Freetown Christiania, or just ‘Christiania’, is a mostly self-governing commune very centrally located in Copenhagen. It was perhaps the most peculiar place that we visited in Copenhagen. I never knew that such a place existed and I still don’t quite understand it entirely. The hippies took the place over and they’re still there.

The area of Christiania is a former military barracks and parts of the city ramparts established back in 1617 by King Christian IV by reclaiming low beaches and islets between Copenhagen and Amager. Today, this space is some of the best surviving 17th century defense works in the world. But also today, Christiania is well within the boundaries of Copenhagen. Christiania covers about 19 acres of public land.

Christiania started in 1971 when due to multiple circumstances, a bunch of hippies squatted on this land. They created a commune or alternative society. Christiania includes homemade houses, workshops, music venues, restaurants and bars, art galleries, gardens, night clubs, and who knows what else. The area is open to the public and local Christianites even give guided tours. We saw several tours being given while we were here.

Some 850 to 1,000 people live in Christiania. Christiania has its own flag, currency, and is largely self-governing. Rules include no cars, no stealing, no guns, no cameras, no bullet-proof vests, and no hard drugs. They do approve of and sell, mostly openly, marijuana. Their cannabis trade was tolerated until 2004 but now it is frowned on but not really heavily enforced. We were right in the middle of a police raid when we visited here. We saw the police coming and the locals tried to delay them by blocking them off but while they delayed the police, the cannabis sellers all ran away. The police crew walked past us, about five feet away. It was all over very quickly and peacefully.

Danes complained because the Christiania people were not paying rent or taxes or anything while being on public lands, and quite valuable lands at that. So things have changed over the last ten years. People here now pay rent and they also pay taxes. Cannabis trading is much less open than it was but still very lively. Danish law now applies to Christiania. My guess is that as land becomes much more valuable and less available for Copenhageners, the situation here will be revisited.

I was quite concerned when our guide said that cameras were not allowed in central Christiania. I kept my camera in my pocket for some time. Before long, I could spot the locals who were “guards”. They were all standing in odd places and doing nothing except looking around. I was careful about taking photos but got more than I needed.

You can see the name Christiania on the side of the large workshop building in the first photo. My interest was that even here in Christiania, the full roof was covered with solar panels. I think that every level of society in Denmark seems concerned about health and welfare and nature and doing their part to help out the planet.

The house in the second photo was pretty typical of the buildings in Christiania. I also liked the snail on the wall in front of the house.

The third photo is just to give an idea of some of the more truly “alternative” housing.

The fourth photo is the central plaza of Christiania. This is where the cannabis sellers operate. No cameras or photos are allowed here. They have lots of signs for no cameras. I took this photo right after the police squad walked past us and while everyone was scrambling to do their job. It was quite a nice area. You can see a local giving a tour to a group on the left side. I’m not sure about any significance to the Chinese lanterns.

The Christiania flag is three yellow circles in a horizontal line. They market their name and flag very seriously but as you can see in the last photo, some of these old hippies are still selling tie-dye shirts…