Copenhagen | The Black Diamond

It's possible that I may have  been an architect in my previous life because as much as I love travel for the people aspect, in getting to mingle with locals and getting to know local traditions, architecture is another draw for me. Whether I am in a foreign city or quietly spinning at the bottom of London's amazing  and continuously changing skyline to capture the beautiful marvels in today's concrete jungles. The beauty of architectural creations is undeniable.

On my trip to Copenhagen a few weeks ago, in addition to visiting places like The Marble Church, Amelienborg Palace and the Little Mermaid, the Black Diamond in Copenhagen was towards the top in my list of Top Things To Do In Copenhagen. The Black Diamond, clad in black granite known as Absolute Black was imported from Zimbabwe, then cut and polish in Italy before ending up on what is now the Black Diamond. A modern and striking building, the granite is known to sparkles as the reflection of the water on the edge of the canal, where the build lies reflects the marble and glass exterior. It's a modern extension to an old Royal Danish Library that you can also access through the new building.

After wondering around the city and thinking that I had all the time in the world, I arrive at the library just 5 minutes after they closed the escalators to the upper flows that give impeccable views onto the canals towards Christianshavn. They shut the upper floors to the public at 7pm although the place is still open so you can still mingle and enjoy the beautiful interior of the building. Other than just functioning as a library, the other draws to this building is the Jewish Museum, Per Kirkbey's impressive 200 square meter painting on the ceiling of the Black Diamond(you can see part of it in the shots below), a concert and theatre hall with 600 seats and my favourite; National Museum of Photography, of course!

I am not  sure whether the reasons have anything to do with diamonds being a girl's best friend, but, during bright summery days expect the steps outside the library to be filled with people chattering away to a drink or two from the cafes and restaurants within the library. Below are  some shots from my explorations of the nukes and crannies of the building. If you want to get to the top make sure you check the days and times that is open to the public. There are also guided tours details of which can be found on the library's page here.

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Things To Do | A Quick Guide To Copenhagen

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If you are a lover of history, architecture or even shopping then you will love Copenhagen. Originally a viking fishing village, it only  became the capital of Denmark in the 15th Century. Rich with amazing buildings that are hundreds of years old and still in pristine condition. A photographers paradise, as there are endless possibilities, especially when the weather is playing ball. Exploring the city couldn't be easier as the metro is easy to navigate with a choice of 12 hour/24 hour and 3 day tickets available. Bear in mind this is a cyclists heaven too so you can rent a bike and blend in with the locals, not to mention you can easily walk around to most of the attractions too. 

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Copenhagen | The Marble Church

Walking around Copenhagen, you would be fooled into believing that some of its buildings are from recent times, due to the pristine condition that most are in. One of the places I had on my list to visit was Frederik's Church which is nicknamed The Marble Church and located in Copenhagen's Frederiksstad.  This is also where you will find the Amalienborg Palace. Still in immaculate condition considering the building started in 1749 as an honor to God by King Frederik V. Soon after, its architect, Nicalai Eigtved died in 1754 and not long after the king died in 1766. For a 100 years the works had stalled due to lacking funds when Frederik's son was at the throne. 

Works on it restarted with a new architect in 1847, as a new financier with groundless bank pockets had been found. The inside of the church are unexpectedly understated but considering how long it took to get up and running, I wonder whether it was a matter of just finishing the project than abandoning a royal  project and one that Frederik had started. It's has the largest church dome in northern Europe with a span of 31m and resting on 12 columns in comparison to Rome's St Peter's Cathedral with a 42.5m dome. It is really beautiful and only a short stroll from Nyhavn with many cute little cafes in its shadow. I do wonder what it might  have looked like had the original architect finished the works before he died. Certainly one to add to the list for those with an affinity for architecture of love for religious buildings.

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Hotel D'Angeleterre | A Taste of Copenhagen

The first day of our visit to Copenhagen, I had planned on doing one of those free walking tours to get our barrings of the city. We were meant to meet the group at the city hall but when we got there we couldn't find them and after walking around a while it started to rain. By now I could feel myself getting slightly cranky as our flight in was at stupid o'clock. So when we stumbled on to Hotel D'Angeleterre it was basically to find some shelter and get some hot tea down my throat before the crankiness notched up another level.

We were walking towards Nyhavn, but due to the construction site of a metro we couldn't see that we were literary in front of it before calling it quits and ducking into the hotel. I am certainly glad we did, as the food was nothing short of spectacular!  Copenhagen has only handful of Michelin Star restaurants and of those few only Marchal Restaurant at the luxurious Hotel Angeleterre has the prestigious star rating. I could see why after tasting the food. It's spearheaded by Chef Ronny Emborg whose mater creations offer a dramatic culinary experience that you won't forget(I guess hence why there is now a blog post about it). I think it's obvious now that my travels are not just about the sights but food experiences are also a huge part of my travel experience. You can check out my other memorable dinning experiences on The Solent's Spitbank Fort or dining at Edinburgh's Witchery By The Castle.

The food is a French-Nordic mix with unique flavours and exquisitely executed with such passion, from the chef, to the people that serve the food. Well  I think this is the one and only time one can be thankful of being a little cranky, as I would never have walked in and experienced Ronny Emborg's mouth watering creations. You can check out a copy of Ronny Emborg's cookbook with his signature dishes; The Wizard's Cookbook, although I doubt, even with the recipes I would be able to recreate his anything near his ingenious marvels.

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