Tivoli Gardens Audio Guide
A 180-year-old amusement park with a roller coaster brakeman, a peacock curtain, and a wartime comeback. Six illustrated chapters, about 12 minutes. Pick your narrator.
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Storyteller tone · 12:18 · voice: en-GB-RyanNeural
Chapter 1: The Man Who Sold Fun to a King
Copenhagen, 1843. The city is wrapped in walls and ramparts, its streets crowded, its evenings quiet. And a young man with a restless imagination is about to change that. His name is Georg Carstensen. Born in 1812 in Algiers, the son of a Danish diplomat, he had grown up with the world at his doorstep. He had seen the pleasure gardens of Europe, places of music and light where people of every kind strolled together on summer nights. Why, he wondered, should Copenhagen not have one too? He took his idea to King Christian the Eighth. A story, often told and impossible to prove, says Carstensen argued that when people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics. Whether he truly said it or not, the king granted permission, and Carstensen was given land just outside the city walls. On the fifteenth of August 1843, the gates opened. Visitors stepped into a world of exotic pavilions, colored lanterns and music drifting through the trees. There was even a primitive roller coaster, a ride, Tivoli's own history recalls, that lasted about seven seconds and provoked both delight and outrage. From the beginning, Tivoli charged an entrance fee, and from the beginning, people paid it gladly. Within a year, Carstensen introduced passes for regular guests, with special rates for a single gentleman, a gentleman and a lady, or a gentleman escorting two ladies. Yet the founder's own story would be brief. After only five years, he left to fight in the First Schleswig War, and Tivoli's board dismissed him for breaking his contract. He died in 1857, aged forty-four, while building a rival garden that he would never see open. His creation, though, endured. And at its heart lies a body of water that remembers a harder time, when this land belonged not to pleasure, but to defense. Let us walk to the lake.
Chapter 2: A Lake That Used to Be a Moat
The lake lies still before you, the willows trailing their branches toward the water, the lights of the pagoda trembling on its surface. It seems made for nothing but beauty. But this water has a sterner past. When Tivoli opened, Copenhagen was a fortified city, ringed by ramparts and a moat. Tivoli was built on military ground just beyond the walls, near the city's western gate. In the 1880s, the old western defenses were torn down, and around 1887 the lake you see took shape from part of the old moat. Water once meant to stop armies now carries the reflections of lanterns. In the decades that followed, the lake became a stage. Guests drifted in gondolas, watched tightrope walkers balance above the water, and marveled at vast open-air scenes built along its shores: Italy in 1887, Egypt in 1911, a village from Java in 1933. Look now to the Japanese Pagoda. Designed in 1900, it was first an illuminated tower, and according to Tivoli it carries some two thousand eight hundred ornate glass lamps. When dusk falls, it glows, and the lake doubles its light, so that the whole shore seems to float. And do not miss the old ship moored at the water's edge, a little piece of make-believe in a garden made of it. If you can, return here at the very moment darkness falls. The lights of Tivoli come on, not all at once, but in waves, and the lake gathers them up like a mirror gathering stars. It is the moment Copenhageners wait for. But Tivoli's magic is not only light. It is also theatre. Beyond the trees stands a little stage, older than anything else in the gardens, where for more than a century and a half actors have told stories without a single word, and where the curtain is a peacock that opens its tail.
