OpenTube

A Walk Through Copenhagen in the 1600s (AI Reconstruction)

Portraits of the Past

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Step into Copenhagen in the 1600s and experience the city as it was before modern times.

This immersive AI reconstruction takes you through the streets, harbor, and daily life of 17th century Copenhagen — from muddy medieval roads to a growing trade city shaped during the era of Christian IV.

Walk through bustling markets, naval shipyards, and iconic landmarks as they first appeared, and see how the foundations of modern Copenhagen were built.

What you’ll experience:

Daily life in the narrow streets of 1600s Copenhagen
The transformation from medieval town to trade city
Early versions of landmarks like Børsen, Rosenborg, and Round Tower
Copenhagen’s harbor, navy, and merchant life
Then vs. now comparisons of historic locations

If you enjoy immersive history, AI reconstructions, and time travel experiences, this video brings the past to life in a way rarely seen before.

Chapters:
0:00 - Death of King Frederick II of Denmark
1:04 - Medieval Copenhagen 1585 From the sea side
2:38 - Medieval Copenhagen 1585 From the land side
3:58 - Coronation Christian IV 1596
5:11 - Rosenborg Castle build outside the city
6:03 - Børsen/Stock Exchange Plans Presented to King
6:50 - Copenhagen Harbor Expansion 1620s
7:34 - Copenhagen Børsen/Stock Exchange Trading 1650
9:00 - Naval Anchor Forge Holmen
9:50 - Copenhagen Castle Royal Power
10:25 - Gammel Strand Fish Market
11:00 - Round Tower Observatory Copenhagen
12:27 - Nyboder Sailors Housing
13:35 - Holmen Church Navy Chapel
14:20 - 17th Century Copenhagen Street Life
15:56 - Medieval Sanitation and Water
17:28 - Renaissance Merchant Houses Copenhagen
18:20 - Christian IV's Copenhagen Legacy Today

#CopenhagenHistory #DenmarkHistory
#HistoricalReconstruction
#AIHistory
#ImmersiveHistory
#17thCentury
#TimeTravelExperience

Explore the rich past of Denmark's capital through this visual journey. We showcase Copenhagen's historical buildings and the evolution of its architecture, offering a glimpse into its vibrant past. Discover how Copenhagen history has shaped this incredible city.

20 Comments

@PortraitsofthePastAI Creator 5 months ago (edited) Pinned

Thank you so much for the incredible response to this Copenhagen reconstruction! 🙌

If you enjoyed this, make sure to check out our AI journey through the history of Greenland as well:
🔗 https://youtu.be/YgnSd5QVubA

Stay tuned – we’re currently finalizing our next project: The final hours of Pompeii! 🌋

@Qualifica1 6 months ago

Amazing - so many of these buildings still are in Copenhagen today.

@Tripperchris 5 months ago

Well in those days Øresund did n o t separate Denmark from Sweden, as the land at both shorts were Danish: Sjælland (Zealand) and Skåne (Scania). That made Øresund very important as Denmark controlled both sides of Øresund.

@Berserker63 5 months ago

At last, some AI-production that fascinated me.. 👍

@alexrishoj_fishing 5 months ago

My family and I live in Nyboder today, it has not changed at all.

It has just been renovated a few times, but still the same.

So amazing to see this.

@cavalr1002 5 months ago

Really beautiful. This is a good way of using AI.

@Mrpallekuling 2 weeks ago

My dear hometown! Many thanks!

@Purplefishish 3 weeks ago (edited)

The first time I have enjoyed an AI production. Quite magical

@AlexIkilikian 5 months ago

Wow, beautiful movie to depict the historical Copenhagen, my home city!

@kenlaw9494 5 months ago

Amazing. I know my Copenhagen history, but bringing it to life his way is simply incredible. Never knew Copenhagen was THAT small, or that Rosenborg was build far from the city.

@grunwaldstories 5 months ago (edited)

Really fascinating. Beautifully told. Just one thing missing about Christian 4’s Copenhagen is who financed the whole thing - namely his mom, Sophie of Mecklenburg. In fact he led the country to bankruptcy, but of course that’s another story ☺️

@StarrySky16 5 months ago

As a tour guide in Copenhagen, it was really interesting to see the past come to life in the areas I visit and talk about every day. There are a few small issues - for example, the naval harbour shown on the left side of the illustration at 6:54 is shown as land rather than water as it transitions into the AI depiction. And as others have said, Copenhagen Castle did not burn and Børsen did so in 2024. But I very much enjoyed the opportunity to time travel in my beautiful city.

@siggyduststar9736 4 months ago

Elegant use of AI in mix with old drawings, paintings and coppersticks. Good dramaturgi and well done storytelling 🥰

@nielsjriis 5 months ago

Well done.
Copenhagen Castle didn’t burn. Chr. VI tore it down and built Christiansborg Castle that later burnt.
The Stock Exchange didn’t burn in 2023 but ‘24.

@jackcameback 5 months ago

I give credit where credit is due - this was excellent - the narration was smooth and informative an the AI was very tastefully done! I live in Denmark BTW and so I know and have walked past most of the sites you show and it is suprisingly accurate - well done

@OleDybdalNielsen 5 months ago

Very well done!

To the question at the end, you should explore Helsingør/Elsinore next.

This year, the city celebrates its 600th anniversary of Market Town Status (købstad),
and it has also been influenced by Christian IV who e.g. rebuilt Kronborg Castle after a fire.

@andredipo9217 5 months ago

Amazing work👍🏼
Growing up in Copenhagen with a father who was a bricklayer, and a mother both with an interest in architecture and history it is really interesting and fascinating to see how history can come to life with AI.

@MyrJuhl 5 months ago

One almost forgets it's not actual footage from 1600's :) Good pace and narrating for this incredible account of old Copenhagen.

@anneheeno1167 5 months ago

Amazing job you did there. Great to see what my hometown looked like🤩👏❤

@CatAlysmos 5 months ago

At that time we lost a valuable amount of person registration at the Copenhagen fire around 1728 making I difficult to find family do to studying ancestors . The before and after times gives a hint of family lines tho and I love doing the puzzling . Amazing video , thank you from a Dane.