Despite (or perhaps because of) the sophistication of our times, Tivoli remains the top attraction for locals and visitors to Copenhagen.
As we walked through the gates, we were entranced by the wonderland that is Tivoli - the beautiful flowers, colourful lighting, interesting and historic buildings, amusement park rides and games...the enjoyment of young and old is clear to see.
Georg Carstensen, the founder of Tivoli. He created Tivoli by telling King Christian VIII that "when the people are amusing themselves, they are not thinking about politics".
Tivoli covers 21 acres, beautifully landscaped with numerous fountains and 400,000 colourful flowers including tulips. It is interesting to note that it barely survived an attempt by Nazi sympathizers in 1943 to burn it down. Many buildings were lost, but Tivoli rebuilt and continued. Truly, once you walk through the gates, the reality of the outside world recedes and you find yourself relaxing and enjoying the classy spectacle of this historic amusement park. Barry had really been looking forward to returning here after 43 years. In 1970, he and his parents had cycled in Denmark and their visit to Tivoli had left a lasting impression on him.
Bumper cars which date back to 1926 - Barry was entranced to see the same set up as when he visited Tivoli Gardens with his parents in 1970 when he and his dad had fun driving these bumper cars.
We watched this ride, The Golden Tower for some time - and it was always the same reaction by the riders as they anxiously waited at the top with their feet twitching and then they plummeted to the bottom. Screams and gasps every time. For us, better to watch than to participate.
The Demon, the roller coaster elicits such loud screams that you can hear the people at the train station across the street. They careen upside down and sideways at crazy speeds.
The Concert Hall - Barry and his parents have wonderful memories of seeing Victor Borge here in 1970. Unlike today's temperature, in 1970, it was so hot that Barry passed out during the performance in their standing room only section.
The oldest of the theatres at Tivoli, the Pantomine Theatre with its well known hinged peacock screen. This theatre was built in 1874 by Danish architect, Vilhelm Dahlerup, and features ballet and mime. Tonight we saw a program of ballet - all free with your admission (courtesy of the Copenhagen Card).
The Pantomine Theatre, a beloved and historic part of Tivoli. It takes 5 men to open and close the wooden panels of the peacock's tail. This historical attention to detail in its current operation helps to create the magical feeling here.
