So once again, I hope you'll enjoy a selection of pictures I've taken on our wanderings with more to follow in the future.
So here we are, another country and another new home. Since I've been to Denmark before (see here) on more than one occasion this move was not so 'unknown' as my/our other moves. The ancestral home of my husband Jens, Denmark is a lovely country with friendly people and wonderful scenery so this change of environment was met with much enthusiasm. Only three weeks have passed but we have already covered a few miles on foot (and by train) discovering our new local neigbourhood and all it has to offer. There is plenty to see and do from wonderful woodland walks to nightclubs, restaurants, and during summer, (I'm told) a wonderful artists scene - bring it on! :) So once again, I hope you'll enjoy a selection of pictures I've taken on our wanderings with more to follow in the future.
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Recently Jens and I did a cross country trip through Denmark and a small part of Germany to Hamburg. We set the SatNav (or as we endearingly called her 'Sieglinde') to 'no highways' and off we went; visiting many parts of Denmark that even the natives rarely see. My husband having an infinity with all things historic was the guide & commentator for most of the trip. Hence we had a wonderful time visiting his historical roots and stepping back into an ancient and not so ancient part of Denmark's history. I hope you enjoy a taste of our trip and a small selection of the nearly 2000 photos that I took. Starting our journey in Glückstadt, Germany. Glückstadt is a lovely market town by the river Elbe. We spent a couple of days there catching up with old family friends whilst enjoying plenty of German food and hospitality. Hedeby Our next stop was Hedeby which was a heavily fortified viking trading station. SchleswigMoving on to Schleswig another lovely German town by the sea. Denmark. Dybbøl Banke is where the Danish-Prussian war of 1864 took place in which Prussian troops stormed the Danish fortifications (at the Dybbøl Heights). In the post-war negotiations, Denmark lost all of Slesvig and Holstein to the Germans. Below are pictures of reconstructed fortifications from that time and the ruins of the German victory monument in which Danish resistant fighters blew up in 1945. Dybbøl Mølle (Mill) This mill was in the middle of the battlefield in the 1864 war and has been shot to pieces 3 times. It is a famous national symbol of Danishness. Sønderborg Slot. (castle) Sønderborg Castle began probably as a fortified tower constructed by Valdemar the Great in 1158. It is also close to where Jens went to Military academy - a little later than 1158. :) Jelling & Ladby Skibbet (ship) The Jelling stones are massive carved runestones from the 10th century, found at the town of Jelling in Denmark. The older of the two Jelling stones was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra. The larger of the two stones was raised by King Gorm's son, Harald Bluetooth in memory of his parents, celebrating his conquest of Denmark and Norway, and his conversion of the Danes to Christianity. The runic inscriptions on these stones are considered the most well known in Denmark. - The Ladby ship is a major ship burial, of the type also represented by the boat chamber grave of Hedeby and the ship burials of Oseberg, Borre, Gokstad and Tune in South Norway, all of which date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. It is the only ship burial discovered in Denmark. (Information nicked from Wikipedia. :) Koldinghus Koldinghus is a Danish royal castle in the town of Kolding on the south central part of the Jutland peninsula. The castle was founded in the 13th century and was expanded since with many functions ranging from fortress, royal residency, ruin, museum, and the location of numerous wartime negotiations. The castle was originally founded by Christoffer I in 1268 but the oldest remaining part of buildings is the north side facing the castle lake originally built by king Christoffer III (1441–1448). The western side was later built by king Christian I (1448–1481). King Christian III built the south side and the small towers in the courtyard. Today the restored castle functions as a museum containing collections of furniture from the 16th century to present, Roman and Gothic church culture, older Danish paintings, crafts focused on ceramics and silver and shifting themed exhibitions. - Thank you Wikipedia. :) Skagen (The northern most point of Denmark) Skagen is the northern most tip of Denmark. Two seas come together to form very interesting wave patterns as can be seen in the pic with my husband standing in them. Unfortunately when we visited Skagen it was raining so much that most of my pictures have rain drops on them so here is just a taste of our adventure to the