This was the famous entrance to the Carlsberg Brewery grounds. Four large granite elephants supported the tower above, and the whole structure felt grand and impressive. I remember thinking right away that this tour was going to be cool.

I just didn’t learn about beer on this tour — I learned some fascinating history too. For example, the swastikas carved into the sides of these granite elephants.

The brewery was founded in 1847 by J.C. Jacobsen. His son, Carl Jacobsen, later built his own rival brewery called Ny Carlsberg right next door. Carl was a passionate art lover and philanthropist who believed beautiful surroundings could elevate people. He poured money into architecture and art throughout the complex.

The swastikas you see here were not political. At the time Carl was building, the swastika was an ancient symbol of good fortune and well-being used for thousands of years across many cultures — especially in India, where it appears in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The word “swastika” comes from Sanskrit and roughly means “that which is good.”

It wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s that Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party took the ancient symbol, tilted it 45 degrees, and turned it into their official emblem. Carlsberg eventually stopped using the swastika around 1940 once its meaning had been completely corrupted.

This photo shows just how massive these granite elephants really are. A small car driving past gives a clear sense of scale — these statues are life-size, or possibly even slightly larger than life. Standing next to them, I felt tiny.

Carl Jacobsen clearly wanted these elephants to make a statement. They weren’t just decorative — they were meant to impress, to symbolize strength and permanence, and to welcome visitors into his brewery with a sense of grandeur.

Across the top of the grand entrance is a Latin inscription that reads LABORIMUS PRO PATRIA — “We work for the fatherland.”

Carl Jacobsen chose this patriotic phrase because he believed in building something that would serve Denmark. Every day, employees, managers, office staff, visitors, and official guests would pass through this impressive gateway. It wasn’t just a practical entrance — it was meant to make a statement about pride, craftsmanship, and contribution to the nation.

This is the heart of the brewery — the actual brewing hall. These massive copper vessels were used to boil and process the beer. Standing on the balcony looking down at the huge kettles, I was struck by the scale of everything.

The room felt both industrial and beautiful at the same time. The tall arched windows, the metal railings, and the sheer size of the equipment made it clear that Carlsberg wasn’t just making beer — they were doing it with real craftsmanship and pride.

This is one of the famous Carlsberg brewery horses. For decades, teams of these strong Jutland horses pulled the beer wagons through the streets of Copenhagen, delivering fresh beer to pubs and restaurants across the city.

Even after trucks took over the deliveries, Carlsberg kept some horses as part of their heritage and tradition. Standing this close to one felt special — they were beautiful, powerful animals with a long and proud connection to the brewery.

This large display showed the evolution of Carlsberg through the decades. Old posters, labels, advertisements, and packaging from the early 1900s lined the wall, giving a real sense of how long the brand has been part of Danish culture.

I spent quite a while looking at everything — the changing designs, the old slogans, and the familiar logos from different eras. It was fascinating to see how Carlsberg had grown and adapted over more than a hundred years while still staying true to its roots.

These enormous silver tanks held thousands of liters of beer. When our guide told us they were all full, I couldn’t stop smiling.

I immediately thought how awesome it would be to have a Dome party here — with all this beer! The scale was almost hard to believe.

This was the final stop on the Carlsberg tour — the tasting room. I couldn’t believe they let me have all six beers, one of each variety they made at the time. I scored a free six pack!

I sat there with a big smile, going from one bottle to the next while chatting with a couple of girls who were also tasting. Portraits of the Jacobsen family watched over the room. It was a perfect way to end the tour — sitting in an old, wood-paneled space, surrounded by history, and tasting what I’d just learned about.

As I walked away from the brewery, I turned around for one final view. The cobblestone street led straight toward the Elephant Gate in the distance — still impressive even from far away.

After finishing at Carlsberg, I decided to hop on a city bus and just ride around for a while. This was the number 10 heading toward Avedøre Byvej.

It felt good to sit back and watch the city go by from the window — no real plan, just seeing whatever neighborhoods the bus passed through.

While riding the bus around Copenhagen with no real plan, I looked out the window and spotted this enormous mural painted on the side of a building. It was a giant cat — or maybe a leopard — made up of smaller shapes and patterns.

I loved how bold and unexpected it was, just sitting there in the middle of the city like it belonged there.

After riding the bus for a while, I got off and just started walking. This street caught my eye, so I followed it.

There wasn’t anywhere I needed to be. I liked how the buildings lined up on both sides and how the street just kept going.

As the day wound down, I found myself by the water again. The city lights reflected beautifully across the dark surface — reds, greens, and yellows shimmering and moving with the gentle ripples.

As I walked down Istedgade, this storefront caught my eye. The large sign proudly declared it “The Best Gay Place in Town,” with smaller signs advertising leather toys, magazines, and video tapes.

It was one of the first clear signs that I had entered a different kind of neighborhood. The shop sat right on the street like any other business, with its signs out in the open. I remember pausing for a moment, taking it in, and then continuing down the block.

A little further down Istedgade, I passed this adult novelty shop. The large window was filled with magazines, sex toys, and various accessories arranged on a metal grid.

In the center of the display sat a large doll surrounded by the products, with round lights framing the entire window. It was quite a sight — bold, unapologetic, and very different from anything I was used to seeing back home.

I couldn’t believe how bold the advertising was. This shop had “SEX KEYHOLE SEX” in huge white letters stretched across the entire front of the building.

It was all right there in plain view on a regular city street. I had never seen anything advertised so openly before.

The more I walked, and the more I saw, the more shocked I became. This building had four large black signs listing very specific services and fetishes right out in the open on a public street.

I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by how boldly everything was advertised.

By this point, I was genuinely taken aback. This shop had a large poster of a muscular man in full bondage gear displayed right in the window, along with stacks of adult videos and a big sign advertising “Non Stop Video Show.”

Everything was just out in the open on the street. I kept walking, but I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by how openly all of this was being advertised.