Dyrehavsbakken

Dyrehavsbakken, usually called Bakken, is an amusement park in the southern part of Jægersborg Dyrehave near Klampenborg, roughly 10 kilometres north of central Copenhagen. Its name means approximately “the animal park hill,” while the shorter name Bakken means “the hill.” The attraction is distinguished by its unusually long operating history, its location within a historic royal deer park, and a business model in which access to the park grounds is free while visitors pay separately for rides and other attractions. The park traces its origins to 1583, when Kirsten Piil discovered a natural spring in the forest. At a time when Copenhagen’s water quality was poor, people were drawn to the spring because they believed its water had restorative properties. The crowds attracted hawkers, food sellers, musicians, entertainers and other itinerant businesses. Although the surrounding forest was later incorporated into royal hunting grounds and access was restricted for a period, the site eventually reopened to the public. The return of visitors allowed the commercial and entertainment community around the spring to develop into a permanent amusement destination. Bakken’s identity is based less on a single corporate owner or signature intellectual property than on a dense collection of independent and semi-independent operators. Businesses at the park are traditionally known as tent owners. In 1885, these operators formed the Dyrehavsbakken Tent Owners’ Association to address sanitation, waste collection, water, publicity and infrastructure. The association remains an important part of the park’s operating tradition, and businesses operating at Bakken are required to belong to it. The attraction combines thrill rides, family rides, games, restaurants, bars, live music and stage entertainment. Its best-known ride is Rutschebanen, a wooden roller coaster that opened in 1932. The park also has several other roller coasters, a large selection of flat rides, a water ride, children’s attractions and gaming halls. Traditional entertainment remains central to the brand: Pjerrot the Clown is a long-standing mascot and performer, Bakkens Hvile presents cabaret entertainment, and the Circus Revue is a recurring seasonal production. Food and beverage operations range from casual amusement-park fare to Danish specialties and international cuisine. Bakken generally operates during the main visitor season from late March through the end of August. Its free-entry model differentiates it from Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, where admission is normally charged at the gate. Visitors purchase individual ride coupons, wristbands or season products depending on their needs. The combination of no general admission fee, historic surroundings, local entertainment and a broad mix of independent venues gives Bakken a distinctly Danish and less formal character than many enclosed or centrally managed theme parks. The park attracts approximately 2.5–2.9 million visitors annually according to the referenced encyclopedia material and is commonly described as Denmark’s second most visited attraction after Tivoli Gardens. Its primary market is domestic and regional tourism, supplemented by international visitors to the Copenhagen area. The brand’s principal positioning is heritage-led amusement: a living entertainment district where centuries-old traditions coexist with modern rides and seasonal productions.

Dyrehavsbakken began in 1583 after Kirsten Piil discovered a spring in the forest that is now part of Jægersborg Dyrehave. Copenhagen residents visited the spring because the city's water supply was considered poor and the water was believed to have medicinal qualities. The resulting crowds created a market for hawkers, entertainers and refreshment sellers, establishing the commercial foundation of the attraction. The site later became part of royal hunting territory. Frederick III established an animal park there in 1669, and Christian V enlarged it after his accession in 1670. The area received the name Jægersborg Dyrehave in 1671. Public access was restricted while the land served royal purposes, but Frederick V reopened the area to the general public in 1756. Vendors, innkeepers and performers returned, and the entertainment community around the spring began to expand again. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Bakken became known beyond the immediate Copenhagen area. Performers and artists were drawn to the site, including the clown character Pjerrot, who remains part of the park's identity. Improvements in transportation helped broaden its audience: steamship travel became more practical in the nineteenth century, and a railway connection was developed in 1864. Writers and poets also helped publicize the destination. Rapid growth produced practical problems. In 1885, the park's business operators created the Dyrehavsbakken Tent Owners' Association to coordinate improvements in waste collection, sanitation, water supply, publicity and electricity. The association became a defining feature of Bakken's governance and operating culture. The park continued to develop as a collection of individual businesses rather than as a single standardized resort. Entertainment expanded through the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Sansouci cabaret opened in 1866, followed by Bakkens Hvile in 1877. The Circus Revue and mechanical rides later joined the program. Modern thrill rides were gradually introduced alongside traditional performances, restaurants and games. Rutschebanen, the park's iconic wooden roller coaster, opened in 1932 and became one of its most recognizable attractions. In the contemporary era, Bakken continues to combine historic atmosphere with new rides and modern visitor amenities. Its grounds remain free to enter, while rides and selected attractions are paid for individually through coupons, wristbands or season products. The park normally operates during the principal spring and summer season and serves both Danish visitors and tourists visiting the Copenhagen region. Its survival for more than four centuries, its relationship with Dyrehaven and its mixture of independent operators have made it a distinctive heritage and leisure brand.

