Art Running Tour: Inner City

Total Length: 7 km
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Copenhagen’s inner city is filled with inspiring public artworks by leading Danish and international artists such as: Eva Koch, Bjørn Nørgaard, Poul Gernes, Per Kirkeby, Olafur Eliasson and Kirsten Ortwed.

For CHART 2025, we are shining a spotlight on art in the public space. Throughout the year we will expand the dialogue around public art, exploring the ways in which it can build community, inspire new ideas, spark discussion and shape our shared environment.

One of the best way to experience public artworks is on foot. In our new series of Art Running Tours we guide you around Copenhagen, pointing out where artworks are transforming streets, parks and waterfronts into vibrant cultural landscapes. Enjoy this curated route as a leisurely walk or fast-paced run and take in stunning works that highlight the city’s architecture and natural beauty.

Eva Koch – Sankt Annæ Hjul

Begin the tour at Sankt Annæ Plads, close to Kongens Nytorv Metro, to experience Eva Koch's 'Sankt Annæ Hjul' ('Sankt Annæ Wheel'). The artwork is a sculpturally designed play sculpture for both the very young and slightly older children. The wheel consists of two sculptures–a hilly landscape and a climbing frame–created specially for Sankt Annæ Plads, as part of the refurbishing and climate adaptation of the area.

With Sankt Annæ Hjul, Koch demonstrates that sculpture plays a vital role in reimagining urban spaces—that a sculpture can also function as a play structure, create a local gathering place, and that sculptors working in public spaces must consider the unique characteristics of each site with care.

Eva Koch (b. 1953; DK) is represented by Martin Asbæk Gallery.

Svend Wiig Hansen – Kærlighedens Port

By the Royal Danish Theatre, you will find Svend Wiig Hansen's public artwork 'Kærlighedens Port' ('The Gate of Love'). It serves as the door to the stage entrance of the Old Stage and is located at Tordenskjoldsgade 8. The artwork consists of eight bronze reliefs depicting male and female figures in various life situations.

All employees must pass through this grand doorway, and the gate is therefore intended to inspire the theatre’s staff. It is also a gift from Svend Wiig Hansen to the theatre—a place where he once sang as a member of the opera chorus and where, as a visual artist, he contributed set designs and costumes for several productions.

Svend Wiig Hansen (1922–1997; DK) was a Danish sculptor, painter, and graphic artist. His works are included in institutional collections such as Statens Museum for Kunst, Louisiana, and Glyptoteket, among others.

Bjørn Nørgaard – Granite paving for Amagertorv

Moving to Amagertorv—one of Copenhagen’s oldest thoroughfares and a key part of the iconic shopping street, Strøget—look down and take in the public artwork integrated into the paving. As part of a 1993 renovation initiated by fashion retailer Jørgen Nørgaard (Nørgaard på Strøget), Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard designed a patterned granite tile pavement that now defines the square.

The paving incorporates five different colours of granite: black from Africa, dark red from Finland, and grey, green, and light pink from Italy, along with cobblestones from Sweden.

Bjørn Nørgaard (b. 1947; DK) is represented by Galleri Susanne Ottesen.

Poul Gernes – Palads Theatre

Continuing towards Vesterport, experience Danish artist Poul Gernes' façade painting on the Palads Theatre. Gernes based this work on cinema as part of the entertainment industry, and with his choice of colours, he creates a counterbalance to the surrounding traffic and railway structures.

This decoration was once seen as a provocation against good taste but today, it has become a beloved landmark. Gernes’ belief was that art should not be a static, museum-bound object, but a communal matter that energises people when they encounter it.

Poul Gernes (1925-1996; DK) was Danish painter, sculptor, and graphic artist and has collaborated on several occasions with Galleri Bo Bjerggaard.

Per Kirkeby – Murstensskulptur, Meldahlsgade

On Meldahlsgade, between the Central Station and Vesterport, stand two identical brick sculptures by Per Kirkeby. Positioned at either end of the street, by the access roads Ved Vesterport and Vesterbrogade, they serve as kinds of city gates.

Gates symbolise both a boundary and a passage between different worlds, and in Kirkeby’s interpretation, they embody an inherent symbolism about life and its conditions—but also about new opportunities, faith, or perhaps confinement.

Per Kirkeby's (1938-2018; DK) brick sculptures are represented by Galleri Susanne Ottesen.

Olafur Eliasson – Cirkelbroen

Cirkelbroen ('The Circle Bridge') connects the Christiansbro area to Appelbys Plads in Christianshavn. Created by Olafur Eliasson, the bridge draws inspiration from sailing boats and reflects the district's maritime history. It features five staggered circular platforms, each with its own ‘mast’.

Eliasson’s childhood in Iceland, where fishing boats were often moored side by side, inspired the design, as it creates the illusion of being able to cross the harbour by walking from boat to boat. The circle encourages pedestrians and cyclists to slow down, creating a pause point and a new space between two urban areas, rather than simply offering the fastest route across the canal.

Olafur Eliasson (b. 1967; IS/DK) is represented by i8 Gallery.

Kirsten Ortwed – Full Length

The space between Herluf Trolles Gade and Nyhavn displays Kirsten Ortwed’s public artwork 'Full Length', a 12-meter-long, 13-ton bronze sculpture. Originally created for Ortwed's solo exhibition at the Statens Museum for Kunst in 2008, the piece was later relocated to become a permanent fixture in the city.

'Full Length' is a central work in Ortwed’s artistic production. Its size and elongated form complement the historic customs building and Inderhavnsbroen ('The Inner Harbour Bridge'). The sculpture evokes the image of a felled tree, conveying a sense of weight and organic presence.

Kirsten Ortwed (b. 1948; DK) is represented by palace enterprise.