Chapter 3: The Silent Show Behind the Peacock
Before you stands the Pantomime Theatre, built in 1874, the oldest standing building in Tivoli and today a protected landmark. Its roofs curve upward in the Chinese style, painted in rich reds and golds. Above the stage, an inscription in Chinese characters carries a motto Tivoli holds dear: shared joy with the people. Now wait for the moment the show begins. The curtain does not rise. It opens like a peacock spreading its tail, feathers folding back to reveal the stage. In 2024, for the theatre's hundred and fiftieth anniversary, a new peacock curtain was unveiled, designed by Queen Margrethe of Denmark, an accomplished artist who has created sets and costumes for many productions here. And then the players appear. They come from the old Italian commedia dell'arte: Harlequin in his patchwork of diamonds, graceful Columbine, the scheming old Cassander, and Pierrot, the pale, sad-eyed clown whom audiences have loved for generations. They do not speak. They tell their stories through gesture, music and perfectly timed tumbles. Pantomime has been part of Tivoli since its first season in 1843, a tradition carried, unbroken, across more than a century and a half. Watch the children in the audience. They need no translation. A clown's surprise, a lover's sigh, a villain's comic fall: these are understood in every language. Watch the grown-ups too, laughing just as hard. Ballets are staged here as well, many drawn from the fairytales of Hans Christian Andersen, with designs by the same royal hand. The performances are short, and they are included with your entrance. Check the schedule when you arrive, and find a bench. Few experiences in Copenhagen are so old and so alive at the same time. When the peacock folds its tail again, follow the sound of rattling wheels and happy screams. A roller coaster from 1914 is waiting, and on every train, a guardian rides along.
Chapter 4: A Roller Coaster With a Driver
Listen. A rumble of wooden track, a rush of wind, a burst of laughter. This is Rutschebanen, the Roller Coaster, opened in 1914. It is among the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world still in operation. Its track winds around and through an artificial mountain, crowned with little towers, pierced by tunnels, as though a piece of the Alps had wandered into Copenhagen. In the 1950s, Tivoli even tucked shops into the mountain's sides, in a lane designed to feel like an old Danish market town. But the true wonder is not the mountain. It is the person who stands in the middle of every train. The brakeman. On modern coasters, machines decide everything. Here, a human rides along with you, pulling the brakes by hand, judging every curve and every drop. Tivoli says this is one of only seven roller coasters in the world with a brakeman on every train. For over a century, generations of brakemen have carried generations of riders, keeping an old craft alive. It is not a ride of terror. It is a ride of joy, fast enough to make your heart leap, gentle enough for grandparents and grandchildren to ride side by side and step off laughing. Tivoli has newer thrills, of course. A modern coaster called the Demon, and the Star Flyer, which swings riders high above the rooftops of the city. But many visitors say the old coaster is the one they remember. Rides require tickets or a Ride Pass. If you plan to ride a lot, the pass is usually the better choice. If you have come for the gardens and the lights, single tickets will do. As you wait your turn, listen again. Somewhere nearby, a drum is beating, and brass is playing a march. Through the flowerbeds comes a small parade of young musicians in red coats and tall bearskin hats, keeping a tradition alive since 1844.
Chapter 5: Little Soldiers and Famous Fans
Here they come: the Tivoli Youth Guard, in scarlet coats with white crossbelts and towering black bearskin hats, drums and brass gleaming. Georg Carstensen founded the guard in 1844, simply to add color and amusement. It grew into something more, one of Denmark's finest music programs for children, and today it welcomes both boys and girls. Watch the faces of the children along the path as the guard marches by. Pure wonder. Tivoli has always drawn dreamers. In its very first season, Hans Christian Andersen walked these paths. According to Tivoli, the gardens' exotic, Chinese-inspired buildings helped spark his tale The Nightingale, the story of an emperor, a mechanical bird and a real one whose song could not be replaced. Generations later, another storyteller came. Walt Disney visited Tivoli, the park recalls, both before and after Disneyland opened in 1955, eager to understand the secret of its atmosphere. A photograph shows him here in 1964. It is often said that Tivoli inspired Disneyland. The full truth is surely more complex, for Disney studied many parks. But he came, and he looked closely, and he left with something. What was that secret? Perhaps it is this. Tivoli is small, only about eight hectares, set in the very middle of the city beside the central station. It is a garden first, full of flowers and old trees, where rides stand beside restaurants, concert halls beside quiet benches. People come here not only for thrills, but for dinner, for music, for an evening walk. It is less a theme park than a city's living room, decorated for a party that never quite ends. And yet, one summer night during the Second World War, that party was very nearly ended forever. Under cover of darkness, men crept into the gardens, carrying fire.
