Copenhagen’s living fairytale

Jess Hearne explores Tivoli Gardens, tracing its evolution from Georg Carstensen’s 1843 vision to a cultural landmark in Copenhagen today.

Photographs: Tivoli FB PG

Text: Jess Hearne

In the heart of Denmark’s capital lies Tivoli Gardens, the world’s second-oldest amusement park still in operation. What was once the glacis of the old city fortifications is today a fairytale come to life, nestled between Copenhagen Central Station, Rådhuspladsen and Vesterport.

Tivoli & Vauxhall – Georg Carstensen’s masterpiece

On 15 August 1843, Tivoli Gardens opened its gates to the public for the first time. Originally named Tivoli & Vauxhall, the park drew inspiration from Paris’s Jardin de Tivoli and London’s Vauxhall Gardens, blending romantic European landscaping with exotic Eastern architecture. Among the crowd that day was Hans Christian Andersen, who found inspiration for The Nightingale in Tivoli’s pavilions, promenades and amusements.

Danish army officer Georg Carstensen, Tivoli’s founder, had long dreamed of such a place. Born in Algiers in 1812, he spent his youth in the Near East before travelling widely through Spain, France, Morocco and the United States. Back in Copenhagen, he became known for lavish parties modelled after Europe’s pleasure gardens. Convinced Denmark needed a permanent outdoor venue where music, theatre and art could blend, he petitioned King Christian VIII for a license, remarking, “When people are amused, they do not think about politics.”

The first entrance tickets were priced at one Mark. Two years later, Tivoli introduced a subscription pass, offering single, double or triple entry options designed to encourage repeat visits.

A year after opening, Carstensen also founded the Tivoli Youth Guard in 1844. Dressed in bearskin hats and uniforms, young musicians marched through the gardens, filling the air with bright music—an enduring tradition still performed today.

Carstensen’s own story ended abruptly. Dismissed in 1848 for enlisting in the First Schleswig War, he later died of pneumonia at just 44. Yet Tivoli thrived. The Chinese-inspired Pantomime Theatre opened in 1874 with its famous peacock-feather curtain, now Tivoli’s oldest surviving building. Meanwhile, Hans Christian Lumbye, “the Strauss of the North,” composed nearly 800 works for Tivoli, including the exuberant Champagne Gallop.

By the late 19th century, attractions multiplied: a steam-powered Ferris wheel in 1884, Tivoli Lake in 1887, and the grand main entrance on Vesterbrogade in 1890, which still greets visitors today.

Never finished, ever changing

The turn of the century brought elegance under architect Knud Arne Petersen. The Japanese Pagoda rose beside the lake in 1900, followed by the Moorish-inspired Nimb Palace in 1909, now a luxury hotel. Tivoli balanced old-world charm with modern thrills, most notably Rutschebanen, the wooden roller coaster of 1914 that still delights riders.

Tivoli’s endurance was tested during World War II. On 25 June 1944, Nazi sympathisers set fire to several buildings, including the Concert Hall and Glass Hall. Remarkably, Tivoli reopened just two weeks later with temporary facilities. Poul Henningsen rebuilt the Glass Hall in 1946, and a new Concert Hall followed in 1956, sleek but faithful to the park’s spirit.

In 1951, Walt Disney visited Tivoli and was enchanted by its atmosphere, attractions and design—an inspiration that helped shape Disneyland. Carstensen’s idea that an amusement park should never be finished clearly resonated.

The sky’s the limit

The modern era arrived in the 1970s and 1980s with new roller coasters, spinning rides and a drop tower. In 1983, Tivoli introduced the ride pass, giving visitors unlimited access at a fixed price.

A landmark change came in 1992, when Tivoli A/S purchased the land from the Danish government, ensuring independence and future growth. Two years later, Tivoli launched its seasonal celebrations, beginning with Christmas in Tivoli—a sparkling winter wonderland inspired by European traditions. Halloween joined in 2006 with pumpkins, autumn décor and family-friendly frights. Spring and summer bring blossoms, concerts and fireworks, each season transforming Tivoli’s character while retaining its timeless charm.

The 21st century brought fresh innovation. In 2004, the steel coaster Dæmonen introduced loops and speed, later enhanced with VR headsets. The Tivoli Concert Hall underwent major renovation in 2005. The Tivoli Ballet School opened in 2012 under the leadership of former Royal Danish Ballet soloist Peter Bo Bendixen, ensuring the park’s artistic future. In 2017, the Tivoli Food Hall opened beside the Nimb Hotel, offering international cuisine year-round.

Tivoli today

Today, Tivoli remains a home for music, laughter, beauty and culture. Century-old amusements run alongside high-tech coasters, while concerts range from symphonies to Friday Rock events featuring global stars. Tivoli’s seasonal festivals continue to enchant visitors from across the world, whether with fireworks over summer nights or glowing lanterns at Christmas.