Bakken - The Oldest Amusement Park in the World
Eine weitere Pressemeldung...
Situated in the center of the kings’ old hunting ground the lovely forest Dyrehaven (the Deer Park) lies the world’s oldest amusement park Bakken. For more than 400 years, Bakken has been a source of entertainment for families from all over the world.
The merry life on Bakken as we know it has the same sparkling origin as the spring found by the virgin Kirsten Piil in 1583.
417 years ago a lively traffic of people seeking healing from the Spring of Kirsten Piil on midsummer’s night started as it should be especially when drinking from or bathing in the sacred waters at this particular time of year.
In rumbling carts, on stretchers and even on crutches people came from miles around to visit the spring – often accompanied by family and friends. The trip from Copenhagen was long an trying so after a long day’s journey and a long night of bathing and praying one really needed something to strengthen the body and soul before turning back home.
The first people of Bakken
Enterprising people with talents for trade and arts soon found ways to profit from this.
Serving food and drinks and offering a variety of entertainment they in few years created so much spectacles around the spring that healthy people looking for some fun found their way to the forest and the spring as well. The Court for hunting had always used the forest and now the upper class made a habit of visiting the area in “spring”-season.
New ages
In mid 18th century everything took place under the open sky but soon the trades erected tents in the season. During the first part of the 19th century the first wooden stands were erected. The spring was no longer the main attraction. Bear leaders, tightrope walkers, singers, musicians, hand puppet shows, strong men, Pjerrot, spectacles of exotic animals, shooting galleries, trick riders, swings and roundabouts, waffle bakers and a wide variety of bars gave the good citizens of Copenhagen plenty of reason to visit Bakken and the forest.
Travel became easier. From 1819 you could sail from “Toldboden” in Copenhagen to Bellevue Beach at Klampenborg on the first Danish steamer, the “Concordia”. Horse-drawn carriages and roads became more comfortable and in 1863 the railway reached Klampenborg.
Today the Metro runs almost to the red gates where hackney carriages are ready to take the visitor for a beautiful ride through the forest to Bakken. If using own car Bakken provides plenty of parking space on the large parking area.
Mummery is the heart and soul of Bakken
Joy and entertainment both poetic and more rustic bring out laughter and smiles - and that is just as healing as the sacred water from the spring.
Mummery is joy. Even after being stuffed with entertainment through TV and radio children still cheers over Pjerrot and the “Weight-man” although presumed retired still offers to judge the weight of every nobleman just by the looks.
Bakken has been the home of a long line of famous mountebanks whose names will live forever: James Price, Professor Tribini, “The Jew under the Tree”, Michael Levin and many more you performed on Bakken over the years.
It is nice to sit down in the company of good friends in one of the many dining places
On Bakken you have always be able to still your thirst. First you had the spring and as this grew out of fashion as medicine the water could be used in a “Shake-toddy” consisting of spring water, brandy and sugar well shaken – not stirred until the sugar was dissolved.
For centuries even the hunger could be satisfied on Bakken. The sweet tooth would lead you straight to waffle bakers, the lust for a genuine Danish smorgasbord could be catered. Not to mention the need for a big lump of juicy meat originally grilled over open fire by barefooted boys, now prepared by skilled chefs in many very good restaurants.
A trip to Bakken brings a good mood
A trip to Bakken brings a good mood – no matter what the weather is like. It is always warm and cozy indoors where you can dance and sing along to all the good old tunes.
In the early days the visitors to the spring danced on the grass under the open sky – because they felt the urge to do so and because they had no alternatives. Today you can dance in several places on Bakken or join in singing the old tunes in “Bakkens Hvile” – a 120 years old vaudeville where the cabaret singers still know all the tricks to turn on the audience singing bold songs and wearing provocative dresses.
Where Kirsten Piil found the spring, decorations, stones and memorials have been erected over the years. It is fun to sit on the spot where it all began…. And then turn the head and view Bakken – more alive than ever. Lots to see and even more to try… filled with the good old traditions, which turn a day on Bakken into a unique experience.
Bakken 2001
Today Bakken is an amusement park with 160 stores counting 35 restaurants and cafe’s with a capacity of 6000 people, 32 rides – 8 of them for small children, 8 dancing places and a lot of games, Fun Houses, Penny Arcades and Ice-cream parlors.
Bakken has a big Open-air stage with performance three times a day. Every day the 4 characters “Bakkedyrene” (the animals from Bakken) a deer, a hedgehog, a fox and a badger entertain at the Open-air stage and in the streets.
Every day Pjerrot, a kind of clown dressed all in white with a huge white hat and white make-up, entertains children and adults with magic tricks, songs and stories. There has been a Pjerrot at Bakken since 1800.
During the season there is a lot of theme arrangements. One of the “The Santa Claus World Congress” is world known. Every year in July 150 Santas from the whole world gather at Bakken for their annual congress. The congress has been held at Bakken in 36 years. Santa's are coming from the States, Canada, Japan, Holland, Germany, Greenland etc. The congress takes place at Bakken from the 23rd of July until the 26th of July.
Another big event is the International Clown Festival held in the second week in August.
