11 Best Buildings in Copenhagen

On your trip to Copenhagen, pay special attention to the architecture. Visiting the buildings is a plan in itself, as you'll be treated to fascinating designs that combine modernity, sustainability and warmth. A visit is a must both during the day and at night**, when the lighting brings out the most interesting details.

In addition to the modern buildings of the Copenhagen Opera House or The Crystal, there are also restored sites that have been converted into buildings, a waste plant that houses a ski slope and housing and office complexes that offer a different use of space. Here is a list of the most representative buildings, but there are many more that will amaze you during your stay in Copenhagen.

Although part of the traditional architecture of the Danish capital, your trip should not miss Christiansborg Palace, a dazzling building that today houses the Parliament, the Prime Minister's office, the Danish Supreme Court, and government and judicial offices.

If you get the chance to visit, you'll be dazzled by the royal reception rooms such as the Great Hall, the Tower Hall and the Oval Throne Room; the royal kitchen; and the ruins, as the remains of an older castle lie beneath the main building.

The palace is over 800 years old and covers a large area. So bear in mind that the visit lasts approximately three hours if you want to see each and every one of the rooms at your leisure.

Further information

• Location: Prins Jørgens Gård 1, 1218 København, Denmark.
• Opening hours: Christiansborg Palace is open from 10am to 5pm.
• Ticket Price: Tickets are available from Hellotickets from approximately €28.
• How to get there: Christiansborg Palace is very well located and can be easily reached by metro, Kongens Nytorv stop.

Blox is the innovative building where the Danish Architecture Centre now operates. Its shape resembles a series of stacked glass cubes, making it highly original. It was designed by the architects of the OMA company, who were inspired by the idea of "putting the city in a box".

The building, which is located on **Copenhagen'**s waterfront, houses a public square, and has become a meeting place for citizens. It also has sports facilities and a bicycle bridge, so it will be one of your stops if you book a bike tour of Copenhagen.

I recommend you book tickets for the Danish Architecture Centre. It also has a restaurant, café, bookshop and gym in addition to the offices and museum.

More info on the Danish Architecture Centre

• Location: Bryghusgade 10, 1473 København
• Opening hours: Blox EAT restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 8pm. Café DAT is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm, and on Thursdays until 8.30pm. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm.
• Theentrance fee to the museum is around €19.

The Axel Towers are a group of cylindrical-shaped buildings of different heights and sizes that are linked together like the gears of a sophisticated watch. They also have a distinctive copper colour, which stands out in the cityscape. They were designed by architect Lene Tranberg of the architectural firm Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter.

The ground floor houses cafés, restaurants and shops, and the rest of the building contains offices overlooking the city. By design, the towers provide plenty of natural light for the office workers, as well as spaces as original as the shape of the towers. The details seen on the outside are equally well cared for on the inside, with the lifts and staircases located in the centre. The curious thing is that you can enter the towers from any direction, as they have no front or back.

The towers are very close to Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, which was inaugurated in 1843. In this park, in addition to the rides, you can see recreations of famous buildings and different shows.

More information about the park

• Location: Axeltorv 2, 1609 København, Denmark.
• Opening hours: Cafés are generally open from 10am to 6pm and restaurants from 10am to 10pm.
• How to get there: 300 metres from Copenhagen's main square, Radhuspladsen. You can get there by buses 10, 11A, 12, 26 and 33, or by metro to Copenhagen Central Station.

The Silo is a residential building that was built in a silo, the grain plant of the Nordhavnen district. It was designed by the company Cobe and opened in 2015. It is 65 metres high and consists of 17 floors and 40 flats.

It also has restaurants and bars on the ground floor and on the penthouse. In fact, it can be a stop on one of the gastronomic tours of Copenhagen. The façade features large floor-to-ceiling windows and original geometric balconies. Its novel design, which retains its industrial feel, has won many awards.

Although it is for private use, the citizens encourage public use, which is why you can have lunch at the Silo restaurant located on the terrace and thus begin a sort of gastronomic tour of Copenhagen while enjoying a beautiful panoramic view.

