. If it’s not raining when I’m back next Wednesday I might try to do the withered hollyhocks and the contrast in the fall weather.
I have no idea what’s going on in this picture. Someone who saw me photograph tole me it’s the big thing around the world – to knit things. I thought it was pretty cool and well in line with the general mood of Christinashavn – hippie goes restored warehouses.
I just landed in Dublin today on a five day break with my family. I did prepare my photos for this blog, but right now I’m a lot more excited about getting out and about (with my camera) in the morning than trying to remember what to say about Christianshavn. So here’s another qoute from Wikipedia:
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In 1612, Christian IV initiated an ambitious programme to fortify Copenhagen. During the period 1618-1623, he erected earthen embarkments with five bastions in the marshy area between Copenhagen and the island of Amager. At the same time the idea was hatched of creating a new merchant town in the area. In 1639 the little merchant and fortress town of Christianshavn was established. However, competition from Copenhagen soon proved too strong for the little town, and by 1674 it was incorporated into its larger neighbour.
The fortifications were further developed with six more bastions in the 1660s, and seven more bastions between 1682-1692. Additional reinforcements occurred between 1779–1791, and again in 1810-1813. Even though the fortifications around the Inner City were being dismantled in the late 19th century, Christianshavn’s fortifications continued in use into the 20th century. Some areas were opened up in the late 1910s-1920s, and the final areas were made public space in 1961.
The fortifications are a part of the total fortification system around the old part of Copenhagen, and are one of Denmark’s best preserved fortifications from the 17th century. Today the area around the fortifications is a park area.”
I used to live on the very tip of Amager, just across from Christianshavn. Often on Sundays Peter and I would catch a late brunch, walk around Christianshavn, stop for coffee at Café Wilders, walk some more and bring home pizza for dinner from the restaurant on the corner. Café Wilders is one of the oldest cafés in the Amager/Christianshavn, if not The oldest – a unique institution from 1984 when bars were as common as café are today.
“For much of the 20th century a working-class neighbourhood, Christianshavn developed a bohemian reputation in the 1970s and it is now a fashionable, diverse and lively part of the city with its own distinctive personality, with residents tending to see themselves first as Christianshavners and then as Copenhageners” – qoute from Wikipedia
Christianshavn was pretty slummy when I was a kid, but now all the old houses have been restored. For reasons unknown to me old houses in the Copenhagen area tend to be painted yellow.
As you may notice in the background most of the streets on Christianshavn are still cobbled stones – so consider your footwear when you visit!
On the day in early September I walked around Christianshavn with my camera, the hollyhocks were in full bloom. They grow freely on the streets against the old houses and in the back yards. I chose them to illustrate the unique feel of Christianshavn. This series has a hollyhock in focus in the foreground and together the shots add out of focus impressions of the city scape.
No words needed, I think…
Two pictures in the same post? Here’s why: This next series is from Christianshavn, a small, artificial island made from landfill located between the island Amager, where I live, and Copenhagen City, situated on the island Sjælland.
Christianshavn was founded in the early 17’th century. In my childhood most of the area was badly kept, but now it is a charming, renovated neighbourhood – attractive both because of the old buildings, the canals and the proximity to the city, yet with almost a village feel to it. The only problem is finding ways to photograph Christianshavn!
How can that be? Well, it’s almost too pretty and so it gets to be boring. I did find a way, a kind of kaleidoscopic puzzle, but before I post those pictures I wanted to give people not familiar with Copenhagen some idea about what the place looks like. Thus the two traditional tourist shots in this post.
I was on my way from Café Tranquebar to Nyhavn when I glanced inside a restaurant and saw the mirrored column. I asked if it was okay to photograph it, and they told me I was lucky. It was due to be torn down the following week.
Sorry I didn’t post last night – had guests for dinner. But I’ll do two today! I keep by my commitment to post a picture a day, though at times it is an avarage.
I’m not going to tell you what this picture is. I’ll show you in the next post instead. Let me just say that I did not do any manipulation of the picture. I didn’t even crop it.
Karins Fotos 