“Kalve,” an old word for small islands, whispers secrets of this place. Kalveboderne. “Boder,” an ancient term for reefs, adds to the mystery. This is Kalveboderne.
Kalveboderne refers to the waters between Zealand and Amager. But its story stretches back centuries. The name Kalveboderne was already known in the 1500s. Imagine small islands dotting the waters. These may have given Kalveboderne its name. Or perhaps calves grazed in shelters, called “boder,” near the water’s edge.
In the 1600s and 1700s, the name Kalveboderne specifically meant the area outside Langebro. Several small islands once graced these waters.
Picture this: the mid-1700s. A proposal surfaces. Deepen the waterway between Zealand and Amager. Block passage between Amager and Saltholm. The goal? Channel all ship traffic through Copenhagen harbor boosting the city’s economy. This grand plan never materialized back then.
It wasn’t until the early 1900s that ship traffic truly flowed through Kalveboderne. This coincided with the harbor’s southern expansion. The 1860s saw the expansion of harbor quays south of Langebro. However, the current through Kalveboderne intensified due to Copenhagen Harbor’s northern expansion.
Around 1902, a remarkable feat of engineering emerged. A two-kilometer dam stretched southward. A lock regulated water levels. In the 1950s, this dam transformed into Sjællandsbroen. Car traffic could now cross.
Today, Kalveboderne is more than just a body of water. It’s a waterfront area in Vesterbro. Kalvebod Brygge is part of the Ring 2 ring road.
Both Kalvebod Brygge and the railway terrain rest on reclaimed land. Land reclamation began as early as 1755. Lumberyards arose outside the West Rampart’s Rysensten Bastion. Tømmergraven, the Timber Dock, was later dug out.
Copenhagen’s first gasworks opened here in 1857. It became known as Vestre Gasværk or the Western Gasworks.
The railway’s construction, between 1897 and 1901, further reshaped the landscape. A new goods station emerged. Designed by Heinrich Wenck, it opened in 1901. Ole Hagen designed its modern replacement in 1968. The railway’s arrival disrupted the Western Gasworks’ access to the harbor. The Danish State Railways built a new Gasworks Harbour on the railway’s east side.
The Western Gasworks closed in 1927. The site became the White Meat District. This was a modern extension of the old meat-packing district established in 1820.
The waterfront saw redevelopment in the late 1990s. Nykredit’s Head Office, the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel, The Engineer’s House, and the Fisketorvet shopping centre arose. Havneholmen, a mixed-use development, followed. Nykredit expanded with The Crystal in 2011. A new plaza enhanced the area.
The Kalvebod Wave was inaugurated in 2013. Designed by JDS Architects and Urban Agency, it’s an undulating wooden boardwalk. It offers spaces for relaxation, strolling, and water activities.
Kalveboderne remains a dynamic area. A greenway will connect Copenhagen Central Station to the South Harbour. Lundgaard & Tranberg designed two buildings for SEB Bank & Pension. The Danish National Archives now resides in the former goods station.
The Olsen Gang even filmed here. The now-demolished coal bridge featured in “The Olsen Gang on the Track.” Kalvebod Brygge appeared in many Olsen Gang films. Kalveboderne has transformed. From grazing calves to bustling city life, its story continues.