Read more

• Location: Fortkaj 30, 2150 København.
• Opening hours: Silo Restaurant is open Monday and Wednesday from 12-10.30pm, Thursday from 12-11pm, Friday and Saturday from 12-11.30pm and Sunday from 10am-3.30pm.
• Admission: free of charge.

The National Aquarium in Copenhagen is a must-see. Popularly known as Den Blå Planet or The Blue Planet, it was opened by Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik in 2013, is Denmark's largest aquarium and is surrounded by water.

Its design, inspired by the shape of a jacuzzi, occupies some 10,000 m2, covers an area of 2,000 square metres and contains some 7 million litres of water. It also has parking facilities for visitors. The Blue Planet won Best Prestige Building at the World Architecture Festival and the Riba Award, among others.

During your visit you can see the 53 aquariums, the whirlpool bath and the curved lobby, as well as the exhibitions on the history of the ocean and marine animals, among others. It's one of the best things to do with children in Copenhagen for all they can learn about life in the sea.

Read more about it

• Location: Jacob Fortlingsvej 1, 2770 Kastrup, Denmark.
• Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays 10am-5pm and Mondays 10am-9pm.
• Museum admission: Adults from €28, children aged 3-11 from €15 and children aged 0-2 free.
• How to get there: from Copenhagen terminal you can get there in about 30 minutes by car or taxi on 02 and Amager Strandvej. By bus with lines A, B, Bx, C, D and E, you'll get there in 45 minutes. By metro with the M2 line you arrive in about 40 minutes.

The Crystal is a curious building that resembles a rectangular glass cube, which seems to float in the air, as not all of its sides are resting on the ground. The façade, which generates a curious play of reflections, is made of semi-transparent glass that reveals its internal metal structure.

The complex is located between Copenhagen's harbour and its historic centre. It was designed by architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen, who also designed The Crystal Cube, which is reflected in its façade.

The Crystal is privately owned by Nykredit bank. It is very close to the Danish Architecture Centre and Tivoli Gardens, so you can include it in your tour of Copenhagen's most iconic sights, whether you do it on your own or book a private tour of Copenhagen.

More information about Copenhagen

• Location: 1562 København, Denmark
• How to get there: less than a kilometre from the city centre on H. C. Andersens Blvd. It is also close to Tivoli Gardens.

The Arken Museum of Modern Art, opened in 1996, was designed as part of an architectural competition, which was won by Saren Lund. The student, inspired by the context of water, designed a building in the shape of a boat, in which both the exterior and the interior contain elements typical of this shape.

Because of its shape it is considered deconstructive architecture, because it does not respect the common forms of buildings, but plays with optical illusion, strong colours and wide or narrow rooms joined together. In addition, the walls are curved and the lighting takes centre stage.

Arken is one of the best museums in Copenhagen, with Danish, Nordic and international style exhibition halls, a cinema and the Nordic design shop Arken Shop. There are also regular workshops for children and adults. Get the Copenhagen Card and don't worry about the entrance fee.

More information on the Copenhagen Card

• Location: Skovvej 100, 2635 Ishøj, Denmark.
• Opening hours: Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 11am-5pm and Thursdays 11am-9pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Admission to the museum costs around €7 for adults, around €3.5 for 18-25 year olds, and free for children under 17.
• How to get there: from Copenhagen terminal you can get there by car or taxi on the E47 in 40 minutes. By bus, lines A, E and 128 take about an hour.

The Royal Danish Library is known as the Black Diamond, as it is designed with black marble and glass. It is located on the Christianshavn canal and was designed by the architectural group Schmidt Hammer Lassen. The glass façade is made up of two black cubes, connected by a luminous atrium. It has 8 floors with undulating white walls connected by corridors, which make up a unique and modern architecture. Per Kierbedy decorated the 200 square metre ceiling of one of the bridges linking The Diamond to the former library.

The Royal Library was founded by King Frederick III of Denmark in 1648, and houses a major collection of European works, which are spread over three buildings. It is estimated to contain around 32 million items, including books, documents and publications. It is ideal for reading if you go to Copenhagen in winter, or at any time of the year, as it is also a viewpoint overlooking the Christianshavn canal.

