Dyrehavsbakken ("The Deer Park Hill"), commonly referred to as
Bakken ("The Hill"), is the world's oldest operating
amusement parkAmusement park or theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people. An amusement park is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground, usually providing attractions meant to cater...
. It is located near Klampenborg (
Gentofte municipalityGentofte Kommune is a municipality in Copenhagen County on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 26 km², and has a total population of 68,913 . Its mayor is Hans Toft, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
) but belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune,
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
about 8 miles north of
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
. With 2.5-2.7 million visitors per year, it is the second most popular attraction in Denmark, after the more widely known amusement park Tivoli Gardens.
The origins of Dyrehavsbakken can be traced back to 1583 when Kirsten Piil discovered a natural spring in what is now known as
Jægersborg DyrehaveDyrehaven is a forest park north of Copenhagen. It covers around 11 square kilometres...
or Dyrehaven, a large forest park north of
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
.
Dyrehavsbakken ("The Deer Park Hill"), commonly referred to as
Bakken ("The Hill"), is the world's oldest operating
amusement parkAmusement park or theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people. An amusement park is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground, usually providing attractions meant to cater...
. It is located near Klampenborg (
Gentofte municipalityGentofte Kommune is a municipality in Copenhagen County on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 26 km², and has a total population of 68,913 . Its mayor is Hans Toft, a member of the Conservative People's Party political party...
) but belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune,
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
about 8 miles north of
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
. With 2.5-2.7 million visitors per year, it is the second most popular attraction in Denmark, after the more widely known amusement park Tivoli Gardens.
History
The origins of Dyrehavsbakken can be traced back to 1583 when Kirsten Piil discovered a natural spring in what is now known as
Jægersborg DyrehaveDyrehaven is a forest park north of Copenhagen. It covers around 11 square kilometres...
or Dyrehaven, a large forest park north of
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
. Residents of Copenhagen were attracted to the spring due to the poor water quality in the area during the time period. Many believed the natural spring water to have curative properties, and therefore Piil's discovery drew large crowds, especially in the springtime. These large crowds attracted entertainers and hawkers, whose presence began the origins of amusement parks as are presently known.
For a period of time, the area that the spring was located was not open to the public due to it being on royal hunting grounds. In 1669,
King Frederick IIIFrederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He stands as the ruler who introduced absolute monarchy in Denmark.-Before becoming king:...
decided to set up an animal park in the area and his son, Christian V, extended the size of the park by 3-4 times after he became king in 1670. The area was named
Jægersborg DyrehaveDyrehaven is a forest park north of Copenhagen. It covers around 11 square kilometres...
, its present name, in 1671. The park was off-limits to the general public under Christian V and this did not change until 1756, under
Frederick VFrederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-First marriage:...
.
Open to the general public once again, Dyrehavsbakken began to flourish. The entertainers, hawkers, and innkeepers returned to the area, and Bakken's growing reputation throughout Europe attracted other entertainers and artists, including
PjerrotPierrot is a stock character of mime and Commedia dell'Arte, a French variant of the Italian Pedrolino. His character is that of the sad clown, pining for love of Columbine, who inevitably breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin. He is usually depicted wearing a loose, white tunic...
, the clown that is still a fixture at the park today. Bakken continued to grow even throughout the
Napoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of conflicts declared against Napoleon's French Empire and changing sets of European allies by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionized European armies and played...
, aided by easier accessibility due to the development of railroads and steamships as well as good publicity from poets and authors.
As the popularity of Bakken grew, its conditions worsened. As a result, some of the business owners, or "tent owners" as they are still called today, created the Dyrehavsbakken Tent Owners’ Association of 1885. The association improved garbage collection, restroom facilities, water supply, publicity, and helped bring electricity to the park. The association is still around today, and all businesses operating in the park are required to join.