Chapter 6: Fire, Comeback, and the Glow of Winter
It is the night of the twenty-fourth of June, 1944. Denmark has been occupied by Nazi Germany for four years. After closing time, a group of Danish Nazi sympathizers slips into Tivoli and plants incendiary bombs among its buildings. Such acts of reprisal were called Schalburgtage, named after the collaborating Schalburg Corps. By morning, the Concert Hall, the Glass Hall Theatre, the Arena Theatre and other beloved places lay in ashes. The aim was to wound the spirit of a nation by burning one of its happiest places. But the spirit did not break. According to Tivoli's own history, the gardens closed for only two weeks while the rubble was cleared and repairs were made. Then the gates opened again. Music found a temporary home, and in 1956 a new Concert Hall rose, at the time the largest in the Nordic countries. Look now at Nimb, the palace of domes and arches that seems to have stepped out of an Arabian tale. Today it houses a hotel and restaurants, and at night its outline glows with countless lights. Tivoli's year moves in seasons. Summer is its oldest. Christmas in Tivoli arrived in 1994, and since 1997 the whole garden has been dressed for it, with lights, stalls and the scent of warm spiced drinks in the cold air. Halloween came later, bringing pumpkins, autumn harvest and friendly ghosts. For your visit: Tivoli is closed between its seasons, so check the calendar on the official site, tivoli dot d k. Entrance and rides are priced separately. Arrive in the late afternoon, and stay until the lights come on. And know that you will not be alone: according to its 2025 annual report, Tivoli welcomed about 4.3 million visits that year, more than a hundred and eighty years after Carstensen's gates first opened. Thank you for walking with me through Tivoli. In another city, another story is waiting.
Funny tone · 10:47 · voice: en-US-AndrewNeural
Chapter 1: The Man Who Sold Fun to a King
Okay, real talk. Imagine walking up to a king and saying: Your Majesty, I would like to build a giant party garden right outside your city walls. With music. And fireworks. And snacks. And somehow, he says yes. Hi, I'm your funny friend for the next twelve minutes, and we're doing Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world that's still running. The man with the pitch was Georg Carstensen. He was born in 1812 in Algiers, in North Africa, the son of a Danish diplomat, so he'd seen a bit of the world. He'd also seen the pleasure gardens of other European cities, places like the Tivoli in Paris and Vauxhall in London, and he thought: Copenhagen needs one of those. So he got royal permission from King Christian the Eighth. There's a famous line that Carstensen supposedly told the king: when the people are amusing themselves, they don't think about politics. That quote gets repeated everywhere, but historians aren't sure he ever actually said it. Still, if he did, it's the best sales pitch in Danish history. And on the fifteenth of August 1843, Tivoli opened its gates. Visitors found exotic, colorful buildings, lanterns, music and even a very early ride, a simple roller coaster that, according to Tivoli's own history, lasted about seven seconds and caused both excitement and outrage. Seven seconds! That's shorter than most ads before a video. Fun fact: Tivoli has always charged an entrance fee. It's not one of those parks where you pay once for everything. You pay to get in, then you choose whether to ride or just stroll, eat and listen to music. Lots of locals just come for dinner and the lights. Carstensen himself only ran Tivoli for about five years, then left to fight in a war, and the board fired him for breaking his contract. Ouch. Founders, am I right? But his garden stuck around. And at the center of it is a lake that's way older than it looks. Because that pretty lake used to be part of a military defense. Next stop.
