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Getting sick 150 years ago required a truly strong constitution. The doctor might very well have made things much worse—if he didn’t outright kill you. The history of medicine’s development is stranger and more terrifying than you can imagine, and if you join our historical walking tour on medical history, you’ll leave with an immense appreciation for living in modern-day Denmark! Welcome to a walking tour about science and medicine from the Middle Ages to nearly the present day. Hear about medicine, herbs, surgery, the plague, cholera, and poverty in Copenhagen. Learn about the times when people believed that dried earthworms soaked in vinegar could heal wounds and that bloodletting could cure arthritis, herpes, asthma, and insanity. You’ll also hear about some of the colorful figures who played a role when medical progress began to accelerate. This is a story of a time when faith and superstition collided with knowledge. At the same time, it is also a tale of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, and Copenhagen’s transformation from a fortified city into a modern metropolis.
The route is approximately 2.5 km long and starts at Nørreport. We walk through the city center down to Christiansborg, where the tour concludes 1 hour and 45 minutes later. Along the way, we present around ten stories or key moments in medical history. We focus on storytelling, making the guided tour both fascinating, slightly frightening, and highly engaging. So come along for a walking tour like no other!
Discover the pioneering achievements of Nielsine Nielsen, the trailblazing woman who made history as the first female university student. Hear about Johanne Andersen from Falster, who shattered barriers to become the world's first female priest in 1948. Explore the groundbreaking ideas of Elisabeth Grundtvig, who advocated for empowering men to prevent societal ills like prostitution and homelessness. Uncover the rebellious spirit of Mathilde Fibiger, who challenged gender norms in the mid-1800s, and learn about the talented artist Anne Marie, who navigated life in the shadow of her illustrious husband. Be inspired by the story of Inge Lehmann, the pioneering geophysicist whose discovery of the Earth's solid core revolutionized our understanding of the planet and her uphill battle for recognition in a male-dominated field.
We start at Nørreport and journey through medieval Copenhagen. Along the way, we pass the site of a former auxiliary cemetery, meet the plague doctor and the barber-surgeon, and learn about bloodletting—including the consequences it had for one of our kings. Like other major European cities, Copenhagen suffered from numerous epidemics. But it was also an incredibly filthy city. Hear the story of Peder Panum in Skindergade, who challenged 2,000 years of medical thinking and helped transform medicine into a modern science in Denmark. From there, we continue to Gråbrødretorv, where we explore the monastery gardens, the monks’ knowledge, and the plants they brought with them to Denmark and Copenhagen. At the University of Copenhagen, we uncover the history of the anatomical theater from 1645. Here, between the church and the university, the first public dissections took place. The location was ideal, as the city’s execution site at Nytorv provided a steady supply of "fresh" bodies. Along the way, we also discuss Eve’s curse, ‘the savior of mothers,’ and when handwashing became mandatory at Copenhagen’s maternity hospital. At Christiansborg, we tackle tuberculosis, which in the year 1900 caused one in three deaths in Denmark. We also hear the story of the Christmas Seal Homes, established to help children suffering from tuberculosis. Finally, we delve into one of the most infamous affairs in Danish history—the love triangle between King Christian VII, Queen Caroline Mathilde, and the royal physician Struensee, which played out at the Court Theatre. While this royal scandal unfolded, one of the most feared diseases, smallpox, ravaged much of the world. We also uncover the grim reality of scurvy—known as the plague of the seas—which claimed far more lives than naval battles, storms, and other diseases combined. Two million sailors perished. It was known that about half of a crew on long voyages would succumb to the disease, but no one knew why!
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