Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven
Colourful staffed playground and historic park oasis hidden behind a former shooting wall in Vesterbro, ideal for families needing a central Copenhagen breather.
Tucked behind a monumental red-brick shooting wall in Vesterbro, Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven is a colourful staffed playground set within a small historic park. Nicknamed the Parrot Playground, it mixes imaginative climbing structures, a giant parrot slide, sand areas, ball courts, scooters and tricycles, and a shallow toddler pool in summer. Green lawns and benches make it an easygoing escape for families just a short walk from central Copenhagen.
A brief summary to Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven
- Absalonsgade 12, Copenhagen, Vesterbro/Kongens Enghave, 1658, DK
- +4521555148
- Visit website
- Duration: 1 to 3 hours
- Free
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Outdoor
- Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
- Monday 9:30 am-5 pm
- Tuesday 9:30 am-5 pm
- Wednesday 9:30 am-5 pm
- Thursday 9:30 am-5 pm
- Friday 9:30 am-5 pm
Local tips
- Aim for weekday daytime if you want staffed activities and access to shared tricycles and scooters; outside those hours the playground is still open but unsupervised.
- Pack swimwear or a change of clothes for little ones on warm days, as the shallow toddler pool quickly becomes irresistible once the water is turned on.
- Bring simple snacks or a picnic to enjoy on the lawns, but avoid glass containers and keep an eye on posted rules about pets and bikes inside the playground.
- If you enjoy photography, take a moment to frame the bright parrot structure against the dramatic red-brick shooting wall for a uniquely Copenhagen shot.
- Combine a visit here with a wider Vesterbro wander, using the playground as a mid-morning or afternoon break for children during city sightseeing.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Drink Options
- Drinking Water
- Food Options
- Seating Areas
- Sheltered Areas
- Picnic Areas
- Trash Bins
- Information Boards
- Visitor Center
Getting There
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Public transport from Copenhagen Central Station
From Copenhagen Central Station, reach Skydebanehaven by S-train or regional train to the main station and then a short hop on local buses that run along Vesterbrogade or Istedgade towards Vesterbro; the total journey typically takes 10–20 minutes including walking. A standard single-zone ticket within the city costs around 20–25 DKK and covers trains, metro and buses within the central zones. Services are frequent throughout the day, and the final approach involves level pavements suitable for strollers and most wheelchairs.
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Walking from central Vesterbro
If you are already staying in Vesterbro or near Copenhagen Central Station, Skydebanehaven can be reached on foot in about 10–20 minutes, depending on your starting point. The route uses regular city pavements, crossing a few busy streets with pedestrian signals. The terrain is flat, so it is comfortable for strollers and accessible for most visitors, though parents should be prepared for typical city curb ramps and occasional cobblestones near older buildings.
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City bike or personal bicycle
Copenhagen’s dense network of cycle lanes makes cycling to Skydebanehaven straightforward from most central neighbourhoods, usually taking 5–15 minutes from locations around the inner city. Public bike-share schemes and hotel rental bikes typically cost from about 80–120 DKK per day, with shorter pay-as-you-go options available. Dedicated cycle tracks run along Vesterbrogade and parallel streets, but remember that full-size bicycles must be parked outside the playground area itself in accordance with posted rules.
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Taxi or rideshare within Copenhagen
Taxis and licensed rideshare services can drop you close to the gates on Absalonsgade in roughly 5–15 minutes from most central districts, depending on traffic. Typical fares for a short inner-city ride fall in the 80–180 DKK range, with surcharges in the late evening or on weekends. Vehicles can stop briefly on the street for drop-off and pick-up, but they cannot enter the park grounds, and narrow residential streets mean short walks from the car to the entrance.
Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven location weather suitability
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Any Weather
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Clear Skies
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Mild Temperatures
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Hot Weather
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Cold Weather
Discover more about Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven
A hidden playground behind a towering brick wall
Skydebanehaven sits quietly behind Istedgade’s traffic, screened by a dramatic 20-metre-high, 70-metre-long red-brick wall once built to shield passersby from stray bullets on a former shooting range. Step through the modest gate on Absalonsgade and the city noise softens, replaced by the clatter of tricycles on paving stones and children’s voices echoing between the wall’s Neo‑Gothic towers. The park is compact but feels like a secret backyard for the surrounding Vesterbro streets. The playground occupies the end closest to Istedgade, while lawns and flowerbeds stretch further back towards Vesterbrogade. Mature trees cast patches of shade over benches and picnic tables, and the crenellated wall creates a striking backdrop for everyday family life. Despite its central location, the space feels enclosed and safe, with clear sightlines that make it easy to keep an eye on roaming kids.From royal rifle range to neighbourhood green space
In the 18th century this area belonged to the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society, which maintained a long rifle range and a grand mansion where members held formal gatherings. The wall you see today was added in 1887 to protect the increasingly busy Istedgade from flying bullets. When the shooting range finally closed, the grounds were transformed into a public park, and in 1949 Skydebanehaven opened as an urban oasis for local residents. Traces of this past are still visible. Look closely at the decorative brickwork and you may spot coats of arms and ornamental details that speak to the site’s more exclusive origins. The much-loved giant parrot structure nods to the historical bird-shooting competitions once held here, when wooden parrots were hoisted on poles and a successful shot declared the “Bird King”. Today the only targets are climbing holds and slides, yet the playful spirit of those festivities lives on.Play spaces for different ages and energies
Legepladsen i Skydebanehaven is designed to keep a wide age range entertained. Younger children gravitate towards the sandpits, low climbing frames and swings, all framed by soft surfaces and plenty of seating for caregivers. The huge parrot, painted in vivid colours, works as both landmark and climbing labyrinth, with multiple ways to ascend and a broad slide that can carry several children at once. Older kids and tweens find more challenge on ziplines, higher slides and the enclosed ball cages, where informal football or basketball games spring up throughout the day. The paved circulation loop is perfect for circulating on the playground’s own fleet of tricycles, small bikes, go‑karts and scooters, which can be borrowed freely as long as they are returned afterwards. This creates a shared, communal feel, with children trading vehicles and inventing new games together.Staffed activities and seasonal highlights
Skydebanehaven is one of Copenhagen’s staffed playgrounds, with pedagogical staff present on weekdays during the day. They do not function as babysitters, but they run low‑key activities such as treasure hunts, creative workshops and sports tournaments, helping children mix and explore the space in new ways. On quieter days they may simply open indoor rooms with games or crafts, adding variety to the outdoor fun. In summer, the shallow toddler pool becomes the heart of the playground. On hot days children splash while adults dangle their feet from the surrounding edge, chatting in the shade of trees. The water feature is deliberately simple and shallow, more about cooling off than swimming, and it is typically open only in warm weather. Cooler seasons shift the focus to climbing, ball games and imaginative play, and on crisp winter days the open lawns and hard surfaces still invite running, scooting and the occasional sled on a rare snowfall.A family pause in the middle of Vesterbro
This playground doubles as a pocket park for all ages. Benches along the edges and a small kiosk-style service selling coffee, ice cream and simple snacks make it easy to linger while children play. Adults stretch out on the grass with a book, babies nap in prams near the sand, and older kids roam between ball courts and climbing areas, always within the confines of the garden’s gates. Rules help keep the atmosphere relaxed: dogs, glass bottles and full‑size bicycles are not allowed inside the playground area, which keeps the surfaces safe for bare feet and wobbling riders. The mix of historic architecture and everyday neighbourhood life gives the space a distinctive character—part local meeting place, part living reminder of Copenhagen’s layered past, and an especially welcoming stop for families exploring the city.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
Frihedsstøtten
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Copenhagen Central Station
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Enghaveparken
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Copenhagen Visitor Service
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Copenhagen Central Post Building
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Cykelslangen
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H. C. Andersens Blvd.
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Havneholmen 33
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Lur Blowers
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Landbohøjskolens Have
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The Hill House Museum
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National Museum of Denmark
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Elefantporten
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Storm P. Museum
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Unmissable attractions to see
Istedgade
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Freddys Bar
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Mikkeller Bar
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Fermentoren
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Discover Denmark’s maritime legacy at the award-winning M/S Maritime Museum in Helsingør, where innovative architecture meets interactive storytelling and rich seafaring history.
Det Ny Teater
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Historic Belle Époque playhouse turned musical powerhouse, Det Ny Teater blends gilded grandeur, modern stagecraft and big‑scale productions in the heart of Copenhagen.
Værnedamsvej
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Copenhagen’s “Little Paris”: a short, atmospheric street where historic food shops, French-inflected cafés and design boutiques create an intimate, everyday city buzz.
Øksnehallen
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Planetarium
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Folkehuset Absalon
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Falkonerbrønden
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A star-studded stroll in Copenhagen: the Frederiksberg Walk of Fame celebrates Danish legends along one of the city’s most iconic boulevards.
