The Bridge (Bron in Swedish) is a Scandinavian crime and drama television series created and written by the Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt. Riding on the tide of Nordic Noir, with predecessors like Sjöwall-Wahlöö and Henning Mankell, the series was first aired in 2011 and quickly gained enormous popularity. Today the series has acquired a large international cult following and fans travel from all over the world to check out the filming locations in Malmö and Copenhagen. Below you will find addresses and information to help you trace the footsteps of the eccentric main character Saga Norén as she whips back and forth in her mid-1970s Porsche 911.
The bridge that gave name to The Bridge
The actual bridge where the plot kicks off with a macabre find of a corpse was opened in 2000 and links the two metropolitan areas of Malmö in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark to each other. The bridge measures 7,8 kilometres and can be crossed either by train or by car. A trip over the bridge offers views of Malmö, Denmark and the sea. Make sure to buy your ticket before entering the train and to bring your passport or ID with you, since this is sometimes asked for by the border control.
Filming locations in The Bridge
Although the story is set both in Malmö and Copenhagen, most of the content of The Bridge is filmed on location in Malmö. The geographical locations are found in three different parts of town. The first is Limhamn, where the iconic bridge shoots from the eroded limestone hills out into the water towards Copenhagen and Denmark. The second is in Västra Hamnen; a newly developed sleek, minimalistic neighbourhood that is home to Malmö’s most iconic building, the Turning Torso overlooking the coastline and the Öresund Bridge. This is where Saga’s apartment is located, and the polished and modernistic vibe of this area is effectively juxtaposed to the gritty, rough old neighbourhood of Möllevången, the third major area of filming in the centre of Malmö where the Police Station is in the series.
The Bridge – movie locations in Malmö
Below you’ll find 18 of the classic The Bridge locations you don’t want to miss. And also a few eateries where you can refuel before continuing on your quest for that dark, intriguing atmosphere that characterizes the series.
The bridge itself
The best way to view the Öresund Bridge up close is from the Luftkastellet vista point. From here, walk down the steps and under the bridge, right next to the water. A few scenes in season two were shot on the man-made island of Pepparholmen, and we all remember the nerve-wracking car chase that took place here. Pepparholmen is not accessible to the public, but spotted when crossing the bridge by train or car, before the road heads down into the underwater tunnel, right before hitting Danish main land.
The Limhamn marina
The small boat marina in Limhamn is where the character Laura sails from when hitting shallow water, as she ends up running aground right next to the Öresund Bridge.
Strand Hotel
The retro-chic hotel featured in the series is Strand Hotel, found in the pale blue high-rise along Strandgatan in Limhamn and just a stone’s throw from the marina.
Cementa concrete factory
A short walk north of Strand Hotel is the location where four young terrorists meet their employer, but instead get trapped in a container and meet their maker while being gassed to death.
Saga’s home
To sneak a peek of Saga’s place, head to Ankargatan no.9 in the Western Harbour. It’s right below the towering Turning Torso, across the man-made canal. Or, at least this is where the exterior shots were taken. All interior shots of Saga’s home were done in a studio.
The biotech lab of terrorist Niklas
From Saga’s home at Ankargatan, it’s a short walk to the World Trade Center at Jungmansgatan no.12. This is where the character Niklas is employed and had access to various poisonous chemicals.
The IT-company of terrorist Julian
The interior shots of his company were filmed around the corner from the World Trade Center, at Skeppsgatan in the Ramböll offices, while the exterior shots were filmed at Dockgatan No.1 at the Mercedes-Benz Nordic head offices, a few hundred metres away.
Reporter Daniel Ferbe
The scenes from the reporters’ office were shot at Hjälmarekajen 8–10, but the entrance of location where he was trapped in his car in an underground car park is around the corner, at Nordenskjöldsgatan. The location has since been demolished to give way to new construction.
Gigolo Claudio
Do you remember season two, when the male escort Claudio is waiting for a date in a park in Copenhagen? The park where this scene is shot is Pildammsparken in Malmö, and the location is Margaretapavilljongen in the south-eastern corner of the park, behind the amphitheatre.
Helsingör night club entrance
The very first episode of the bridge contains a scene in which hostages were taken in a Danish night club in Helsingör. The actual location where this was filmed is behind the Slagthuset office building in central Malmö, at Mercuriigatan. This location houses a thrift shop.
Helsingör night club interior shots
Those interiors of that cool Helsingör nightclub? They were filmed at the popular night club Debaser at Norra Parkgatan 2 in Malmö in the Möllevången area.
Malmö Police Head Quarters
The building that was used for filming the exterior shots of the Malmö police headquarters is at Barkgatan 11 in the Möllevången area, just a few blocks to the north of Möllevången square. This building houses a yoga studio, a community centre and an agency for the unemployed.
Malmö and Copenhagen police headquarters interiors
The interiors of both police stations featured in The Bridge were shot in studios in Ystad, a 45-minute drive to the south east of Malmö. This studio is where the interior of Saga’s home is filmed.
Ribersborgs open air baths
A 20-minute walk from the city centre is Ribersborgs Kallbadhus. The old, quaint wooden construction, erected in 1898, is an open air bath and restaurant. This is where Saga and Martin interrogate one of the waitresses and where they realize that all the acts of violence have been directed towards Martin.
Food for Bridge-lovers
Saltimporten restaurant
While not part or the TV-series, the Saltimporten restaurant with its raw décor and rough, industrial locational is a cool lunch venue. This is also where the whole movie crew regularly had lunch during the filming of The Bridge – a perfect place to replenish your energy mid-day before continuing your sight seeing tour.
Malmö Live
Close to where journalist Daniel Ferbe got stuck in his car is a new, trendy cultural hub of Malmö, Malmö Live. Have a cocktail at the sky bar in the Clarion Hotel and feel of The Bridge location from a bird’s-eye view. This is where the third season started. Back then, this place was still a construction site, and where the murderer’s first victim was found sitting around a staged dinner table in the company of mannequins, with a face painted like a happy mouth.
Bloom
If you head to Pildammsparken, you’ll find Margaretapaviljongen where gigolo Claudio is waiting for his date. Just a cross is Bloom in the Park. This is one of Malmö’s reknowned restaurants; the perfect place to end your sightseeing tour in style.
