The Day the Soldiers Came: Copenhagen’s seizure in 1940
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Denmark’s World War II story began in darkness, with an invasion that caught a nation asleep.
On this walking tour, you’ll follow the dramatic events of April 9, 1940 – the day Nazi Germany seized Copenhagen in a lightning-fast operation that unfolded in just a few hours. From the first German troops disembarking silently at the harbour to the final stand at the King’s palace, you’ll experience this pivotal moment in Danish history as it happened, location by location.
This tour starts at the memorial to Danish civilian sailors who died in World War I. You’ll trace the steps of German soldiers as they advanced in the dark from Langelinie quay to capture the historic Citadel fortress. Walking through Churchill Park, you’ll hear how Danish defenders were at first taken completely by surprise but quickly rallied to stage a dramatic fight back. At the same time you’ll find out how tragic this moment was for Denmark.
The tour ends at the statue of King Christian X, where you’ll discover how he became a beloved symbol of Danish character and resilience during the occupation.
On this one-hour walking tour, you’ll have a chance to:
- Explore the Citadel (Kastellet), one of Northern Europe’s best-preserved fortresses of its kind, and hear about how it fell to German forces in minutes
- Visit Amalienborg Palace Square and be right at the spot of the dramatic firefight as the Danes defended their King
- Trace the exact route of the conquering German army, and spot remaining evidence of damage from German explosives
- Learn about the “comedy of errors” that gave Germany a crucial advantage in the early hours of the invasion
- Stand where German bombers flew over Copenhagen, creating panic as the city awoke on that fateful morning
- Hear the personal accounts of Copenhageners who experienced this historic day firsthand
This tour brings to life a pivotal moment when Denmark lost its freedom but found courage, setting the stage for five years of occupation and resistance.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
James Cowan
I love creating audio tours of cities which lie close to my heart in the hope that others will share my love and passion.
I wrote my first audio tour of Cardiff, Wales in 2018. I grew up with Cardiff on my doorstep and lived there most of my adult life. Discovering its incredible but still largely unknown history became an ever-growing passion. This led me to develop walking tours and telling people the history, legends and ghost stories of Cardiff and Wales – tales of Kings, Princes, and a one-time tiny town on the Taff that overnight become the world’s biggest coal port, from which emerged the grand domes, towers and columns of its beautiful civic centre….and all the time, in its woodlands and castles lurk ancient legends and tales of ghosts!
I am delighted that, thanks to VoiceMap, I have been able to convert some of these tours into self-guided audio tours.
Since 2019 I have had a new home, Copenhagen, and I have fallen in love with this city. Discovering its history, its character, and its characters past and present, has been an all-consuming pleasure, always full of surprises. In 2021 I was delighted to offer my first Copenhagen audio tour, which was a labour of love to research and develop, as a prelude to more Copenhagen tours following in 2022 and 2023.
In 2023 I was very excited to introduce my first ever audio tour in Poland, of Warsaw’s beautiful Old Town. I have been fascinated and deeply moved by Polish history since childhood, and as an adult I have been spellbound by the beauty of its cities, and awe struck by the resilience and determination of the Polish character despite everything the country has experienced.
In 2025 I published a series of audio tours of Łódź! I hope that my tours of Łódź shed new light on this striking, exciting, and much underrated city! Moreover, I hope that my audiotour of the site of the Łódź Ghetto serves as a powerful informational and educational tool, shedding light on the city's darkest chapter. Indeed, I hope all my Polish audio tours convey my admiration and respect for the country's history and culture.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 5
The Norway Gate
Suddenly an explosion blows open the gates at this archway, called the Norway Gate. The Germans have ripped apart the silence and the gates. If you look at the base of the stone archway, you can still clearly see wh... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Maritime Monument
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Kastellet
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Churchillparken
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Our Fallen
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Museum of Danish Resistance
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Amalienborg Palace
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Yellow Palace
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Sankt Annæ Plads
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Statue of Christian X
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationLangelinievej, 2100 København, Denmark
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Total distance2km
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Final locationBredgade 35-33, 1260 København, Denmark
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Distance back to start location1km
Directions to Starting Point
The tour begins at Søfartsmonumentet (the Maritime Monument) which overlooks the small Langelinie Harbour.
The easiest way to find the tour starting point is to pinpoint the world famous statue of The Little Mermaid, and walk from there. Turn so that the statue of the Little Mermaid, and the water, are behind you and walk to the nearby road. Once at the road, turn right and follow the sidewalk for about 2 minutes as it bends to the left and passes the marina to your right. You will then see the Maritime monument straight ahead of you and to your right. It is a large white stone block with a green statue of a winged female on top of it.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Along the route there are often pop up stalls selling snacks and hot and cold drinks, especially in Churchill Park. However, as this is a relatively short tour, I recommend waiting until the end of the tour, and heading to nearby Kongens Nytorv or Nyhavn and the surrounding streets where there are many cafes, restaurants and bars to relax in. We pass the Danish Resistance Museum which is pointed out during the tour, but I recommend visiting it after the tour, where its story follows on naturally from this tour.
Best time of day
The tour can be taken at any time that the Citadel is open. It is open 7 days a week from 6am to 10pm.
My preference is to take the tour in the morning. Not only is the route much quieter, but it matches the early morning atmospheric setting of the story. In the afternoon and weekends, parts of the route, especially Amaliegade, can get quite crowded, especially while construction work continues at the Mærsk building which intrudes into Amaliegade at one point and narrows it.
Precautions
Copenhagen is a safe city with a very low crime rate, but please take normal precautions to be wary of pickpockets among at any crowds of tourists you might encounter along the way.
Take care when crossing roads and pay close attention to instructions regarding road safety and crossing roads.
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