Model train display
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Red Sightseeing Copenhagen
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The Tube
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Step into a World War II bomb shelter transformed into a mind-bending immersive experience with 17 interactive rooms.
Frederiksberg Allé
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Rutschebanen
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Essential places to dine
Madklubben Vesterbro
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Delphine
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Restaurant Spuntino
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Paté Paté
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Paté Paté offers Mediterranean-inspired dining and expertly curated wines in Vesterbro’s Meatpacking District, blending industrial charm with vibrant Copenhagen culinary culture.
Cofoco
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Cofoco in Vesterbro delights with accessible, innovative Danish and European tasting menus amid warm Scandinavian aesthetics and a true neighborhood spirit.
Bevi Bevi
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Experience authentic Italian cuisine and exquisite wines at Bevi Bevi, a charming restaurant in the heart of Copenhagen.
Fleisch
0.3 km
A contemporary restaurant and butcher shop in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, Fleisch combines Nordic meat traditions with creative, communal dining in an atmospheric urban setting.
Ristorante Buono
0.4 km
Cozy Vesterbro Italian with candlelit tables, generous pasta and risotto, and a relaxed neighbourhood feel in the heart of Copenhagen’s evening dining scene.
Maple Casual Dining
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Kødbyens Fiskebar
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Smagsløget
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LUN restaurant & winebar
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Retour Vesterbro
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Je t'aime
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Frederik the VI
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Discover culinary delights at Frederik the VI - a vibrant restaurant and pub serving authentic Danish cuisine in Frederiksberg C.
Markets, malls and hidden boutiques
Funky Junky
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Flying Tiger Copenhagen
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Artikel København
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C. G. Nordic clothing and gifts
0.7 km
A small Vesterbro boutique where Nordic clothing, cozy textiles and design-led gifts capture the understated charm of contemporary Scandinavian style.
Souvenir Gift Shop
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Compact, central and colourful, this Vesterbrogade gift shop is a quick and easy stop for Copenhagen-themed souvenirs between Tivoli, Vesterbro and the Central Station.
Tivoli Gift Shop
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A compact slice of Tivoli Gardens magic just outside the park gates, perfect for picking up Copenhagen souvenirs before or after your visit.
Fisketorvet Copenhagen Mall
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Wonderful Souvenirs
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Danish Souvenirs
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København K
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Viking Souvenirs
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Carmen Copenhagen
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Wasteland
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Quirky Lane
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Souvenir Shop
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Essential bars & hidden hideouts
Duck and Cover - Cocktailbar
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Riesen Bar
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1656 Cocktail Bar
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Lidkoeb
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Spunk
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Mesteren & Lærlingen
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Curfew
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Amigo Bar
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The House of Machines Copenhagen
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Märkbar
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Jolene Bar
0.6 km
Industrial‑chic, late‑night beats in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, blending laid‑back bar vibes with a no‑frills, LGBTQ‑friendly dance floor.
CUBE bar
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JOJO
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Jernbanecafeen
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Library Bar
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Nightclubs & after hour spots
The Union
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Dollhouse Striptease Nightclub
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Vela Lesbian Lgbtq+ NightClub
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CristalClubCopenhagen
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Baggen
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KB3
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Den Anden Side
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Never Mind
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Module
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G*A*Y Copenhagen Nightclub
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Club Mambo
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Cosy Bar
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Dorsia
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Moon Club
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Miami Bar
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For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
- Fun-filled
- Lively
- Relaxing
- Scenic
- Casual
- Unique
For the design and aesthetic lover
- Colorful Aesthetics
- Modern Designs
- Retro Vibes
For the architecture buff
- Historic
- Parks & Gardens
- Landmarks
For the view chaser and sunset hunter
- Iconic Views
For the social media creator & influencer
- Instagrammable
- Photo Spots
- Selfie Spots
- Reel-Friendly
- Architectural Shots
- Colorful Backdrops
For the eco-conscious traveler
- Low Impact
- Public-Transport Accessible
- Locally Managed
For the kind of experience you’re after
- Photowalk
- Adventure Photo Shoot
- Nature Escape
- Day Trip
- Roadtrip Stop
- Cultural Heritage
For how adventurous you want the journey to be
- Easy Access
Location Audience
- Family Friendly
- Child Friendly
- Teen Friendly
- Senior Friendly
- Solo Friendly
- Couple Friendly
- Solo Female Friendly
- Vegetarian Friendly
- Vegan Friendly
