Ofelia Plads is a public square on the Kvæsthus Pier, right next to the Royal Danish Playhouse on Copenhagen's harbourfront. Opened in 2016 on top of a three-storey underground car park, it runs the full length of the old ferry pier, with wide concrete steps that lead down into the water. It is named after Ophelia from Hamlet, a nod to the theatre next door, and the Royal Danish Theatre uses it as an open-air stage.
Ofelia Plads at a glance
- Where: on Kvæsthusbroen at the end of Sankt Annæ Plads, between Nyhavn and the Royal Danish Playhouse, facing the Opera House across the harbour.
- Opened: inaugurated on 29 June 2016.
- By: designed by the Danish architects Lundgaard & Tranberg, who also designed the Playhouse.
- What it is today: an open harbourside square with pavilions, a café and a stage tower, used for opera, ballet, concerts and children's events, with a 500-space car park below.
- Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes, longer on a sunny day or during an event.
From naval hospital to ferry pier to public square
The pier takes its name from Kvæsthuset, a naval hospital that stood here from 1686. In the 19th century the pier became a hub for the new steam ferries linking Copenhagen with ports all over Denmark, and it was extended to its present length in 1877–1878. The shipping company DFDS was based here from 1872, and ferries left for Aarhus, Aalborg and many smaller towns. After the Second World War the domestic routes faded, and later the Oslo and Bornholm ferries also moved away.
The area changed completely when the Royal Danish Playhouse opened on the waterfront in 2008. In 2010 the city approved the Kvæsthus Project, backed by the foundation Realdania, and while it was built the pier became a temporary beach called Ofelia Beach. The finished square and car park opened in 2016. The square is run by an association of the Royal Danish Theatre and the property company Jeudan, which donates part of its parking income to cultural activities on the square.
What to look for
- The dark grooved concrete surfaces that step down at the northern end and disappear under the water, inviting you to sit by the harbour.
- The pavilions on the square, including the car park entrance, a café and the fly tower used for outdoor performances.
- The view across the harbour to the Copenhagen Opera House on Holmen, and down the waterfront towards the Little Mermaid side of the city.
- The stairs and small jetties along the edges of the pier, which give direct access to the water.
A car park with daylight
Beneath the square is a three-level car park with room for 500 cars, covering 17,800 square metres. It was designed with high ceilings and a large atrium that brings daylight down to all three levels, which is unusual for an underground garage. Putting the cars below ground was the key to freeing the pier for people: the square on top could become a public stage rather than a parking lot.
Tips for your visit
- Come in the late afternoon or on a summer evening, when people sit on the steps by the water and the light on the harbour is at its best.
- Check the Royal Danish Theatre's programme for free outdoor events on the square in summer.
- Be careful near the edges and steps that lead into the water, especially with children.
Nearby
- Nyhavn: the colourful 17th-century canal with its old ships and cafés, just a few minutes' walk south.
- Royal Danish Playhouse: the theatre right next to the square, with a café and terrace over the water.
- Amalienborg: the royal palace complex with its octagonal square, a short walk north.
- The Inner Harbour Bridge: the pedestrian and cycle bridge from Nyhavn to Christianshavn.
See Copenhagen with World City Trail
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Facts checked in October 2026.