It's one of 3 of the oldest streets in Copenhagen along with Snaregade and Vestergade near Gammel Strand. You'll still see the original cobblestones on Magstræde. It appears to be the most preserved from the time it was built along the medieval coastline before being shifted to another location. We were told that this alleyway dates back to 1520. It survived the Great Fire of 1728 that destroyed most of Copenhagen.
So, why was it named mag? The alley had an outdoor public toilet. The street would eventually become a dumping ground for waste when the residents of Copenhagen had to live in the very few buildings left from the devastating fires. What you see today is a beautiful cobblestone street of colorfully painted buildings that look very much like Nyhavn. A couple of these buildings are the original ones dating back to 1640. It's said that it looks even more beautiful at night when lit up by the hanging street lamps.
We visited it while taking a Copenhagen Free Walking Tour. Otherwise, I'm not sure we would have seen it. We also learned about street-mirrors (gadespejl). A device installed on apartment windows to see who is ringing you from the street level. There's a perfect example of one on this alleyway. It was quite the experience. A great way to take in the local flavor of Copenhagen by seeing a historically significant landmark street. read more