Istedgade (also called Strassen)[1] is a 1-kilometer straight street in the district of Vesterbro in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

It starts at Copenhagen Central Station and runs parallel to Vesterbrogade to Enghave Plads and Enghaveparken.

From the station in the cheap hotel district, it runs through the porn, prostitution[2] and drugs area to modern Vesterbro, where 1900s tenement style blocks have undergone significant modernisation.

[7] The history of the street, rooted in the classic working class, contrasts with today's expensive refurbished apartments and modern city life.

Before the urban renewal in the 1990s, the street was characterised by speculation building with small apartments of poor quality with great social poverty, but there was unity amongst the inhabitants.

Vesterbro in general and Istedgade in particular, over recent years have become attractive for young and resourceful citizens, mostly families with children, who against previous trends have chosen to stay in town instead of moving to the suburbs.

[11] In August 2012, Istedgade became the subject of much media coverage, due to the police's failure to intervene with the drug-pushers at Vesterbro.

[16] Istedgade's intense environment was the overriding source of inspiration for crime writer Sara Blædel's critically acclaimed 2008 novel Aldrig mere fri (Never More Free).

The morning sun flashed in a myriad of open window panes as in drops of water, and far beyond Enghaveplads the gray and yellow facades became airy like distant mountains until they dissolved in a flickering mist.Peter Belli had a big Danish hit in 1978 with an interpretation of the song "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow.

[19] The Danish version of the disco classic was named "Istedgade", and the lyrics of the song take place in the street.