Ryvangen Memorial Park (Mindelunden)
A solemn green sanctuary in Hellerup where execution grounds, grave fields and memorial walls honour Denmark’s World War II resistance and their sacrifice.
Ryvangen Memorial Park, known as Mindelunden, is Denmark’s official memorial cemetery for the resistance movement, set in a solemn green enclave on former military grounds in Hellerup. Here, execution and burial sites from World War II sit among lawns, trees, and sculpted monuments, commemorating resistance fighters executed in Ryvangen, those who died in concentration camps, and others whose remains were never found. It is a tranquil yet deeply affecting place for reflection on Denmark’s wartime history.
A brief summary to Memorial Park
- Tuborgvej 33, Hellerup, Østerbro, 2900, DK
- +4522800467
- Visit website
- Duration: 1 to 2 hours
- Free
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Outdoor
- Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
- Monday 10 am-5 pm
- Tuesday 10 am-5 pm
- Wednesday 10 am-5 pm
- Thursday 10 am-5 pm
- Friday 10 am-5 pm
- Saturday 10 am-5 pm
- Sunday 10 am-5 pm
Local tips
- Plan at least an hour to walk the full loop: the grave field, Memorial Wall, concentration camp garden and execution site each reward unhurried time.
- Dress modestly and speak quietly; this is a state cemetery and active memorial, so jogging, picnics and dog walking are not appropriate here.
- Combine your visit with time at the Museum of Danish Resistance in central Copenhagen to deepen your understanding of the stories behind the names.
- If visiting in early May, check in advance for Liberation Day ceremonies, when wreaths, flags and formal commemorations add to the atmosphere.
- Bring a light jacket outside summer; the open lawns and earthworks can feel noticeably cooler in windy weather.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Seating Areas
- Information Boards
Getting There
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S-train from central Copenhagen
From Copenhagen Central Station or Nørreport, take an S-train on the coastal line toward Klampenborg or Holte and get off at Hellerup Station; trains usually run every 5–10 minutes and the ride takes about 10–15 minutes. A standard two-zone ticket within the Copenhagen area typically costs around 25–30 DKK one way. From Hellerup Station it is an additional 10–15 minutes on foot along mostly level pavements, though some approaches include stairs and are less suitable for wheelchairs.
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City bus within Copenhagen area
Several city bus routes serve Tuborgvej and the surrounding streets from central Copenhagen and Østerbro, with journey times of roughly 20–35 minutes depending on traffic. A single bus ticket within the city zones is typically about 25–30 DKK, the same as the S-train, and buses usually run every 10–20 minutes during the day. Most buses have low-floor access, but stops can be busy at peak hours, and you should allow extra time if travelling with reduced mobility.
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Bicycle from inner Copenhagen
Cycling from inner Copenhagen or Østerbro to Mindelunden is a realistic option, taking around 20–30 minutes from the city centre on well-marked cycle lanes along the coast or main roads. The route is generally flat and suitable for everyday city bikes. If you use a public bike-share scheme, expect to pay roughly 10–20 DKK for a short ride depending on the provider’s tariff. Be aware that rush-hour traffic can be dense, and always lock your bike outside the park grounds where it will not obstruct the entrances.
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Taxi within the Copenhagen region
A taxi from central Copenhagen to Tuborgvej in Hellerup usually takes 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic conditions through Østerbro and along the ring roads. Typical fares fall in the range of 150–250 DKK one way, with supplements at night or on weekends. Taxis can drop passengers close to the main entrance, which is convenient for those with limited mobility, but there is no dedicated taxi rank inside the memorial area, so you may need to call for a return pickup.
Memorial Park location weather suitability
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Clear Skies
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Mild Temperatures
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Cold Weather
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Any Weather
Discover more about Memorial Park
A quiet landscape carrying Denmark’s wartime memory
Ryvangen Memorial Park, or Mindelunden, occupies former army training grounds in Hellerup that were seized by German forces during World War II and turned into a place of executions and secret burials. Today, the lawns, trees and clipped hedges create a deceptively peaceful setting, carefully designed to honour members of the Danish resistance who were killed during the occupation. Paths lead you through open grass, shaded groves and clearings, each space revealing another layer of the story. Unlike a conventional city park, Mindelunden is both cemetery and national memorial. The mood is deliberately restrained: straight sightlines, simple stonework and low planting keep the focus on names, dates and the human cost of occupation. Signs explain the events that unfolded here between 1943 and 1945, but much of the impact comes simply from walking in silence and noticing how the landscape has been shaped around absence and loss.The great grave field and the grieving mother
At the heart of the memorial lies the large grave field, where over a hundred resistance fighters are buried in uniform rows. Each grave is marked with a low stone slab set on red marble, giving the area a strong visual rhythm when seen from the main path. In the centre stands Axel Poulsen’s powerful sculpture often known as “The Mother with the Slain Son”, a sandstone figure of a seated woman holding her dead child, created as a monument “For Denmark”. The statue anchors the space, turning the grassy field into a single unified memorial. Around the grave field, additional stones and plaques record the names of those who were executed here but later reburied elsewhere. An inscription by the writer and pastor Kaj Munk, himself killed during the war, is placed near the central monument. Together, the sculpture, inscriptions and orderly graves convey both personal grief and a broader sense of collective sacrifice, making this one of the park’s most moving corners.Wall of names and the concentration camp garden
Along the eastern edge of the park, a pergola walkway frames the Memorial Wall, where plaques list Danish resistance members whose bodies were never recovered. Each plaque carries just a few stark details: a name, sometimes a date, and the knowledge that their resting place is unknown. Standing here, you sense how incomplete the story remains, even in an official memorial cemetery. Opposite, a circular garden is dedicated to Danes who died in German prisons and concentration camps. Low horizontal stones lie in the grass around a central monument, many engraved with the names of camps such as Neuengamme or Stutthof. The design is intentionally simple, with open sky above and soft planting around the edge, encouraging you to linger, read and quietly connect distant places of suffering with this gentle patch of Copenhagen greenery.Execution sites preserved in the landscape
Further south within the grounds, the atmosphere tightens as the paths lead to the preserved execution site. Here a horseshoe-shaped earthwork encloses a small clearing where resistance fighters were tied to poles and shot. The current poles are bronze replacements of the originals, which were found splintered with bullet holes after liberation, but their placement and scale convey the brutal intimacy of the events. A commemorative stone at the entrance carries another text by Kaj Munk, setting a solemn tone as you step inside. Near the main site, information boards describe the sequence of arrests, transfers from Vestre Prison and early-morning executions carried out here. Just beyond the formal boundary of the memorial lies the former pistol shooting range, where the first executions took place; it is now integrated into the broader green surroundings of Ryvangen, but its connection to the story is clearly marked.Commemorations, symbolism and visitor experience
Mindelunden was inaugurated as a memorial cemetery in 1950, five years after liberation, and annual ceremonies on 5 May still mark Denmark’s freedom. The overall design by architect Kaj Gottlob and landscape architect Aksel Andersen emphasises calm and order: straight avenues, modest plantings and restrained materials create a setting where even small details, such as a single wreath or flag, stand out strongly. For visitors, the park offers a contemplative experience rather than a conventional outing. There are benches but no playgrounds, sports fields or café terraces, and activities like jogging or dog walking are discouraged to preserve the site’s character as a state cemetery. Spending time here is less about sightseeing and more about walking slowly, reading names and texts, and allowing the quiet to bring the events of the 1940s closer. In doing so, Ryvangen Memorial Park turns a former execution ground into a lasting space of remembrance at the edge of modern Copenhagen.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
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For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
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Location Audience
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