Bakken – The oldest park in Klampenborg

It opened in 1583 and is the world’s oldest operating amusement park. Kirsten Piil discovered a natural spring in a large forest park north of Copenhagen.

Residents of Copenhagen were attracted to the spring water due to the poor water quality in central Copenhagen during this period.

Many believed the natural spring to have curative properties, and therefore Piil’s discovery drew large crowds, especially in the springtime.These large crowds attracted entertainers and hawkers, whose presence are the origins of the amusement park today.

Dyrehavsbakken, commonly referred to as Bakken, is an amusement park near Klampenborg, but which belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Denmark, about 10 km north of central Copenhagen.

The park claims to have over 150 attractions, including a wooden roller coaster built in 1932. With 2.5–2.7 million visitors per year, it is the second most popular attraction in Denmark.