Stork Fountain, Copenhagen

Copenhagen has no shortage of statues, but when it comes to fountains, it isn鈥檛 exactly 鈥渄rowning鈥� in them. This is why the Stork Fountain on Amager Square stands out like a bird in a bathhouse.

This eye-catching splash zone is set in stone鈥擨talian granite, to be exact鈥攕urrounded by dignified old buildings, one of which has been standing there quietly since as far back as the year 1600.

Now, the fountain wasn鈥檛 just plopped there randomly. It was a silvery little gift to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Louise for their 25th wedding anniversary. Unveiled in 1894, it is basically the royal equivalent of a really, really fancy anniversary card. With plumbing...

The design features three storks caught mid-flap, as if about to deliver... babies, if you believe Hans Christian Andersen鈥檚 iconic tale from 1838. Around their feet: decorative aquatic plants and cheeky bronze frogs perched on dock leaves, doing their best impression of water cannons.

For years, locals whispered that the birds might be, in fact, herons鈥攕candal! But in 2008, the Danish Ornithological Society set the record straight: definitely storks. Case closed.

Another peculiar fact associated with this place is the midwife dance. Yes, that鈥檚 the thing. Since 1950, newly-minted Danish midwives have been celebrating their graduation by dancing, wading, and sometimes full-on splashing in the fountain. If you want to see it with your own eyes, show up in mid-summer, claim a table at a nearby caf茅 with a good view, and prepare for a delightfully soggy spectacle. Champagne optional.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Copenhagen. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Sight Name: Stork Fountain
Sight Location: Copenhagen, Denmark (See walking tours in Copenhagen)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Copenhagen, Denmark

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