Inside the library you will also find the National Museum of Photography, exhibition rooms and an auditorium. It is also interesting to take a walk outside, where there is a sculpture by Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen, called The Mermaid, or to observe it from the water if you book a cruise along the canals of Copenhagen.

Further information

• Location: Den Sorte Diamant, Søren Kierkegaards Pl. 1, 1221 København K.
• Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8.00 am to 9.00 pm. Saturdays 9.00 am to 7.00 pm. Closed on Fridays, Sundays and public holidays.
• Admission: free of charge.

The Royal Danish Opera House is one of Copenhagen's most iconic buildings. It was built thanks to a donation from billionaire Marsk Mc-Kinney Moller and was designed by architect Henning Lansen. Opened in 2005, it is considered one of the most modern and expensive buildings in Europe.

It is notable for its 24-carat gold panelled roof, its metal façade and the superb sound quality of its auditorium. Marsk personally scoured the best theatres in the world to achieve this sound. Also not to be missed are the bridges leading to the theatre, made of 19th century hardwood.

The Opera House has a hall with a capacity for 1,500 people and another smaller hall for chamber music. It is interesting to see the panoramic view from the foyer of the Opera House, where you can also see the famous light sculptures by Olafur Eliasson. If you want to see a play, remember to book your tickets for the Copenhagen Opera in advance. Most guided tours of Copenhagen include a visit to the theatre, as it is considered an icon of the city.

More information about Copenhagen

• Location: Kongens Nytorv 9, 1050 København K, Denmark
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
• Admission fee: around €16
• How to get there: From the airport: by metro, line M2 takes 15 minutes and from there it is 5 minutes to the opera house, by bus 9A, walking or taking a taxi. By bus it takes 45 minutes with lines 31, 36, 37, 5C, 250S. By car or taxi it takes 20 minutes.

CopenHill is located in the industrial area of Copenhagen and is the highest in the city. It is a working plant where waste is incinerated and converted into energy, which is used by the city. Its facade is built with huge aluminium bricks more than one metre long and three metres wide.

The interesting thing is that on the terrace of the plant there is a ski slope of 11,000 m², where you can practice this sport, or take lessons, and that works all year round, so it is a good option if you go to Copenhagen in autumn, or in summer. If skiing is not your thing, you can choose to have lunch or a snack at the Apres-ski bar, while enjoying the incredible panoramic view.

The building, designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group studio, also serves as an environmental education centre, providing workshops and educational lectures related to sustainable technology. CopenHill annually converts 440,000 tonnes of waste into energy, which is provided to more than 200,000 families.

More information about CopenHill

• Location: Vindmøllevej 6, 2300 København, Denmark.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 7pm, Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
• Admission fee: from €22 per person. An hour's skiing for adults plus full equipment hire costs around €30. Children under the age of 10 pay around €26 per hour. Ski lessons cost around €17-50 per hour.
• How to get there: from Copenhagen terminal you can get there in 15 minutes by car or taxi taking the O2. Parking is free. By bus with lines M4 and 2A you can get there in 44 minutes.

The VM Mountain complex is located in Ørestad, a new district 5 km from the centre of Copenhagen. It is striking for its stepped shape resembling a mountain, and its green terraces with gardens fed by complex irrigation systems. The building, built in 2008 by the Plot studio, won the prize for the best residential building at the World Architecture Fair.

The 33,000 square metre VM Mountain flats are built on the roof of the diagonally shaped car park. Each flat has a courtyard garden, which is the roof of the dwelling on the lower level. In addition, they are all "L" shaped. It is interesting to see the building from above, as the homes with their courtyards and gardens form a geometric motif. It is also notable for one of the aluminium facades that reproduces the figure of Mount Everest.

To visit this neighbourhood you can book the Copenhagen sightseeing bus. You will be able to see other incredible buildings such as the Tietgen University Residence or the two leaning towers of the Bella Sky Hotel, making it a must for architecture lovers.

Read more about

• Location: Ørestads Blvd 55, 2300 København, Denmark.
• How to get there: By car or taxi you can get there in 10 minutes from the centre of Copenhagen, along Ørestads Blvd. By public transport you can get there in about 15-20 minutes.