Chapter 2: A Lake That Used to Be a Moat
Welcome to Tivoli Lake. Look at it. Pretty, peaceful, ducks, a pagoda glowing with lights. Romantic, right? Now here's the twist. This lake used to be part of a moat. As in, the defensive ditch around a fortified city. Built to keep enemies out. Back in 1843, Copenhagen was still surrounded by walls and ramparts, like a giant castle. Tivoli was built on military land just outside those walls, near the western gate of the city. Later, in the 1880s, the city tore down the western ramparts, and around 1887 Tivoli's lake took its shape from a piece of that old moat. So you're looking at a former war ditch that got a glow-up into a romantic lake. Honestly, relatable. In the old days, guests could take gondola rides, watch tightrope walkers balancing over the water, and see big outdoor stage sets built on the lake, with themes like Italy, Egypt and a village from Java. Tivoli was basically doing immersive experiences before the word influencer existed. Look for the Japanese Pagoda by the water. It was designed in 1900 and was originally an illuminated tower. According to Tivoli, it's covered in about two thousand eight hundred colorful glass lamps. At night, they reflect in the lake and it looks like the water is full of stars. Today the pagoda hosts pop-up restaurants with fancy chefs. Tip: walk around the lake right as it gets dark. That's when the magic happens. Tivoli has thousands and thousands of lights, and the lake doubles every single one of them. It's the best free special effect in Copenhagen. And while you're here, look for the old sailing ship moored at the edge of the lake. Kids love it. It will never sail anywhere, and it seems perfectly happy about that. Okay. Next, we're going to a theater where the actors don't say a single word, the curtain is a giant peacock, and the show has been running since the 1800s. Let's go.
Chapter 3: The Silent Show Behind the Peacock
This is the Pantomime Theatre, built in 1874, and it's the oldest building still standing in Tivoli. It's a Chinese-inspired open-air stage, and it's a protected heritage landmark. Fancy. Now look at the curtain. It's not a curtain that goes up or sideways. It's a giant peacock tail that folds open. When the show starts, the peacock spreads its feathers, and the stage appears. It's one of the most delightful things in Copenhagen, and it's free to watch with your entrance ticket. Fun fact: for the theater's hundred and fiftieth birthday in 2024, the new peacock curtain was designed by Queen Margrethe of Denmark herself, who is a seriously talented artist. Yes, a queen designed the curtain. Your local theater could never. Above the stage there's a motto written in Chinese characters. According to Tivoli it means: Shared joy with the people. Which is basically Tivoli's whole vibe. What happens on stage? Pantomime, in the old Italian commedia dell'arte tradition. That means a silent comedy with stock characters: Harlequin in his diamond-patterned costume, the lovely Columbine, grumpy old Cassander, and Pierrot, the white-faced clown, who's the audience favorite. They tell the story with movement, music and slapstick. No words. Tivoli has been doing pantomime since it opened in 1843, which makes it one of the oldest living traditions of its kind in Europe. Kids get it instantly, because a clown falling over is funny in every language. Adults pretend they're only watching for the kids, then laugh the hardest. There's also ballet here, including fairytale ballets with sets and costumes designed by the same artistic Queen Margrethe, often based on Hans Christian Andersen stories. Tip: check the daily schedule when you arrive. The shows are short, and it's a great break for tired legs. Okay, enough sitting. Next up is a roller coaster from 1914. And here's the weird part. Somebody actually rides along to drive it. Let's go.
Chapter 4: A Roller Coaster With a Driver
Welcome to Rutschebanen, which basically means the roller coaster, or as Tivoli calls it in English, the Roller Coaster. It opened in 1914, which makes it one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world that's still running. It's older than sliced bread. Seriously, sliced bread came out in 1928. It winds around a fake mountain with little towers and rocky cliffs. Very Swiss Alps meets Danish cozy. Here's the thing that makes it special. Look at the train. In the middle, standing up, there's a person. That's the brakeman. On most modern coasters, everything is automatic. Here, a human being rides on every single train and works the brakes by hand, slowing the train down on the drops and curves. According to Tivoli, it's one of only seven roller coasters in the world with a brakeman on every train. So you're not just riding a ride. You're riding with a coworker. Is it scary? Not really, by modern standards. It's fast enough to make you yell, but it's more charming than terrifying. It's the kind of ride grandparents ride with their grandkids, and both come off laughing. If you want terrifying, Tivoli has that too. There's a much newer coaster called the Demon, and the Star Flyer, a swing ride that takes you very high above the city. Those are for people who like screaming with purpose. Tip: rides need either single ride tickets or a Ride Pass, which gives you unlimited rides. If you're planning more than a few rides, the pass usually works out better. If you're mostly here for the vibes, food and lights, skip it and buy single rides. And while you wait in line, listen. You might hear drums and trumpets nearby. That's because Tivoli has its own little army. A marching band of kids in red uniforms and huge bearskin hats. They've been doing this since 1844. Let's go meet them.