• 2024

  Gyngen and Svæveflyveren join the lineup

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  The park introduces Gyngen and adds the relocated Svæveflyveren attraction for the 2024 season.

• 2021

  Tidsmaskinen added

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  Bakken installs the Zamperla NebulaZ ride Tidsmaskinen for the 2021 season.

• 1932

  Rutschebanen opens

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  The wooden Rutschebanen roller coaster opens and becomes a signature attraction.

• 1885

  Tent Owners' Association formed

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  Bakken's business operators establish an association to coordinate infrastructure, sanitation, publicity and shared operating standards.

• 1864

  Rail access improves visitation

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  The development of rail transport helps make Bakken more accessible to visitors from Copenhagen and surrounding areas.

• 1756

  Public access restored

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  The area is reopened to the public under Frederick V, enabling vendors and entertainers to return.

• 1671

  Jægersborg Dyrehave name adopted

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  Christian V's enlargement of the animal park is followed by the adoption of the name Jægersborg Dyrehave.

• 1669

  Royal animal park established

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  Frederick III establishes an animal park in the area, beginning its formal association with the royal hunting landscape.

• 1583

  Spring discovered and visitor tradition begins

  [1]Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org

  Kirsten Piil's discovery of a natural spring attracts visitors, hawkers and entertainers to the forest site that would become Bakken.

A heritage amusement park combining the world's oldest operating amusement-park tradition with modern rides, free entry, independent food and entertainment venues, and a strongly Danish cultural atmosphere.

• Wooden roller coaster · 1932

  Rutschebanen

  Bakken's best-known ride is a wooden roller coaster that has operated since 1932. It represents the park's blend of historic amusement traditions and continuing ride operations. The coaster formerly used onboard brakemen to control speed; later train updates ended that practice, changing its operating characteristics.

• Thrill ride · 2021

  Tidsmaskinen

  Tidsmaskinen is a Zamperla NebulaZ attraction installed for the 2021 season. It forms part of Bakken's modern ride portfolio alongside long-established coasters, family attractions and carnival-style rides.

• Swing ride · 2024

  Gyngen

  Gyngen is a Zamperla Happy Swing added to Bakken's attraction lineup for the 2024 season. It provides a modern swinging ride experience within the park's broader mix of thrill and family attractions.

• Family or thrill ride · 2024

  Svæveflyveren

  Svæveflyveren is a Zamperla WindstarZ attraction listed as having been relocated from Emerald Park and introduced at Bakken for the 2024 season.

• Cabaret and music hall · 1877

  Bakkens Hvile

  Bakkens Hvile is a long-standing cabaret venue associated with Bakken's performance tradition. It opened in 1877 and helps distinguish the park from attractions focused solely on mechanical rides.

• Seasonal live show

  Circus Revue

  Circus Revue is a recurring seasonal stage production presented at Bakken. It is part of the park's continuing emphasis on live entertainment and is listed as running during the main summer season.

• Mascot and live character performance

  Pjerrot the Clown

  Pjerrot the Clown is Bakken's long-standing mascot and a daily performer for children. The character links the contemporary park to the traveling entertainers who historically gathered around the spring.

• 2024

  Expansion of the modern ride lineupProduct launch

  Background

  The park continued to refresh its attractions while maintaining its historic entertainment identity.

  Action taken

  Gyngen and Svæveflyveren were added to the 2024 lineup.

  Aftermath

  The additions broadened the available ride selection for the 2024 operating season.

  Source

• 2021

  Tidsmaskinen ride investmentProduct launch

  Background

  Bakken continued updating its attraction mix while retaining historic rides and entertainment venues.

  Action taken

  The park installed the Zamperla NebulaZ attraction Tidsmaskinen for the 2021 season.

  Aftermath

  Tidsmaskinen became part of the park's active modern ride lineup.

  Source

• 1885

  Operators establish shared governanceStrategy

  Background

  The growth of visitors and businesses created sanitation, waste, water, publicity and infrastructure challenges.

  Action taken

  The park's tent owners formed the Dyrehavsbakken Tent Owners' Association to coordinate improvements and collective operations.

  Aftermath

  The association became a continuing institutional feature of Bakken, and businesses operating at the park are required to join it.

  Source

1. 1Dyrehavsbakkenen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bakken official websitebakken.dk