Many visitors to Copenhagen found themselves disappointed last week when Christiania, self proclaimed "free town", hippie enclave and counterculture tourist destination, unexpectedly closed for business. Instead of entering the hallowed hippie paradise as promised in the tourist guides, visitors were met by friendly Christiania residents handing out flyers explaining the closure and signs reading ‘Christiania er lukket’, helpfully translated into English as ‘Christiania is closed.’
Decision Time for Christiania Residents
Christiania residents took the unprecedented decision to temporarily close the enclave to the public in order to ponder its future. As a government-imposed deadline of 2 May loomed, residents debated whether to purchase the old military barracks they have occupied since 1971. In order to do this, it was decided to close the area while talks were held about what they should do to preserve their autonomous state. As the flyers they handed out to visitors explained, ‘we’re closing to avoid closure.’
The flyers further explained that Christiania was under pressure due to the recent Supreme Court decision giving the government the right to ‘normalise’ the area, which would include tearing down buildings and erecting apartment complexes, effectively kicking the residents out. For four decades, Christiania has been one of Copenhagen’s top tourist destinations, offering visitors a variety of off-the-beaten-track experiences and, until 2004, the chance to openly purchase and smoke hash on its infamous ‘Pusher Street’. It has existed as an autonomous ‘social experiment’ since 1971 when a group of young people first occupied the military barracks in the Christianshavn district of Copenhagen. In the years that followed, the government left the area in relative peace, until the Centre-Left government began clamping down with plans to normalise the area in 2004.
Closing Christiania was, in part, a strategy to bring its plight to the attention of the media and visitors. The plan seems to have worked, as many tourists were surprised and disappointed to see one of their holiday destinations barricaded and closed off to the public. Behind the barricades, Christiania residents were deep in negotiations to reach a consensus as to how to proceed with the government’s offer to purchase the buildings on the site.
Christiania Reopened, But at What Cost?
The closure of Christiania was, as promised, only temporary. Three days later it reopened its doors to visitors and curiosity seekers and announced its plan to purchase the buildings on the site as a collective.
The only stumbling block that remains is the actual financial arrangements and how the 900 strong Christiania residents will raise the cash to purchase the buildings. So far, there are no financial backers coming out of the woodwork or, as one resident explained, ‘no rich uncle in America.’
Spokesman for the Palaces and Properties Agency, Jacob Holst Andersen, confirmed that he had received an answer from the Christiania residents. He also confirmed that a price has not yet been set on the properties, but that an expert would be sent in to evaluate the area, which he thinks is worth around 100-150 million Danish kroner.
Although negotiations continue over the future of Christiania, visitors are once again welcome to tour the hippie enclave and see a unique institution in Europe dedicated to free living and the spirit of the 1970s.
Sources
- Christiania Residents Will Buy Copenhagen Hippie Enclave, Huffington Post, accessed 4 May 2011
- Vinther, Dann, Christiania retreats behind barricades, Copenhagen Post, Vol. 14, Issue 17, April 30 - May 5 2011
Beth MacMillan - Beth MacMillan fulfilled her dream of living and traveling in Europe when she, her husband and their two dogs moved to Denmark in 2001 for ...
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