Dyrehavsbakken

Dyrehavsbakken ("The Deer Park Hill"), commonly referred to as Bakken ("The Hill"), is the World's oldest operating amusement park. It is located near Klampenborg (Gentofte municipality) but belongs under Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Denmark about 10 km north of Copenhagen. With 2.5-2.7 million visitors per year, it is the second most popular attraction in Denmark, after the more widely known amusement park Tivoli Gardens.

The origins of Dyrehavsbakken can be traced back to 1583 when Kirsten Piil discovered a natural spring in what is now known as Jaegersborg Dyrehave or Dyrehaven, a large forest park north of Copenhagen. Residents of Copenhagen were attracted to the spring due to the poor water quality in the area during the time period. Many believed the natural spring water to have curative properties, and therefore Piil's discovery drew large crowds, especially in the springtime. These large crowds attracted entertainers and hawkers, whose presence began the origins of amusement parks as are presently known.