Chapter 5: Little Soldiers and Famous Fans
If you hear drums, look for the Tivoli Youth Guard. They're young musicians in red uniforms with white straps and tall black bearskin hats, like a mini version of the Royal Guard. They march through the gardens playing music, and they've been doing it since 1844, the year after Tivoli opened. Founder Georg Carstensen started it to add color and fun. Today it's one of Denmark's best music programs for kids, and it welcomes both boys and girls. Kids in the crowd tend to stare at them with total awe, like: you're telling me I could have joined an army that plays trumpets in an amusement park? Now, famous fans. Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark's greatest storyteller, visited Tivoli in its very first year. According to Tivoli, the park's exotic Chinese-style buildings helped inspire his fairytale The Nightingale, which is set in the palace of a Chinese emperor. So if you've read The Nightingale, you've kind of read Tivoli fan fiction. And then there's Walt Disney. Tivoli says Disney visited both before and after Disneyland opened in 1955, and that he wanted to understand the secret of Tivoli's atmosphere. There's a photo of him here in 1964. People often say Tivoli inspired Disneyland. That's probably a bit simplified, Disney visited lots of parks, but it's clear he was a fan. So you're basically standing in Disneyland's grandparent. Here's what makes Tivoli different from big theme parks: it's small, just about eight hectares, right in the middle of the city, next to the main train station. It's full of real gardens, flowerbeds and old trees. It mixes rides with restaurants, concerts, theater and quiet benches. Locals come for a date or after work. It feels more like a giant fancy garden party than a theme park. But Tivoli's story has a dark night too. During World War Two, someone tried to burn it down. On purpose. Last stop.
Chapter 6: Fire, Comeback, and the Glow of Winter
During World War Two, Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany. And on the night of the twenty-fourth of June, 1944, a group of Danish Nazi sympathizers sneaked into Tivoli after closing time and planted firebombs. These kinds of revenge attacks were called Schalburgtage, named after a collaborator corps. The fires destroyed the Concert Hall, the Glass Hall Theatre, the Arena Theatre and more. It was meant to hurt Danish spirit by burning one of its favorite places. And here's the part I love. According to Tivoli, the park closed for just two weeks while debris was cleared and things were patched up. Two weeks! Then it reopened. Danish people basically said: you burned our garden party? We'll throw another one. A new Concert Hall opened in 1956, and at the time it was the biggest in the Nordic countries. Now, look at the palace-like building with domes and lights. That's Nimb, built in an Oriental fantasy style. Today it's a hotel and restaurants, and when it's lit up at night it looks like something out of a fairytale. Tivoli has seasons. Summer is the main season. There's a Halloween season, full of pumpkins, and since 1994 there's Christmas in Tivoli, with snow-dusted lights, market stalls and hot drinks. Many locals say Christmas is the best time of all. Your game plan: check the calendar on tivoli dot d k before you go, because Tivoli is closed between seasons. Entrance and rides are priced separately. Come in the late afternoon and stay until dark, when the lights come on. And by the way, Tivoli is still very popular. According to its 2025 annual report, it had about 4.3 million visits that year. Not bad for a seven-second roller coaster startup. That's Tivoli! Thanks for hanging out with me. See you in the next city.
