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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
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