Tivoli Gardens
Ideal: Ideal for couples, families, and a fun evening in the city.
Opened in 1843, it is the world's third-oldest amusement park still in operation. Founder Georg Carstensen persuaded the king for permission by saying 'when the people are amused, they do not think about politics'. On the park's 1914 wooden roller coaster, an attendant still sits between the carriages and applies the brake. Walt Disney visited several times, and Tivoli is known to have been a model when shaping Disneyland's atmosphere. More than a hundred thousand flowers are planted in the gardens each season.
Quick facts
- Built
- 15 August 1843
- Opened
- 15 August 1843
- Annual visitors
- 4 million
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Did you know?
How old is Tivoli?
It opened in 1843 and is the world's second-oldest operating amusement park. Its founder is said to have won royal approval by arguing that people who are amused do not meddle in politics.
What is Walt Disney's connection to Tivoli?
Disney visited in the 1950s and was struck by its cleanliness, atmosphere and evening lighting. That visit is widely accepted as a direct influence on the design of Disneyland.
What is the oldest ride in the park?
The wooden coaster Rutschebanen from 1914 still runs and is one of the oldest operating wooden coasters in the world. Its brakes are still worked by hand by an operator riding along.
Why go?
- To see one of Europe's oldest and most atmospheric amusement parks
- For evening lighting and garden atmosphere
- For a different experience in central Copenhagen
Travel tip
Tivoli looks far more magical in the evening — plan for after sunset if you can.