Family 7+ tone · 10:32 · voice: en-US-AvaNeural
Chapter 1: The Man Who Sold Fun to a King
Hey explorers! Welcome to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. It's one of the oldest amusement parks in the whole world, and it's been making people happy for more than one hundred and eighty years! Your mission today: find a lake that used to protect a city, a curtain shaped like a bird, a roller coaster with a driver, and kids in giant fluffy hats. Ready? Let's go! A long time ago, there was a man named Georg Carstensen. He had traveled to other cities and seen beautiful gardens full of music, lights and fun. He thought, Copenhagen should have one too! So he asked the king of Denmark for permission. Can you imagine asking a king if you could build a giant fun garden? Well, the king said yes! On the fifteenth of August 1843, Tivoli opened. People came to see colorful buildings, glowing lanterns, and hear music under the trees. There was even a very first tiny roller coaster. According to Tivoli, the whole ride lasted about seven seconds! Let's count to seven together. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Done! That was the whole ride! Mission time! Look at the main entrance. How many lights can you count on the gate? Can you find a dome or a tower? Tell your grown-up! Here's something funny. Mister Carstensen only got to run Tivoli for about five years. Then he went away to be a soldier in a war, and the people in charge of Tivoli said he couldn't come back to his job. That's a bit sad. But his garden kept growing and growing, and people still love it today. In the middle of Tivoli is a pretty lake. But this lake has a secret. It wasn't always just for ducks and boats. A long time ago, it was part of something that protected the whole city from enemies! Can you guess what it was? Let's go find out!
Chapter 2: A Lake That Used to Be a Moat
Here's the lake! Did you guess the secret? This lake used to be part of a moat! A moat is a deep ditch full of water around a castle or a city, to keep enemies out. A long time ago, Copenhagen had big walls all the way around it, like a giant castle. Tivoli was built right outside those walls. Later, the city took down the walls, and part of the old moat became this beautiful lake. So the water that used to stop armies now has ducks and lights in it. That's a happy ending! Long ago, people did amazing things on this lake. They took rides in long boats called gondolas. They watched tightrope walkers walk on a rope high above the water. Can you pretend to be a tightrope walker? Arms out, one foot in front of the other. Careful, don't fall in! Mission time! Find the pagoda. It's a building with lots of roofs stacked on top of each other, near the water. It has thousands of little glass lamps. At night, they glow in lots of colors, and the lake reflects them like a mirror. How many roofs does the pagoda have? Count them! Mission number two: find the old ship by the edge of the lake. What do you think it would be like to be a pirate in Tivoli? Tip for grown-ups: come back to the lake when it gets dark. That's when Tivoli turns on all its lights, and the lake looks like it's full of stars. It's one of the most magical sights in the whole park. Next, we're going to a theater where the actors never say a single word. Not one! And the curtain is shaped like a bird with a big, beautiful tail. Can you guess which bird? Let's go!
Chapter 3: The Silent Show Behind the Peacock
Did you guess the bird? It's a peacock! This is the Pantomime Theatre. It was built in 1874, which makes it the oldest building in Tivoli. It looks like a building from China, with curvy roofs and red and gold colors. When the show starts, the curtain doesn't go up like a normal curtain. Instead, it opens like a peacock spreading its giant, beautiful tail! Whoosh! And there's the stage. In 2024, for the theater's big birthday, a new peacock curtain was made, and it was designed by a real queen, Queen Margrethe of Denmark! She loves to paint and design. Now, here's the really fun part. In the shows, the actors don't talk. They tell the whole story by moving, dancing and making silly faces, with music playing. That's called pantomime. Let's meet the characters. There's Harlequin, who wears a costume covered in colorful diamond shapes. There's Columbine, who's graceful and kind. There's a grumpy old man named Cassander. And there's Pierrot, a clown with a white face, who everyone loves. Mission time! Let's play pantomime! Without saying a word, show your grown-up that you're happy. Now show them you're surprised. Now show them you're sleepy. Now pretend you just slipped on a banana peel! See? You can tell a whole story without words! Pantomime has been part of Tivoli since it opened in 1843. That's more than one hundred and eighty years of silent funny shows! Tip for grown-ups: the shows are short and included with entrance. Check the schedule when you arrive. Next, let's go to a roller coaster that's more than one hundred years old. And here's something strange. A person rides on the coaster to drive it! Why do you think they need a driver? Let's find out!
