Explore the real-world places that appear in Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Østerbro Neighborhood, King Christian X's Palace, Copenhagen Central Train Station, Gilleleje Harbor, Assistens Cemetery and 5 more.
Annemarie and Ellen's residential area
This is where ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen lives with her family in their apartment. Ellen Rosen, her Jewish best friend, lives nearby in the same neighborhood. The girls race through these familiar streets, dodging Nazi soldiers and reminiscing about life before the war. When Ellen must hide with the Johansen family, she sleeps in Annemarie's bed, pretending to be her sister.
Østerbro was developed as a residential district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, becoming home to many middle-class Danish families. During the Nazi occupation from 1940-1945, this neighborhood housed both Danish families and Jewish residents who would later face deportation.
Østerbro remains one of Copenhagen's most desirable residential neighborhoods, filled with tree-lined streets, cafes, and well-preserved apartment buildings from the early 1900s. Many of the buildings from Annemarie's time still stand today.
Amalienborg Palace — Symbol of Danish resistance
Annemarie's father tells her the inspiring story of King Christian X, who rode his horse alone through Copenhagen every morning during the occupation, showing defiance to the Nazis. The king becomes a symbol of quiet resistance for Annemarie, representing the courage she must find within herself to help Ellen and other Jews escape to Sweden.
King Christian X ruled Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and became a symbol of resistance during the Nazi occupation. He famously rode through Copenhagen daily, unguarded, as an act of defiance. Amalienborg has been the royal family's residence since 1794.
Amalienborg Palace remains the official residence of the Danish royal family. Visitors can tour parts of the palace, watch the changing of the guard ceremony, and visit the museum dedicated to royal history including the World War II period.
Visit: Amalienborg Museum (museum)
Hovedbanegården — Gateway to escape routes
Though not explicitly detailed in the novel, this station represents the beginning of the dangerous journey many Jewish families took to escape Denmark. The Rosens and other Jewish families would have passed through here on their way to hiding places and eventually to Sweden, following the same route that Ellen's parents take when they flee.
Copenhagen Central Station opened in 1911 and served as a crucial transportation hub during World War II. Many Jewish refugees used the railway system to reach coastal towns like Gilleleje, where fishing boats could take them across the Øresund Strait to Sweden.
Copenhagen Central Station remains Denmark's busiest railway station, serving both domestic and international routes. The historic building has been preserved and modernized, and plaques commemorate the station's role in helping Danish Jews escape during the war.
Visit: Copenhagen Central Station (landmark)
Coastal fishing village — Final escape point to Sweden
Uncle Henrik, Annemarie's fisherman uncle, lives in this coastal village where he secretly helps Jewish refugees escape to Sweden in his fishing boat. Annemarie travels here with her mother and Ellen (disguised as Lise) for a dangerous mission. This is where Annemarie must deliver the crucial handkerchief packet to her uncle, running through the dark woods to reach his boat.
Gilleleje was one of the primary departure points for the Danish rescue of Jews in October 1943. Local fishermen like the fictional Uncle Henrik risked their lives ferrying approximately 7,200 Jews and 700 non-Jewish relatives across the Øresund to safety in Sweden.
Gilleleje remains a picturesque fishing village and popular tourist destination. The harbor still operates as a working port, and several monuments and museums commemorate the town's heroic role in rescuing Danish Jews during the Holocaust.
Visit: Gilleleje Museum (museum)
Nørrebro — Lise Johansen's burial place
Annemarie visits this cemetery to place flowers on the grave of her older sister Lise, who died in a car accident before the war began. The memory of Lise haunts the family throughout the story, and Annemarie learns that Lise was actually killed for her involvement with the Danish Resistance, not in an accident as she had been told.
Assistens Cemetery, established in 1760, became Copenhagen's main burial ground and the final resting place for many notable Danes. During the occupation, it also served as a place where resistance members and their families could mourn their dead, often under false pretenses about the cause of death.
Assistens Cemetery is now both an active cemetery and a popular park where locals jog, walk dogs, and picnic among the historic graves. Notable burials include Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard. It's considered one of Copenhagen's most peaceful green spaces.
