Strøget District

Copenhagen, Denmark

Contributed by Project for Public Spaces

This network of streets in Copehagen is a pedestrian paradise.

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Why It Works

The remarkable network of pedestrian streets in the Strøget District of Copenhagen offers a valuable primer in how to reclaim urban space from traffic. Beginning in 1962, at the urging of local architect and planner Jan Gehl, a few center-city streets were given over to pedestrians.

Though initially met with skepticism by car-loving Danes who claimed that public street life was strictly for southern Europeans, the pedestrianized area soon became very popular with Copenhagers of all ages. Gradually, over the years, the pedestrian network has expanded, offering an important lesson according to Gehl. Big changes all at once fuel a backlash; small changes over a period of time are much better accepted.

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User Comments:

08/15/05 Kate Spaulding said:
Stroget is the pedestrian shopping street that takes you through much of Copenhagen. This city is amazing because everything is within walking distance, yet the Danes are so awesome they have a brand new subway system anyway. Coffee, shopping, restaurants, and gorgeous architecture can all be found on this street. Every couple of blocks you arrive into a public square with its own charm and character. I walked up and down this street everyday I was in Copenhagen and it never felt the same.

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