Freetown Christiania: A Commune Inside Copenhagen

NARRATOR: Small, yet cosmopolitan, contemporary, a design hotbed that brims with royal tradition - Copenhagen is all these things. It is a celebration of contrasts. And this is one of the contrasts that makes Copenhagen so interesting. The Freetown of Christiania, right in the heart of the Danish capital. It was established by hippies and dropouts on the site of a former military barracks in 1971. Today about 1,000 inhabitants live in an organized commune here. Christiania covers a surface area of 34 hectares. It wasn't until only a short time ago that its residents purchased this site from the Danish government.

CHRISTIANIA RESIDENT: "To me it's like coming home. I spent the first six years of my life here. My mother took us away from here, but I always keep coming back. It's like that, if you've lived here before, it becomes your home. This is where you have your friends and family."

NARRATOR: There is no such thing as personal property in Christiania. All the members of the commune share everything. But even the squatters have grown up and have real professions. Like bike maker Aisen Preben. He builds trademark Danish cargo bicycles with wooden carts mounted at the front. A Christianiabike. This bike shop in the center of Christiania has made history. Aisen Preben now exports his bikes all over the world. The idea to construct a bike with a wooden cargo box in the front was a practical one born of the demands of everyday life in the Christiania commune.

AISEN PREBEN: "Christiania was set up as a car-free city where all you had was bicycles. And because you have to transport things, we designed trailers for the bikes. This bike is the further development of that technology."

NARRATOR: Christiania marches to the beat of a different drum than the rest of the world. If you're in Copenhagen, be sure to drop in. This town within the city is worth a visit.