The entertainment options also improved over time. Cabarets such as Sansouci, which opened in 1866, and Bakkens Hvile, which opened in 1877, became increasingly popular. The 20th century brought other popular ventures, such as the Circus Revue and moving rides. Over time, more modern rides and entertainment options have been introduced.
Rides
Bakken may have started as a place to get clean spring water, but today it is a thriving amusement park filled with modern rides and amenities. Bakken is home to five roller coasters, the most famous of which is
Rutschebanen (Danish for "Roller Coaster"), a
wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster or woodie is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
open since 1932.
Rutschebanen has been deemed an
American Coaster EnthusiastsThe American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
Coaster Classic. The park is also home to dozens of other flat, or amusement, rides suited for all ages.
Current Roller Coasters
The following table gives information on the roller coasters currently at Bakken.
| Ride |
Year Opened |
Description |
| Mariehønen |
2001 or earlier |
Family style roller coaster with oval layout. |
| Mine Train Ulven |
1997 |
Mine train style roller coaster. Name is Danish for "Wolf's Mine Train." Tunnel added to drop in 2004. |
| Racing |
1980s |
Wild mouse style roller coaster. Traveled with Showman Rudolf Robrahn from 1971 to 1974, built in 1971. |
| Rutschebanen |
1932 |
Wooden side friction style roller coaster. Name is Danish for "Roller Coaster." ACE The American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
Coaster Classic. |
| Tornado |
2009 |
Wild mouse style roller coaster with enclosed, spinning cars. Contains extensive theming and effects. |
Other Attractions
Bakken contains many other entertainment options in addition to rides. This includes
carnivalCarnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during January and February...
-style games, slot machines, and dancing. The park's mascot, Pjerrot the clown, performs everyday for young children. The park is also home to Bakkens Hvile music hall, where cabarets are common, as well as the Circus Revue, a live
circusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, animals, trapeze acts, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists. The word also describes the performance that they give, which is usually a series of acts that are...
-style performance. There are also live music performances in lounges and bars across the park on a regular basis.
The park is home to dozens of restaurants of all tastes and price ranges. The style of restaurants range from standard amusement park
street foodStreet food is food obtainable from a streetside vendor, often from a makeshift or portable stall. While some street foods are regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. The food and green groceries sold in farmers' markets may also fall into this category, including the...
vendors, to buffets, to fancier wine-and-dine restaurants. The type of food represented ranges from standard amusement park fare, such as hamburgers and
cotton candyCotton candy , candy floss , fairy floss is a form of spun sugar. Since it is mostly air, servings are large. Cotton candy is often served at fairgrounds or circuses. Food coloring is used to change the natural white color...
, to tradition Danish cuisine, such as
PølserPølse is a type of boiled sausage very common in Denmark. Since hot dog stands are ubiquitous in Denmark some people regard pølser as one of the national dishes. Their most noticeable aspect is that the skin often contains a traditional red dye making it bright red. Pølser are commonly served...
(Danish hot dogs),
ÆbleskiverÆbleskiver are traditional Danish pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. Somewhat similar in texture to American pancakes crossed with a popover, Æbleskiver are solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover...
(Danish pancakes), and
SmørrebrødSmørrebrød usually consists of a piece of buttered rye bread , a dense, dark brown bread. Pålæg , the topping, then among others can refer to commercial or homemade cold cuts, pieces of meat or fish, cheese or spreads...
(open-faced sandwiches), to many other types of international cuisine. Bakken also contains numerous bars and lounges, where popular Danish
beerBeer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely...
such as
CarlsbergThe Carlsberg Group is a Danish brewing company founded in 1847 by J. C. Jacobsen after the name of his son Carl. The headquarters are in Copenhagen, Denmark...
and Tuborg are served.
Operation
Bakken is open daily from the end of March through the end of August. Entrance into the park area is free, but rides and attractions require money. Price depends on the ride or attraction. Discounted coupons, wristbands, and season passes can also be purchased.
External links