Chapter 4: A Roller Coaster With a Driver
Here it is! The Roller Coaster, called Rutschebanen in Danish. Can you try to say it? Root-sheh-bay-nen! Great job! This roller coaster opened in 1914. That's more than one hundred years ago! It's made of wood, and it's one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world that still works. Look at the big pretend mountain it goes around. It has rocks, cliffs and little towers on top. Mission time! How many towers can you count on the mountain? Now, here's the special secret. Look at the train. Do you see someone standing up in the middle? That's the brakeman! On this roller coaster, a real person rides on every train and pulls the brakes by hand to slow the train down on the curves and hills. It's like having a driver on your roller coaster! According to Tivoli, there are only seven roller coasters in the whole world where a brakeman rides on every train. That's super rare! Is it scary? It's fast and fun and might make you squeal, but it's not too scary. Lots of grandparents ride it with their grandkids. Remember to check the height rules for each ride before you get in line. Mission time! If you were the brakeman, what would you say to the riders? Maybe: Hold on tight! Here we go! Wheee! Practice your best brakeman voice. Tip for grown-ups: rides need tickets or a Ride Pass for unlimited rides. If your kids want lots of rides, the pass is usually the better deal. Now listen carefully. Do you hear drums? Trumpets? Somewhere in Tivoli, there's a marching band of kids in red jackets and great big fluffy black hats! Let's go find them!
Chapter 5: Little Soldiers and Famous Fans
Look! It's the Tivoli Youth Guard! They're kids, wearing red jackets with white straps across their chests, and great big fluffy black hats called bearskins. They march through the gardens playing drums, trumpets and other instruments. Tivoli's Youth Guard started way back in 1844, the year after Tivoli opened! Today, both boys and girls can join, and they learn to play music really well. Mission time! Let's march like the Youth Guard. Stand up tall. Knees up! Left, right, left, right. Now pretend to play a drum. Boom, boom, boom! Great marching! Now, here's something cool. Some very famous people loved Tivoli. One was Hans Christian Andersen. He wrote famous fairytales like The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid. He visited Tivoli in its very first year! Tivoli says the colorful Chinese-style buildings helped inspire one of his stories, called The Nightingale, about an emperor and a little bird with a beautiful song. Another famous visitor was Walt Disney, the man who made Mickey Mouse and Disneyland! Tivoli says he visited before and after Disneyland opened, because he wanted to learn what made Tivoli so special. Pretty amazing, right? Mission: if you could build your own amusement park, what would you call it? What would be your first ride? Tell your grown-up! Tivoli is different from lots of big amusement parks. It's not very big, and it's right in the middle of the city. It has real gardens with flowers and big old trees. People come not just for rides, but to eat dinner, listen to music and see the lights. But a long time ago, during a big war, something scary happened to Tivoli. Some bad people tried to burn it down. But the story has a brave and happy ending. Let's go find out!
Chapter 6: Fire, Comeback, and the Glow of Winter
A long time ago, during World War Two, Denmark was taken over by an army from another country. One night in June 1944, some people who were helping the bad side sneaked into Tivoli after it closed and started fires on purpose. Some of the biggest buildings, like the concert hall and two theaters, burned down. They wanted to make the Danish people sad by hurting a place they loved. But here's the brave part. The people of Copenhagen didn't give up! According to Tivoli, the park was closed for just two weeks while workers cleaned up and fixed things. Then it opened again! Later, a brand new concert hall was built. Tivoli showed everyone that you can't take away people's happiness so easily. Mission time! Find the building that looks like a palace from a fairytale, with domes and lots of lights. It's called Nimb. What does it remind you of? A castle? A sultan's palace? A wedding cake? Tivoli has different seasons. In summer, there are flowers and rides. At Halloween, there are pumpkins everywhere. And at Christmas, Tivoli is full of twinkly lights, Christmas trees and yummy treats. Which season would you like to visit most? Tips for your grown-ups: Tivoli is closed between its seasons, so check the calendar on the official website before you go. Entrance and rides are paid separately. And try to stay until it gets dark, because that's when all the lights come on! Final mission: tell your grown-up your favorite part of today. The moat lake, the peacock curtain, the roller coaster with a brakeman, or the marching kids with the fluffy hats? Great job, explorers! You conquered Tivoli! See you on our next adventure in another city.