Christiania: Europe’s largest hippy commune

In 1971 squatters took over a disused military barracks in the middle of Copenhagen, Denmark. They established a self-governing hippy commune called Freetown Christiania, which the Danish government permitted as a ‘social experiment’.


Witness History spoke to the photographer Mark Edwards, who was given unique access to document a famously photo shy community as it fought the threat of demolition and redevelopment.

Photo: Christiania’s fifth birthday party in the grey hall © Mark Edwards