Tivoli Park is the oldest amusement park in Denmark, opened in the 19th century. “What am I doing here?”, some will ask…
I will answer you right away. If it wasn’t so crowded, Tivoli would be a very pleasant place to walk, watch shows, lie on the grass and try all possible specialties, which are the death knell for a long and healthy life.
The Tivoli amusement park is an interesting place with well-kept gardens, full of antique rides from the past, full of the noise of people who have overestimated their ability to endure the oscillations of gravitational forces. They voluntarily exposed themselves to those forces and paid for it.
Speaking of payment, the entrance to Tivoli itself needs to be paid. All rides are paid for separately or for anyone who pays buys a Pass. I saved a lot of money here.
Tickets can be purchased at the entrance, or online. This is a better option because there are many combinations for passes.
People usually don’t do their homework and expect the ticket agent to pick the best possible option for them on the spot. Due to such expectations, unnecessary crowds and queues are created. There are several lines, but if you stand behind some uninformed and aggressive dad, then you wait 30 minutes for him to choose a ticket for his indecisive baby. You can’t go back because a column of people has formed, who are, in my opinion, very patient.
Having bought the entry ticket, which is not cheap, you can only hope that you have chosen the right day because it would not do to be spoiled by the rain that is so common in Copenhagen. Summer is the best because the days are the longest but the park is also the most crowded.
How much time do I need for Tivoli?
You can spend a whole day in Tivoli depending on what you will be using.
So let’s see what’s in Tivoli.
Tivoli is an amusement park, which was built in 1843. It was dreamed up by the enthusiast Georg Carstensen, who begged the King to grant him land on which to build this fun wonder, claiming that “when people are having fun, they don’t think about politics.”
The king was generous and thanks to that, Tivoli Park today has an excellent location, almost in the center of the city.
Such parks were in vogue throughout Europe. The park was named after a similar one in Paris.
From the beginning, Tivoli experienced great success. Among the most famous visitors was the famous Hans Christian Andersen, even Walt Disney himself. Today, Tivoli is part of the Danish identity.
Over time Tivoli has changed. The biggest change happened when electricity arrived in Copenhagen around 1900. This made it possible to introduce some new machines and other contents, which significantly enriched the rides.
Some original settings have remained since 1840, and others have been replaced by more modern ones.
The pantomime theater was an integral part of Tivoli from the beginning. Today’s building from 1874 is the oldest structure in the park.
The talented violinist and composer H.C Lumbaye, who was also called the Strauss of the North, performed here. He wrote over 800 polkas, waltzes, gallops, including the famous Champagne Gallop. He performed them here and throughout Europe during the winter months.
As for the performances, you have to pay the hourly rate when they take place. Some are included in the ticket, while others are paid for separately.
Ferris wheel
The first ferris wheel in Tivoli from 1884 was powered by a steam engine. Back then, balloon-shaped gondolas were popular. This present-day ferris wheel is not that old because it was installed in 1943 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the opening of the park.
Tivoli Lake 1887.
This lake is part of the former moat, which surrounded the fortress on whose ruins Tivoli was built.
Tivoli used to be located outside the city. Gondolas and much larger boats used to sail here, but today they have been replaced by more practical variants.
Pagoda 1900.
The Danes are not entirely sure whether this is a Chinese or Japanese pagoda erected around 1900.
In the beginning, it served as a light tower, which had the task of illuminating the nearby lake with its many lights. Today, there are pop-up restaurants inside that serve selected food.
Nimb 1909.
This oriental-style palace was named after the restaurateur who built its reputation.
The building was renovated in 2008 and today houses restaurants and a hotel.
Rollercoaster
Tivoli Gardens has one rollercoaster.
This rollercoaster has three loops and is 28 meters (90 feet) high. It was built in 1914.
It is one of the oldest wooden rollercoaster in the world that is still working today.
The gate
You will recognize Tivoli by this very characteristic entrance.
It didn’t always look like this. At the entrance to Tivoli, there was first a wooden gate. Only in 1890 was this grandiose entrance, which is ideal for painting, installed.
Food
The park has all the options that belong to this entertainment venue. Here you will find popcorn, ice cream, lollipops, etc.
There are also restaurants here with a serious offer.
But if you’re looking for a quick option, the park itself is adjoined by the Tivoli Hall. Here you can find something cheaper.
You can access it from the street or from the park. I recommend leaving the food for last if you don’t want accidents to happen during some exciting rides.
What happened after that?
The founder of Tivoli, Jord Carstensen, had a strange fate. He was in the position of director for only five years because he signed up to participate in the First Silesian War, which conflicted with his duties in Tivoli. When he returned, he planned to open a competing park named Alhambra in Frederiksberg. Unfortunately, he did not live to see it, because he died of pneumonia at the age of 44.
Should you visit Tivoli Gardens?
Only you can answer that question.
I went in and paid to see what the issue was and why it keeps popping up as a suggestion to visit even though I’m in a wheelchair. It was nice to walk around, observe the people and the atmosphere.
Since I don’t use the other things that the park provides, I can’t even comment on them. If you have a short time in Copenhagen then I wouldn’t put Tivoli first.
Have you visited Tivoli Park?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
