Take Bus Number 8 to Freedom
"You can imagine a village filled with people that didn't fit into society. There were bikers, hippies and nudists running around. It was sort of a chaotic piece of heaven."
- Marios Orozco, local resident and gallery owner
Christiania has been the at the forefront of scrutiny from the Danish government in recent years. The infamous Pusher Street was once the only place in Denmark where cannabis was sold “legally” from stalls, yet the legality is a grey area. Freetown Christiania sees itself as an autonomous settlement which does not adhere to the laws outside of its gates. A sign is suspended above your head as you exit which reads; You are now entering the EU.
In April 2024, Pusher Street was closed in order to make room for a new housing development for the residents. The locals were not distressed by this news and in fact had worked alongside the police to rid Christiania of its growing organized crime activity. It is incredibly difficult to maintain a safe haven while also promoting a nonconformist society, as many will view this as the perfect place to introduce drugs and gang violence due to the minimal police presence.
There are rules in place that the occupants and visitors must follow, these regulations are highly respected within the community as they maintain the tranquil and judgement free environment. The rules include:
No Cars
No Hard Drugs (except cannabis, obviously)
No Running
No Violence
No Motorbike Gangs
No Bulletproof Clothing (?)
No Fireworks
No Stealing
Although the community preaches a world free from hierarchy and instruction, they are not naïve to the notion that some measures must be put in place to protect the environment and its inhabitants.
Alis in Wonderland Skate park, Christiania, 2012
One of the hot-spots in Christiania includes a wooden bowl constructed by volunteer skaters from all over the globe. The skate park is free of charge and has no opening or closing hours. Many skaters bring bedding and communally sleep there after a long night. To skate here you have to bring something to give back to the community, a beaten up skate deck will do.
Tanja Fox has lived in Christiania since she was 4 years old.
Her mother decided to move the family here after reading a short article in a left-wing newspaper which told people to “Take the number 8 bus to freedom”.
Tanja speaks of a childhood with very little discipline, she would make her own food and there would be nobody nagging her to brush her teeth before bed.
Tanja discusses the rise of tourism within the area and how it is both a blessing and a curse for the locals. Due to the fact that over a million people visit the commune each year, the Danish government recently implemented a process where they would buy back the land ownership of Christiania. As imagined, the residents were not too fond of this idea yet agreed in order to rid themselves of the label of being ‘Squatters’.
Tanja explains how her and her peers are tired of being treated like ‘zoo exhibits’, she wants to live a peaceful life without tourists peering through her windows every day.
“Even though I believe that there are no stupid questions, when you’ve heard the same questions 100 times a day, you get tired.”
It’s not everyday that you get to experience a community so detached from the outside world and so I felt very inspired, although maybe not the path most would personally choose it is still lovely to witness. I hope these people can live here in peace for many more years and continue to create this vibrant neighbourhood for locals and tourists alike.
