Is it possible for a harbor to be a chameleon? Tuborg Havn has changed its appearance many times. It has transformed from an industrial port to a ferry terminal and now to a modern marina.
Tuborg Havn is located in Hellerup. It is north of Copenhagen. The marina sits on the north side of Svanemølle Bay. Tuborg Havn’s story is one of constant reinvention.
In the late 1860s, H.P. Prior wanted a harbor. He co-founded DFDS. Construction of Tuborg Havn started in 1869. It was completed in 1873. The Tuborg Breweries opened their site that same year. They dominated the area. The breweries also had a glassworks plus a sulfuric acid and fertilizer plant. Tuborg expanded the harbor in 1929.
Ferries once sailed from Tuborg Havn to Landskrona in Sweden. The trip took 70 minutes. From 1951 to 1980, SL ferries used this route. For eight months, ferries also went to Malmö. Scarlett Line operated the Landskrona route again from 1985 to 1993. Ferries ran during the summer until 1990. Then from 1991 to 1993, ferries departed hourly. Some were Superflex type. One was an older SL ferry ship. Between the late 1960s and 1976, ferries sailed to Travemünde in Germany. They stopped at Tuborg Havn. This was on their way from Helsingborg. Cars could board in Helsingborg or Tuborg. But they could only disembark in Germany.
Carlsberg acquired Tuborg in 1970. The brewery in Hellerup closed in 1996. The old harbor was extended. A new canal connected it to Strandvejen. C. F. Møller Architects developed Tuborg Nord. The first phase finished between 1988 and 1993. The second phase was done in 1996-1997.
Today Tuborg Havn is a mixed-use area. The apartments here are among Denmark’s most expensive. PricewaterhouseCoopers and Saxo Bank have offices here. Torm, Regus and PKA are also located here.
The brewery’s administration building still stands. It was built in 1913. It is now called the Rosen House. Anton Rosen was the architect. The Mineral Water Bottling Plant is another landmark. Sven Risom designed it in 1923. It has a large Tuborg sign on its roof.
Tuborg Havn offers mooring for about 450 boats. The outer basin is 5.5 meters deep. The inner basin is 4.5 meters deep.
During World War II, Tuborg Havn became an important escape route. Danes helped Jewish people reach Sweden by boats. A memorial stone stands on the northern quay. It honors those who aided the refugees. The stone also commemorates British and American pilots. They died in Danish airspace during the war.
In 1952, a ferry route to Landskrona started. It was known as a “liquor route”. Passengers could buy cheap alcohol due to favorable tax rules.
The last ferry sailed in 1980. Until 2002, the harbor was a general commercial port. Then, it was decided to transform Tuborg Havn into a marina. Factory buildings were replaced with apartments. Vilhelm Lauritzen planned Tuborg Syd. C. F. Møller designed Tuborg Nord.
So next time you sip a Tuborg beer, remember this harbor. It is a symbol of Copenhagen’s dynamic spirit. Tuborg Havn continues to evolve. It blends history with modern life.