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Lille Langebro

A sleek, light-filled pedestrian and cycle bridge curving across Copenhagen’s Inner Harbour, blending everyday commuting with harbour views and contemporary design.

4.6

Lille Langebro is a sleek pedestrian and cycle bridge sweeping across Copenhagen’s Inner Harbour between Indre By and Christianshavn. Completed in 2019 and designed by WilkinsonEyre and Urban Agency, this 160 m steel double-swing bridge curves gracefully past the BLOX complex, creating a car-free link with dedicated lanes for walkers and cyclists. Concealed lighting in the handrails turns the structure into a glowing ribbon after dark, while its raised central span offers gradually unfolding views of the harbour and skyline.

A brief summary to Lille Langebro

  • Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Indre By, DK
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 1.5 hours
  • Free
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 5 out of 5

Local tips

  • Plan at least one crossing around sunset or after dark, when the concealed handrail lighting turns the bridge into a glowing ribbon and reflections dance on the harbour.
  • Use the midspan as a brief viewing platform: pause at the highest point to photograph both Indre By and Christianshavn, then continue along the arc for varied angles.
  • If you are on foot, keep to the pedestrian side; the cycle lanes are busy at commuting times and local cyclists move quickly in all seasons.
  • Combine your visit with time at BLOX and the Danish Architecture Centre on the city side of the bridge for exhibitions, cafés and waterside seating.
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Getting There

  • Metro and short walk

    From central Copenhagen, take the M3 or M4 metro line to Gammel Strand Station, which typically takes 2–4 minutes from Nørreport or København H. Trains run every few minutes throughout the day. From Gammel Strand it is a brief, level walk of around 10–15 minutes through the old town and along the harbourfront to the city-side end of Lille Langebro. A standard single metro ticket within the central zones usually costs around 20–30 DKK.

  • City bike via harbour routes

    Copenhagen’s public bike-share and rental shops make it easy to cycle to Lille Langebro from most inner districts in about 10–20 minutes. Follow signed harbour cycle routes towards BLOX and the Inner Harbour bridges; these routes are mostly flat and separated from traffic. Expect to pay roughly 75–150 DKK for a day’s access to a city bike or a simple rental, with higher prices for multi-gear or electric models.

  • Harbour bus and walk

    The yellow harbour buses connect various quays along the Inner Harbour and offer a scenic way to combine a boat ride with your visit. Travel times between central stops are often 10–25 minutes, depending on your starting point. Disembark at a stop near BLOX or the adjacent quays and walk around 10 minutes along the waterfront to reach the bridge. Harbour bus tickets are integrated into the regular public transport system and typically cost the same as a standard city bus ticket, around 20–30 DKK for a single trip.

Lille Langebro location weather suitability

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  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
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Discover more about Lille Langebro

A curved ribbon between city and harbour

Lille Langebro is a slender pedestrian and cycle bridge spanning the Inner Harbour at the heart of Copenhagen, linking the historic centre with the quays of Christianshavn. Completed in 2019, it runs just north of the older road bridge Langebro, from which it borrows its “little long bridge” name. At 160 metres long and a minimum of 7 metres wide, it offers generous space for both everyday commuters and slow wanderers pausing to watch the water traffic below. From above, the bridge traces a gentle arc across the harbour, echoing the old line of Copenhagen’s ramparts and moat. This subtle curvature means your perspective is always shifting: the City Hall tower, the BLOX building and the spires of the old town slide in and out of view as you cross, creating a feeling of movement even when you stand still.

Designing a city bridge for cyclists and walkers

The bridge was commissioned by the philanthropic association Realdania and designed by British practice WilkinsonEyre together with Urban Agency before being gifted to the municipality. Their brief was to create a low-level link exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians, easing pressure on the busy road bridge while reinforcing Copenhagen’s reputation as a cyclists’ city. To achieve this, the deck is clearly organised: roughly four metres are reserved for bicycles, divided into two opposing lanes, while around three metres are kept for pedestrians. The separation is subtle rather than heavy-handed, allowing the bridge to feel like a single shared space but still flow smoothly at rush hour when thousands of cyclists stream across.

Engineering an elegant double-swing bridge

Beneath its calm surface, Lille Langebro is a technically sophisticated structure. The steel superstructure is split into five spans, with two central sections that can swing horizontally to open a clear channel for taller vessels. When required, the twin leaves pivot away like balanced wings, using carefully tuned gravity-based mechanisms to move with minimal energy. Closing the bridge demands precision: engineers developed mechanical and hydraulic components that lock the two halves together, keeping the deck aligned and continuous. The midspan is raised to provide the required 5.4 metres of clearance for everyday boat traffic, so you feel a gentle climb towards the centre before descending again towards the opposite quay.

Materials, light and the character of the harbour

The primary steelwork is painted an off-white tone that shifts with the weather, catching reflections from the water and the often-changing northern light. Darker piers are visually pushed into the background so that the deck appears to skim just above the surface. Brushed stainless-steel parapets and fine mesh balustrades create a sense of safety without blocking views, keeping the horizon and harbour activity always in sight. After sunset, lighting concealed in the handrails softly illuminates both the deck and the outer wings. Seen from the quayside, the bridge reads as a twisting line of light, a contemporary counterpart to the silhouettes of older church spires and warehouses. The calm, continuous glow emphasises Lille Langebro’s role as a daily urban route rather than a monumental showpiece.

Experiencing everyday life on the Inner Harbour

For visitors, Lille Langebro is as much an urban promenade as a piece of infrastructure. From midspan, you can watch kayakers, harbour ferries and sailing boats sharing the waterway, or look back towards the BLOX complex and the Danish Architecture Centre with their terraces and playgrounds. On the opposite bank, the orderly facades of Christianshavn and its historic canal system unfold in a slow panorama as you walk or cycle. Because the bridge sits low over the water, the soundscape is intimate: the soft hum of bicycle tyres, the clink of rigging on masts, and the slap of small waves on the piers. In a city that constantly negotiates between historic fabric and contemporary design, Lille Langebro feels like a quiet but confident gesture—an everyday crossing that also invites you to pause, look around and understand Copenhagen through its harbour edge.

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