Visit: Assistens Cemetery (historic site)
City center — Symbol of pre-war happiness
Though the amusement park doesn't feature prominently in the story, Annemarie and Ellen remember visiting Tivoli before the war began, when life was normal and they could enjoy simple pleasures. The closed park represents what the Nazi occupation has taken away from Danish children and families.
Tivoli Gardens opened in 1843 and quickly became Copenhagen's beloved amusement park. During the Nazi occupation, the park remained open but under restrictions, serving as a reminder of better times for Danish families dealing with wartime hardships.
Tivoli Gardens continues to operate as one of the world's oldest amusement parks and a major Copenhagen attraction. The park maintains its historic charm with vintage rides, gardens, and concert halls, much as it would have appeared to Annemarie and Ellen.
Visit: Tivoli Gardens (park)
Krystalgade — Center of Jewish community
While not specifically mentioned in the novel, this synagogue represents the heart of Ellen Rosen's Jewish community that faces deportation. The Rosen family would have worshipped here before going into hiding. The threat to this community drives the entire plot as families like the Rosens must flee or face being 'relocated' by the Nazis.
Copenhagen's Great Synagogue was completed in 1833 and served the city's Jewish community for over a century. During the Nazi occupation, it became a symbol of what was at stake when the Germans planned to round up Danish Jews in October 1943.
The Great Synagogue continues to serve Copenhagen's Jewish community and offers guided tours that include exhibits about Danish Jewish history and the rescue operation during World War II. The building stands as a monument to the survival of Danish Jewry.
Visit: Great Synagogue of Copenhagen (historic site)
Government center — Occupied Danish Parliament
While Annemarie doesn't visit the palace, it represents the Danish government that was forced to cooperate with Nazi Germany. The collaboration government operated from here under German oversight, creating the political climate that endangered Ellen's family and made the resistance movement necessary.
Christiansborg Palace has housed the Danish Parliament since 1918. During the Nazi occupation from 1940-1945, the Danish government continued to function here under German control until 1943, when tensions increased and the resistance movement grew stronger.
Christiansborg Palace remains the seat of the Danish Parliament and also houses the Prime Minister's office and the Supreme Court. Tours are available of the royal reception rooms, and the palace's history during the occupation is documented in exhibitions.
Visit: Christiansborg Palace (historic site)
Waters between Denmark and Sweden — Path to freedom
Uncle Henrik's fishing boat crosses these treacherous waters to ferry Jewish refugees to safety in Sweden. Ellen's parents make this dangerous journey, and these are the waters that represent the thin line between capture and freedom. The strait's crossing is the culmination of all the resistance efforts in the story.
The Øresund Strait, only 4 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, became a lifeline during the Holocaust. Danish and Swedish fishermen used these waters to transport over 7,000 Jewish refugees to safety in Sweden during the remarkable rescue operation of October 1943.
The Øresund is now crossed by the famous Øresund Bridge connecting Copenhagen and Malmö, Sweden. The waters remain busy with commercial and recreational boat traffic, and several monuments along both coasts commemorate the wartime rescue operations.
Visit: Øresund Bridge (landmark)
Churchill Park — Documenting wartime courage
Though built after the events of the novel, this museum tells the story of people like Uncle Henrik and the real-life heroes who inspired characters like Lise Johansen. It documents the resistance movement that Annemarie's family secretly supported and the rescue operation that saved Ellen's people.
The Museum of Danish Resistance was established in 1957 to document and preserve the history of Danish resistance during World War II. It chronicles the occupation period from 1940-1945 and the remarkable rescue of Danish Jews in October 1943.
The museum houses extensive exhibits about the resistance movement, including personal stories, artifacts, and documentation of the Jewish rescue operation. It provides historical context for understanding the real events that inspired Lois Lowry's novel.
Visit: Museum of Danish Resistance (museum)
More by Lois Lowry: The Giver locations map · All Lois Lowry books
Other nearby maps: Berlin Noir by Philip Kerr locations map · Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman locations map