The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen habour
|
The etymology of the word Denmark, and especially the relationship between Danes and Denmark and the unifying of Denmark as a single Kingdom is a subject that attracts some debate. The debate is centered primarily around the prefix 'Dan' and whether it refer to the Dani or a historical person Dan and the exact meaning of the -mark ending.
The earliest mention of the word "Denmark" in Denmark itself is found on the two rune stones at Jelling, believed to have been erected by Gorm the Old (c. 955) and Harald Bluetooth (c. 965). The larger is often attributed as Denmark's birth certificate, though both use the word Denmark, in the form of (acc.)
A statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour at Langelinie. This small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and a major tourist attraction.
The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg, after he had been fascinated by a ballet about the fairytale. The sculptor Edvard Eriksen created the statue, which was unveiled on 23 August 1913. He used his wife Eline Eriksen as the model.
The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy.
Hans Christian Andersen is known beyond Denmark for his fairy tales, such as The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, and The Ugly Duckling.
The capital city of Copenhagen includes the Tivoli gardens, the Amalienborg Palace (home of the Danish monarchy), and The Little Mermaid sculpture.
The Kingdom of Denmark commonly known as Denmark, is a nation situated in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries. The mainland is bordered to the south by Germany; Denmark is located to the southwest of Sweden and the south of Norway. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland (Jylland) and a large number of islands, most notably Zealand (Sjælland), Funen (Fyn), Vendsyssel-Thy, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. Denmark has long controlled the approach to the Baltic Sea, and these waters are also known as the Danish straits. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are autonomous provinces of Denmark with home rule.
During the 8th-11th centuries, the Danes were known as Vikings, together with Norwegians and Swedish Geats. Viking explorers first discovered and settled Iceland in the 9th century, on their way toward the Faroe Islands. From there, Greenland and Vinland (Newfoundland) were also settled. Utilizing their great skills in shipbuilding they raided and conquered parts of France and the British Isles. But they also excelled in trading along the coasts and rivers of Europe, running trade routes from Greenland in the north to Constantinople in the south via Russian rivers. The Danish Vikings were most active in the British Isles and Western Europe, and they raided, conquered and settled parts of England (their earliest settlements included Danelaw, Ireland, France, Normandy).The Danes were united and officially Christianized in 965 AD by Harald Blåtand, the story of which is recorded on the Jelling stones.
The second biggest city in Denmark is Aarhus. Aarhus is an old Viking Age city and one of the oldest cities in the country. The biggest cathedral in Denmark and the second biggest cathedral in Northern Europe is Aarhus Cathedral.
Denmark has long been a center of cultural innovation. Its capital, Copenhagen, and its multiple outlying islands have a wide range of folk traditions, while an extensive recording industry has produced pop stars and a host of performers from a multitude of genres. The famous drummer Lars Ulrich from Metallica is from Denmark.
The cuisine of Denmark, like that in the other Nordic countries (Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden), as well as that of northern Germany, its neighbour to the south, consists mainly of meat and fish. This stems from the country's agricultural past, as well as its geography and climate of long, cold winters.
Traditional Danish food includes frikadeller (fried meatballs, often served with potatoes and various sorts of gravy), karbonader/krebinetter (another sort of fried meatballs), steaks and so on, usually eaten with potatoes. Fish is also widely eaten, especially on the west coast of Jutland. A traditionally favourite condiment, remoulade, is eaten with french fries, on fried plaice, on salami or roast beef sandwiches. Smoked fish dishes (herring, mackerel, eel) from local smoking houses or røgerier, especially on the island of Bornholm, are increasingly popular.
Legoland - theme park in Billund. Denmark's largest tourist attraction outside Copenhagen, with 1.6m visitors annually. Fantastic large scale models in Lego including the Royal Palace in Copenhagen, downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, a North Sea oil rig (with helicopters), and many others. Lots of excellent rides. Well laid out and well organized. A must for children of all ages. Just 1 Km from Billund Airport in Jylland.
West Denmark - the North Sea Coast - West DenmarkCoastal resorts : Blåvand,Vejers,Henne Strand
Ribe - Denmark's oldest town. Just to the south, the excellent Ribe Viking Center recreates town life in Viking and medieval times, with faithfully reconstructed buildings, a lively market place, craft displays, working farm with Viking crops and animals, horses to ride, etc.
Haraldskaer Woman - Display of well preserved Iron Age mummy in St. Nicolai Church, Vejle
Roskilde - Viking ship museum and cathedral. Also home of the famous Roskilde Festival, and of Roskilde Domkirke; the cathedral in which almost every Danish king and queen are buried. Roskilde is a former capital of Denmark.
Hornbæk, Gilleleje, Tisvildeleje, and Liseleje - Popular beach towns in north Zealand
Den Gamle By - "The Old Town" in Ã…rhus. Denmark's brilliant National Open Air Museum of Urban History.
Den Fynske Landsby Funen Village in Odense. Open air museum of 18th.Century farm buildings.http://museum.odense.dk/Den_Fynske_Landsby/DFLOnline.aspx
Skagen - Picturesque town at the very top of Jutland, visit the Grenen beach and nature reserve where you can stand with one foot in the North Sea and the other in the Baltic (in summer) or gaze at the stormy seas (in winter). Also home of Denmark's post-impressionist painters in the late 19th century; excellent art museum.
Elsinore (Helsingør) - famous for Kronborg Castle, the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet, located north of Copenhagen. Within the castle there's a museum about Shakespeare.
If you happen to be a lover of music, the city of Aarhus offers you everything from symphony performances to theatres, apart from the Den Gamle By (The Old Town), which is an open-air theatre and the city's piece de resistance.
|
The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen habour
