Copenhagen is surrounded by water, making the Danish capital a truly special place to explore. The city is interwoven with canals, and its many bridges tie everything together — from historic landmarks to modern urban spaces. Whether you're crossing on foot, by bike, or boat-watching from below, each bridge offers a unique perspective on the city’s rich history, clever design, and everyday life.
Since the Middle Ages, the island of Slotsholmen has been connected to what is now the city center by a bridge. The current Højbro bridge was constructed in 1878 and designed by Danish architect Vilhelm Dahlerup.
Højbro’s design reflects the architectural style of the late 19th century and suits this part of Copenhagen perfectly. The arched steel bridge rests on granite piers and serves not only as a busy crossing point but also as a historical and cultural landmark.
Below the bridge, on the city center side, you’ll find Suste Bonnén’s amazing bronze sculpture Agnete & the Merman. The sculpture tells the story of Agnete, a human woman who fell madly in love with a merman. She wished to live with him underwater, and her wish was granted – they married and had seven sons together.
But Agnete began to miss life on land. She was allowed to return for a single day to visit her family and friends, but never came back. Today, the merman and their seven sons remain beneath the surface, gazing upward, still waiting for her to return.
Commissioned by King Christian VI as part of the grand approach to his first Christiansborg Palace, Marmorbroen (The Marble Bridge) was built between 1739 and 1745. Despite its name, the bridge is not entirely made of marble - the main material is sandstone. The railing and ornamental details are crafted from Norwegian marble, which likely gave the bridge its name.
Originally, architect Nicolai Egtved envisioned a curved or winding bridge. However, to match the palace’s architecture and the symmetrical designs favored for royal entrances, the design was revised into the straight, elegant structure that remains today.
This small but historically significant bridge got its name from the Swedish assault on Copenhagen on February 11, 1659. The Danes successfully defended the city, and around 2000 Swedish soldiers perished in front of the ramparts near Stormgade.
Strombroen (The Storm Bridge) marks the transition between Frederiksholm Canal and Slotsholmen Canal, connecting Vindebrogade with Stormgade. There’s some uncertainty about the bridge’s construction year: many sources cite 1681, but an inscription on its stone foundation reads MDCLX, meaning 1660. What we do know is that it underwent a major renovation in 1918 under the direction of Danish architect Martin Nyrop. The current structure, with its three stone arches, reflects early 20th-century restoration efforts and was designed to preserve the bridge as close to the original architecture as possible.
Inderhavnsbroen (The Inner Harbor Bridge) is affectionately known as the Kissing Bridge among locals. The nickname doesn’t come from people kissing on it – though some might – but from its innovative design: when the bridge opens to let bigger boats pass through, two curved steel sections slide apart and glide back together as if sharing a kiss.
The bridge opened in 2016, and approximately 16,000 cyclists cross it daily, making it one of the busiest bridges in Copenhagen!
This might be the coolest bridge in the city – and since it was designed by renowned artist Olafur Eliasson, that’s no surprise! Cirkelbroen (The Circle Bridge) is approximately 40 meters long and comprises five circular platforms of varying sizes. As a nod to Copenhagen’s maritime history, each platform features a mast reminiscent of a ship docked along the quay.
About 5,000 pedestrians and cyclists cross the bridge daily, making it an important part of the city’s infrastructure. Many also include Cirkelbroen in their walk to enjoy beautiful views of the water and the cityscape. Olafur Eliasson’s vision behind the unique design was to encourage people to pause, take a break from their routine, and maybe even meet someone new along the way.
The first version of Nyhavnsbroen (The New Harbor Bridge) opened in 1875 to help redirect traffic in the growing city. In 1912, the current bridge opened, and despite being over 100 years old, it can still open to let larger boats in and out of the canal.
Nyhavnsbroen is a busy crossing point for both pedestrians and cyclists. It also offers a fantastic vantage point for taking pictures of Nyhavn’s vibrant and colorful houses as well as the historic wooden boats lining the canal.
This is just some of Copenhagen’s many bridges. If you want to experience as many as possible during your visit, hop on Stromma’s Classic Canal Tour. This popular boat tour sails under quite a few bridges, and you’ll quickly discover just how low some of the older ones are – but don’t worry, the boat does fit (even if it doesn’t look like it!).
Below you'll find a map showing the locations of all the bridges mentioned in this guide - perfect for planning your route through the city.
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