By Tim Lambert
By the 11th century, a small village existed on the site of Copenhagen. However, the town of Copenhagen was founded in 1167 by Bishop Absalon. He built a fort on an island off the coast, and he fortified the settlement with a rampart and a moat. Its name means Merchant’s Harbour.
Copenhagen thrived because of the trade in herrings, and in the 15th century, it became the capital of Denmark. The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479.
In 2026, the population of Copenhagen was 667,000.
