10 things to look forward to in Denmark in 2023

1. COPENHAGEN IS UNESCO WORLD CAPITAL OF ARCHITECTURE 2023

In 2023, Copenhagen will be UNESCO World Capital of Architecture. Under the theme Copenhagen in Common, it will be a year with events ranging from community picnics to open houses in buildings normally closed to the public to a series of new pavilions. The Danish Architecture Center (DAC) will serve as a hub for everything going on throughout the year, and the new exhibition Made in Denmark will take visitors on a journey through the history of Danish architecture all the way from the Viking Age till today.  As a part of the WCA title, Copenhagen will also be hosting the UIA World Congress of Architects in July.

2. UNDERGROUND COLD WAR MUSEUM OPENS

The underground Danish Cold War Museum REGAN Vest will finally open to the public on 13 February 2023. It was supposed to open by the end of 2022, but as the underground tunnels in the bunker serve as a home for hibernating bats, the opening was postposed till after the bats’ hibernation period.  Built in the 1960s to serve as a shelter for the Queen and government in the case of a nuclear war, this will be the first time it is open to the public. The impressive 5,500 square metre bunker will be the focal point of the museum where visitors can experience the original interior, from the ministers’ and doctor’s office to the dormitory. Above the surface, is the visitor and exhibition building, built as four black boxes, designed by AART Architects to include a virtual activity, that lets visitors experience how the bunker and the surrounding landscape would look after a nuclear bomb. The villa, where the supervisor and his family lived, is also being restored to its 1980s glory, giving visitors a look into the everyday life of that time.

3. NOMA CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

In November 2023, noma can celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the opening in 2003. It is widely considered one of the world’s most influential restaurants, and it’s legacy is especially visible across the Copenhagen food scene. After taking the top spot at World’s 50 Best in 2021, they retired to the Best of the Best list in 2022 and announced an upcoming pop-up in Kyoto, Japan, taking place in the spring of 2023. They are additionally gearing up for the celebration with the launch of a new book, Noma 2.0: Vegetable, Forest, Ocean, published globally on 8 November 2022.

4. OBSERVATORY SCIENCE PARK OPENING CLOSE TO AARHUS

Just outside Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, the 110-year old Ole Rømer Observatory will go through a grand renovation of both interior and exterior before reopening to the public in the summer of 2023. The buildings will be brought back to their original style, and the nature area surrounding the museum, Kongelunden, will be transformed into a Science Park, where guests can learn about astronomy during the days and nights. For examples, school classes will be able to spend the night in their new “science cabins”.

5. UNESCO TOWN CHRISTIANSFELD TURNS 250

Christiansfeld was Denmark’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site (2015), and it can celebrate its 250-year anniversary in 2023. The Moravian settlement in Christiansfeld was first founded in 1773 and is an example of the Protestant urban ideal centered around the church square. The architectural style is unadorned with yellow brick and red tile roofs and it a great example of a carefully-planned Lutheran free congregation settlement. The original buildings still stand, including the Brødremenighedens Hotel, which was one of the first four buildings dating back to 1 April 1773. Till this day, Christiansfeld is known around the country for their heart-shaped honey cakes, which have been baked here for centuries. 

6. NEW OPERA PARK TO OPEN BY THE COPENHAGEN HARBOR

A much expected green addition to the Copenhagen waterfront is scheduled to open in 2023: the Opera Park. This new park, aptly named for its location next to the grand Royal Danish Opera House, is inspired by the 19th century romantic parks complete with a café and winter garden. The park is designed by renowned Danish architect group COBE with sustainability at the forefront, including systems to reuse the rainwater and durable, recyclable materials. Located on top of a underground two-story parking structure, the park is an example of how necessary infrastructure is incorporated an a way that adds value and livability to the city.

7. TWO NEW WATERFRONT HOTELS TO OPEN

Denmark has a strong tradition of seaside hotels, in Danish called badehoteller, which are luxurious refuges by the water with a focus on a slow-paced living and good food. This year, two new ones are expected to open. The first one is Ny Hattenæs by the scenic Brassø Lake in the Aarhus Region. This historic property is opening as a fully renovated hotel in January with a rich history dating back to 1896 and lots of quirky interior details.

Another one is expected to open later in the year in Gilleleje on the Danish Riviera, North Zealand. This area serves as The Hamptons for Copenhagen, and the new Gilleleje Sø- og Havbad (literally meaning sea and ocean bath) has transformed the 1939 townhall into a boutique spa hotel with 40 rooms. The hotel will have an outdoor pool, restaurant and rooftop terrace, and the renovation happens with respect for the original architecture.

8. NEW FERRY MAKES BORNHOLM EASIER TO ACCESS

First expected to arrive in 2022, the new Express 5 ferry will take on the route between Rønne on the Danish island of Bornholm and Ystad in Southern Sweden in March 2023. This is a popular way to get to the rocky island, because train connections to Ystad makes it easy from Copenhagen. The Express 5 is world’s largest high-speed ferry, with a capacity of 1610 passengers and 451 cars. The ferry is run with the most efficient four-stroke engine. It is a dual-fuel engine, making it ready for alternative fuel.

9. OCEAN RACE ARRIVES IN AARHUS

Aarhus will be the first Danish city to host the huge sailing event Ocean Race, when they take over the city and its waters 29  May – 8 June 2023. Ocean Race is the world’s longest off-shore sail race, and it takes place over six months in eight stages across the globe. The Aarhus harbor will be dressed for the maritime celebration, and a designated Sustainability Island will serve as a hub for innovative exhibitions and showcases for sustainable solutions. 

10. EXPLORE THE WORKS OF JØRN UTZON

If anyone needed another reason to explore Danish architecture in 2023, why not visit the works of internationally renowned architect Jørn Utzon? He is especially known for creating the Sydney Opera House, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023. In his home country, he has created an array of unique, modernist buildings including the Bagsværd Church, the Paustian furniture shop in Copenhagen, the Music House in Esbjerg and the Utzon Center in Aalborg,  the last three created in collaboration with his son, Jan Utzon.