The community of Christiania is certainly something different for the visitor to Denmark. If you are staying in a budget hotel near Christiania in Copenhagen, a visit to this “Free State” could be an interesting experience. It has been called living proof of Copenhagen’s liberal social traditions. Others call it a “social experiment” and are still not sure if it has a positive or negative effect on the city.
Christiania dates back to November of 1971, when a group of urban squatters moved into a deserted military barracks east of Christianshaven and established a commune. It quickly became popular with young and homeless people, much like the famous Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco in the 1960s. Christiania became notorious as a hangout for petty criminals and drug users, but its more responsible residents also developed their own schools, system of government and infrastructure. These are funded by cafes, restaurants and a cottage handicraft industry. The community’s future still hangs in the balance, but for the present it remains a unique experience for guests in discount hotels in Copenhagen near Christiania.