Jens Uwe Kupka
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http://www.hansaparkfan.de
Situated in the center of the kings’ old hunting ground the lovely forest Dyrehaven (the Deer Park) lies the world’s oldest amusement park Bakken. For more than 400 years, Bakken has been a source of entertainment for families from all over the world.
The merry life on Bakken as we know it has the same sparkling origin as the spring found by the virgin Kirsten Piil in 1583.
417 years ago a lively traffic of people seeking healing from the Spring of Kirsten Piil on midsummer’s night started as it should be especially when drinking from or bathing in the sacred waters at this particular time of year.
In rumbling carts, on stretchers and even on crutches people came from miles around to visit the spring – often accompanied by family and friends. The trip from Copenhagen was long an trying so after a long day’s journey and a long night of bathing and praying one really needed something to strengthen the body and soul before turning back home.
The first people of Bakken
Enterprising people with talents for trade and arts soon found ways to profit from this.
Serving food and drinks and offering a variety of entertainment they in few years created so much spectacles around the spring that healthy people looking for some fun found their way to the forest and the spring as well. The Court for hunting had always used the forest and now the upper class made a habit of visiting the area in “spring”-season.
New ages
In mid 18th century everything took place under the open sky but soon the trades erected tents in the season. During the first part of the 19th century the first wooden stands were erected. The spring was no longer the main attraction. Bear leaders, tightrope walkers, singers, musicians, hand puppet shows, strong men, Pjerrot, spectacles of exotic animals, shooting galleries, trick riders, swings and roundabouts, waffle bakers and a wide variety of bars gave the good citizens of Copenhagen plenty of reason to visit Bakken and the forest.
Travel became easier. From 1819 you could sail from “Toldboden” in Copenhagen to Bellevue Beach at Klampenborg on the first Danish steamer, the “Concordia”. Horse-drawn carriages and roads became more comfortable and in 1863 the railway reached Klampenborg.
Today the Metro runs almost to the red gates where hackney carriages are ready to take the visitor for a beautiful ride through the forest to Bakken. If using own car Bakken provides plenty of parking space on the large parking area.
Mummery is the heart and soul of Bakken
Joy and entertainment both poetic and more rustic bring out laughter and smiles - and that is just as healing as the sacred water from the spring.
Mummery is joy. Even after being stuffed with entertainment through TV and radio children still cheers over Pjerrot and the “Weight-man” although presumed retired still offers to judge the weight of every nobleman just by the looks.
Bakken has been the home of a long line of famous mountebanks whose names will live forever: James Price, Professor Tribini, “The Jew under the Tree”, Michael Levin and many more you performed on Bakken over the years.
It is nice to sit down in the company of good friends in one of the many dining places
On Bakken you have always be able to still your thirst. First you had the spring and as this grew out of fashion as medicine the water could be used in a “Shake-toddy” consisting of spring water, brandy and sugar well shaken – not stirred until the sugar was dissolved.
For centuries even the hunger could be satisfied on Bakken. The sweet tooth would lead you straight to waffle bakers, the lust for a genuine Danish smorgasbord could be catered. Not to mention the need for a big lump of juicy meat originally grilled over open fire by barefooted boys, now prepared by skilled chefs in many very good restaurants.
A trip to Bakken brings a good mood
A trip to Bakken brings a good mood – no matter what the weather is like. It is always warm and cozy indoors where you can dance and sing along to all the good old tunes.
In the early days the visitors to the spring danced on the grass under the open sky – because they felt the urge to do so and because they had no alternatives. Today you can dance in several places on Bakken or join in singing the old tunes in “Bakkens Hvile” – a 120 years old vaudeville where the cabaret singers still know all the tricks to turn on the audience singing bold songs and wearing provocative dresses.
Where Kirsten Piil found the spring, decorations, stones and memorials have been erected over the years. It is fun to sit on the spot where it all began…. And then turn the head and view Bakken – more alive than ever. Lots to see and even more to try… filled with the good old traditions, which turn a day on Bakken into a unique experience.
Bakken 2001
Today Bakken is an amusement park with 160 stores counting 35 restaurants and cafe’s with a capacity of 6000 people, 32 rides – 8 of them for small children, 8 dancing places and a lot of games, Fun Houses, Penny Arcades and Ice-cream parlors.
Bakken has a big Open-air stage with performance three times a day. Every day the 4 characters “Bakkedyrene” (the animals from Bakken) a deer, a hedgehog, a fox and a badger entertain at the Open-air stage and in the streets.
Every day Pjerrot, a kind of clown dressed all in white with a huge white hat and white make-up, entertains children and adults with magic tricks, songs and stories. There has been a Pjerrot at Bakken since 1800.
During the season there is a lot of theme arrangements. One of the “The Santa Claus World Congress” is world known. Every year in July 150 Santas from the whole world gather at Bakken for their annual congress. The congress has been held at Bakken in 36 years. Santa's are coming from the States, Canada, Japan, Holland, Germany, Greenland etc. The congress takes place at Bakken from the 23rd of July until the 26th of July.
Another big event is the International Clown Festival held in the second week in August.
Jens Uwe Kupka
http://www.henson.com/cards/images/everyday_06s.gif
http://212.227.177.77/JUK/hp_banner.jpg
http://www.hansaparkfan.de