Farimagsgade

Vester Farimagsgade, Nørre Farimagsgade and Øster Farimagsgade (lit. 'West, North and East Farimagsgade') is a succession of streets which together connect the south-western Vesterbro to the northern Østerbro along the periphery of the city centre in Copenhagen, Denmark. A continuation of Reventlowsgade, Vester Farimagsgade extends from Vesterbrogade at Vesterport Station and initially runs along the sunken railway tracks on the left before soon reaching H. C. Andersens Boulevard. It then turns into Nørre Farimagsgade and continues behind Ørsted Park to Gothersgade where it becomes Øster Farimagsgade and proceeds along another green space, the Copenhagen Botanical Garden, passes Sølvtorvet and the neighbourhood of terraced houses known as Kartoffelrækkerne before terminating at Lille Triangel where Østerbrogade begins.

History

Originally known as Farimagsvejen, the history of the street goes back a long way. It originally ran just outside Copenhagen's Bastioned Fortification Ring. It provided a connection between the area outside the Western City Gate in the south and the area outside the Eastern City Gate and Sortedam Lake in the north, saving travellers and residents of the surrounding villages the trouble of passing through the city gates and the crowded city.

Since heavy restrictions on construction of new buildings outside the fortifications within a certain distance known a Line of Demarcation were introduced in 1661 following the Assault on Copenhagen, the road passed through a decidedly rural setting.

After the expansion of the Fortification Ring was finally completed during the Great Northern War, the southern part of the road was given a new course further away from the city. Architect and urban planner Ferdinand Meldahl published a proposal for the road to be taken back to its old course in Illustreret Tidende on 14 January 1866. It was adopted by the City Council with the masterplan of 1872.