topmost tip of Denmark. For more information see here. Borremose (fortified Iron age village complete with rogue cows.) Borremose is famous for being the finding site of more than three bog bodies (Late Bronze Age) (Thorvildsen 1947)(Glob 1969), as well as a fortified settlement from the middle part of Pre-Roman Iron Age (400-100 BC) - Not the highlight of our trip for me. :P Gammel Estrup Slot (Manor) The manor as we know it today was build in 1490. But excavations have revealed evidence of earlier constructions also mentioned in texts under the name Essendrup dating back to 1340. The construction of Gammel Estrup was started by the contentious Lave Brock. But it was his great-grandson, Eske Brock who most people today think of in connection with the manor. Eske Brock was a nobleman and close friend of King Christian IV to whom he also served as a minister. Through Brock's detailed diaries we know a great deal about the King's life. From 1930 the manor has served as a museum, showing the development of Danish nobility through the ages. The surrounding buildings support the museum, the nearby apple plantation and a horticulture research center. - Thanks again Wikipedia. Fyrkat Viking Village This reconstructed Viking fortress was a wonderful 'step back in time' experience where you can watch people reconstructing how people of old lived & worked. Here you can find more information about Fyrkat Viking fortress. Egeskov Slot Egeskov castle (slot) is Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle - meaning it is completely surrounded by moats and waterways. We could have spent all day wandering around this lovely castle and it's grounds however the weather wasn't very kind and we hope to go back and explore the grounds properly one day. Inside the castle is a treasure trove of history, splendor & decadence. It was built in the 14th century and continues to be owned and lived in by a private family who graciously open the castle grounds and interior for us mere mortals to wander around dreaming. Unfortunately no flash was allowed in the building and outside was dark and grey so the pictures are somewhat gloomy - never mind another excuse to go back. For anyone wanting more information and a history of the castle, this can all be found here: http://www.egeskov.dk/en Jaegerspris Slot & cemetery. Jægerspris Castle (Danish: Jægerspris Slot), in Jægerspris on the Hornsherred peninsula west of Copenhagen, is a Danish manor house. It has belonged to the Danish monarchs for most of its history which dates back to the 13th century. In the 1850s it became a retreat for King Frederik VII and his morganatic wife Countess Danner, who sought refuge there to escape the controversy their marriage had caused among the establishment in Copenhagen. After the king's death, Countess Danner turned it into an asylum for women. Today the castle serves as a historic house museum and is also noted for its park. Look here for more information - thanks again Wikipedia. :) - I loved this place and it's history. After King Frederik VII died his wife didn't sit idle. Her legacy lives on in all the good works she did and continues to do after death via her foundation the Frederick VII's Foundation for Poor Women from the Working Class, and the house was called "The Danner House". On her death, she left Jægerspris Castle "to the benefit of poor and destitute servant girls". Julianehøj Julianehøj is a 3000BC burial mound that was restored as a memorial to his mother Queen Juliana Maria by her son Frederik. It sits just across the road from Jægerspris Castle and is well worth a visit. Trelleborg Viking Fortress Details of Trelleborg Viking fortress can be found here. Stevnsfordtet military museum (fortress) One of the highlights of the trip for my husband was this cold war military museum. For more information see here. Marielyst town and bonus antique car exhibition. Whilst taking in the sites at Marielyst antique cars & motorbikes kept coming past us. Curious, we hopped in our car and headed in the same direction only to find a wonderful Antique car exhibition which apparently is held in a local car park every Wednesday during tourist season. :) - Pictures taken with my phone. :) Ny kobing Falster - Medieval centreThis wonderful replica Medieval town was a delight to wander around. Heaps of people interacting with ye folks of old. More details of this town can be found here. King Humble's grave (tomb) More information can be found here. One of my favourite countries and the homeland of my husband Jens. Denmark is a mixture of staid and uniform architecture with a laid back lifestyle. The people are friendly but watch out for the hundreds of bikes that wizz past you in Copenhagen. I love the idea of peddle power but my head nearly falls off trying to swivel this way and that to avoid them.
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