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Søndermarken and Cisternerne
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Søndermarken and Cisternerne

The wooded park south of Frederiksberg Have, and the contemporary-art exhibition in the old underground water reservoir.

Drafted by Claude — the editor hasn’t walked this one yet. We’ll update this notice once it’s been verified on the ground.

Distance

3 km

Time

~ 90 min

Start

Frederiksberg metro (M1/M2/M3)

End

Frederiksberg metro (M1/M2/M3)

Best at

afternoon

Right now
23°C· Partly cloudy

Open in Maps for turn-by-turn, or take it offline as GPX.

Søndermarken is the park south of Frederiksberg Have — twenty-six hectares, more wooded, less formal, designed in the 18th century as the rougher half of the royal grounds. The contemporary draw is Cisternerne: the old underground water reservoir Copenhagen built in 1856 and decommissioned in 1933, reopened in 1996 as an art space. The glass pyramid on the lawn is the only above-ground sign.

Three kilometres, ninety minutes including the underground exhibition. Cross from Frederiksberg Have through the side gate (or come direct via Frederiksberg metro and walk south). Søndermarken's main paths run through old planted woodland — fewer manicured lawns than its sibling, more space for the trees to settle. A pond, a 19th-c orangery, a couple of statues.

Cisternerne's entry is the glass pyramid west of centre. Descend the staircase; the temperature drops ten degrees. The exhibition is whatever's installed — usually a single artist taking on the reservoir's two-metre-deep water and brick vaulting (Hiroshi Sugimoto, Jeppe Hein, Tomás Saraceno among recent shows). A different walk inside.

Back up via the wooded paths to Roskildevej and the metro.

The route

On the map.

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

  1. 01
    1

    Frederiksberg Have south gate

    The connection from *Frederiksberg Have* into *Søndermarken*. If starting from *Frederiksberg* metro alone, walk south through the gardens — about ten minutes — to reach the gate.

  2. 02
    2

    Søndermarken main path

    The park's primary axis runs east–west. Old planted woodland, fewer formal lawns than *Frederiksberg Have*, more sense of being inside trees rather than alongside them. Stay on the paths in spring (boglands).

  3. 03
    3

    Cisternerne entrance (the glass pyramid)

    The above-ground marker is a glass pyramid on the lawn west of centre. Buy the ticket, descend the staircase; the temperature drops ten degrees as you go down and the brick vaulting takes over.

  4. 04
    4

    Underground exhibition

    Whatever's installed — usually a single artist commissioned for the reservoir's specific conditions (standing water two metres deep, brick vaulting, low light, eight-degree air). Recent shows have included *Hiroshi Sugimoto*, *Jeppe Hein*, *Tomás Saraceno*. Allow forty minutes. Check current exhibition before going.

  5. 05
    5

    Wooded back paths

    Walk the western half of *Søndermarken* back. The paths are less obvious, the planting older; a 19th-c orangery sits in a clearing. The park is at its quietest here.

  6. 06
    6

    Roskildevej exit → Frederiksberg metro

    Exit on *Roskildevej* and walk back east — five minutes — to *Frederiksberg* metro. Or take the 9A bus from *Roskildevej* if you've had enough walking for one day.