Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen
Just beyond the postcard canals and pastel townhouses is a community that challenges everything about Copenhagen's mainstream—a place called Freetown Christiania. Christiania isn't just a quirky, touristy neighborhood; it's an expression of counterculture. It represents resistance against Danish society's political, social, and economic norms. Founded by squatters and activists in 1971, the neighborhood runs under its own rules, values, and vision. My running path takes me through some of Christiana. It is like crossing into another Copenhagen. You can immediately feel its communal and foundational belief in living freely. I see small, primarily wooden houses covered in colors, gardens with wild herbs growing, bulletin boards with posters, and areas for group hangouts and sports. People are always sitting on the water banks enjoying their afternoon cigs. It is interesting to see a subculture that is so unapologetically themselves within a country that can prize unifor...
