Hellerup: Garden Art and Cultural History

If you are considering Hellerup as a hotel destination, the area’s varied themes can help you get your bearings: art, the history of care, landscaped gardens, the beach, and sailing. The places associated with these themes differ both in their uses and in their historical periods. You can therefore explore Hellerup according to the interests that matter for your stay.

Gardens with a History of Their Own

Øregaard Park was opened to the public in 1918. By contrast, a design period is documented for Hellerup Beach Park: G.N. Brandt designed it from 1912 to 1918 as Denmark’s first park based on functionalist ideas. The dates therefore refer to different things—in Øregaard’s case, its opening to the public; for the beach park, its creation and design approach.

Hellerup Beach Park includes a perennial garden, which was established in 1912 and also designed by G.N. Brandt. Today, it contains around 100 different perennials representing hardy, lush plants. The rose garden has its own history: G.N. Brandt and Professor Ewald Thomsen designed it, and it was inaugurated in 1918. Together, these details show that the history of the gardens cannot be reduced to a single year of design.

Art, the History of Care, and Buildings

The Øregaard Museum presents changing special exhibitions of Danish and international art. If you want to visit a particular exhibition, it is a good idea to check the current programme in advance. The Sankt Lukas Museum opened in 2014 with the aim of collecting and sharing the 125-year history of care. Its exhibits include furniture, paintings, photographs, and other objects that tell the story of how the Sankt Lukas Stiftelsen developed and what it did over time. The two museums therefore focus on different things: changing art exhibitions on the one hand, and the history of a care institution on the other.

Buildings also provide specific historical points of reference. The chapel at Hellerup Cemetery was designed by architect Andreas Clemmesen and built in 1913. The cemetery also serves as a peaceful park for the surrounding area. Hellerup Church adds another perspective on the area’s architectural history: it was built in 1900 to plans by architect Thorvald Jørgensen. The chapel and the church therefore represent two different construction dates and can be explored as distinct topics alongside the museums.

Beach, Sailing, and the Harbour

Hellerup Beach has plenty of sand, few stones, shallow water, and a large playground with swings. In addition to the beach, Hellerup Beach Park offers sailing activities. These are distinct aspects to consider when planning a trip to Hellerup: one describes the features of the beach, while the other refers to sailing activities. You can explore the area’s coastal character according to the specific interests that matter for your trip.

The harbour also offers a specific, clearly defined option for visitors: sailors from other harbours can moor at Hellerup Harbour to visit and stay overnight, subject to payment of the harbour fee. If you are travelling by sailboat, include this fee when planning such a stay.

Discover more destinations: Gentofte, Klampenborg, Charlottenlund.

Return to the main travel overview: Gentofte.