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18.07.2023
Updated 27.10.2023

09 December 2010

Vintage Bicycle Traffic Photos from Copenhagen

Chic cycling Copenhagen 1938

Sandra from the Classic Copenhagen blog sent us a couple vintage postcards from Copenhagen. This one, above, is postmarked August 5, 1938. It was taken on Østerbrogade. The bicycle lane in the photo - separated from the traffic by a curb - is back in place on the street. After the urban planning brain fart that was the 1950's and 1960's.

 

Town Hall Square vintage postcard


No date on this postcard but I'm guessing early 1950's. Don't look at the postman in the middle for reference, the uniforms are largely unchanged. Again, bicycle lanes sending the Citizen Cyclists in a steady stream from A to B.

 

Town Hall Square, vintage postcard from Copenhagen


Here's a shot from the City Hall Square. Citizen Cyclists in their safe and rightful place, free to move about the city.
 

Copenhagen City Hall Square 1950s


We figured we'd dig out our own vintage collection and add them to this post.
At times the bicycle traffic was so intense in the city centre that bicycles filled the width of the street. There were, however, fewer cars back then. Nowadays, of course, it's a different story. Requiring different solutions.

 

Copenhagen - Strandvejen 1955


A shot from 1955. Might have blogged this one before. Taken on Strandvejen, north of Copenhagen. About 8 kilometres from the City Centre. This is the morning rush hour.

 

Copenhagen Rush Hour Traffic ca. 1950


Gyldenløvesgade, around 1950. The width of the bike lanes was considerable even then and on this stretch they were even separated with leafy trees.

 

Langebro 1950s


Aerial shot of Langebro Bridge over the harbour. It looks much the same as it does today. Citizen Cyclists have their own lane on both sides.
 

Langebro 1950s
Langebro 1950s


As you can see here from the 1950's as well.
 

Langebro 1975
Over the Bridge2


And here in 1975 and the present. Elsewhere in Copenhagen during the late '50's and 60's bike lanes were removed when our urban planning started to revolve around the car. Langebro Bridge, however, has remained unchanged through the decades.

 

Copenhagen Vintage Traffic


Bicycle Traffic in the 1930's. Cyclists keeping to the right.

 

Copenhagen - Dronning Louises Bridge


Early 1930's as I recall. In a city without automobiles, the two-wheeler is king. Those were the days.
 

Copenhagen - Dronning Louises Bridge 1930s


Interestingly, even on streets that lacked separated infrastructure [usually due to overwhelmingly high levels of bicycle traffic], Citizen Cyclists stick to the right, to the curb.
 

Copenhagen Bicycle Traffic in Rush Hour

 

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