We weren't sure if going north in November was a great idea, but we thought we'd give it a try - it was off-season so at least there wouldn't be crowds. This was the first city where we bought the sightseeing card - the one in Copenhagen was great because it included train travel within the region, which we took advantage of.
Our hotel was nice and close to central station (another travel rule of ours) and so we took an early train to Roskilde, the old capital of the Danish Empire. The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century.
I particularly like this photo -
From the cathedral, we walked towards the Viking Ship Museum. Around the year 1070, five Viking ships were deliberately sunk at Skuldelev in Roskilde Fjord in order to block the most important fairway and to protect Roskilde from enemy attack from the sea. These ships, later known as the Skuldelev ships, were excavated in 1962. They turned out to be five different types of ships ranging from cargo ships to ships of war. The museum was built to hold the ships and even has a shipyard where they make ships in the old manners - including finding trees with the right shape for the design and doing everything by hand.
We went into the shipyard, which was closed for winter (the only downside to going North during the winter is that most attractions had limited or shortened hours), but there happened to be someone working. He and Wes had a long conversation about the tools and his work.
The museum overlooks Roskilde Fjord.
The next day we went to Helsingør, which is home to Kronborg is a castle and star fortress that is said to be the inspiration for Elsinore, the castle in Shakespeare's Hamlet. The castle is situated at the narrowest point between Sweden and Denmark, which is about 4km. The castle was used by the army from the 1700s and as a tax collection outpost until the mid-1800s.
Around 1580, Frederik II commissioned about 40 tapestries featuring no fewer than 113 Danish kings. To reach this number, all sorts of legendary kings were included. The one below is well known because of the differences in the legs.
We then took a tour of the casemates - the spaces within the walls of the star shaped fortress.
According to legend, a Danish king known as Ogier the Dane, was taken to Avalon by Morgan le Fay.
He returned to rescue France from danger, then traveled to Kronborg
castle, where he sleeps until he is needed to save his homeland. His
beard has grown to extend along the ground. A statue of the sleeping
Ogier has been placed in the castle.
During the sieges of the castle during history, the soldiers lived in these casemates. Not so ideal when you think about the fact that they flooded sometimes...
That's Sweden in the background!
Pretty!
We headed back to Copenhagen and to the Round Tower. It was one of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, built as an observatory. Interesting part - instead of stairs, it was a huge ramp within the tower.
Afterwards we had dinner at the Atlas bar, a recommendation by Frommers. Good thing we were there early otherwise we wouldn't have gotten in!
Wes had the shark.
Mine was vegetarian, but I can't remember exactly what it was...
After dinner we went to Tivoli, which is a year-round carnival/fair in the middle of town.
Everything was lit up like crazy. We also had really bad apple cider, seriously yucky.
Our last day was full of museums, specifically the Danish history museum - it was really well done!
I got lazy - but seriously the museum can explain way better than I can...
We couldn't leave Copenhagen without seeing the crown jewels of Denmark. We had to wander through a park to get to the old castle.
They had these awesome gold figures.
Copenhagen was an enjoyable city but I think we were a bit lucky in that it was mild for November.
Our hotel was nice and close to central station (another travel rule of ours) and so we took an early train to Roskilde, the old capital of the Danish Empire. The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century.
I particularly like this photo -
From the cathedral, we walked towards the Viking Ship Museum. Around the year 1070, five Viking ships were deliberately sunk at Skuldelev in Roskilde Fjord in order to block the most important fairway and to protect Roskilde from enemy attack from the sea. These ships, later known as the Skuldelev ships, were excavated in 1962. They turned out to be five different types of ships ranging from cargo ships to ships of war. The museum was built to hold the ships and even has a shipyard where they make ships in the old manners - including finding trees with the right shape for the design and doing everything by hand.
The museum overlooks Roskilde Fjord.
The next day we went to Helsingør, which is home to Kronborg is a castle and star fortress that is said to be the inspiration for Elsinore, the castle in Shakespeare's Hamlet. The castle is situated at the narrowest point between Sweden and Denmark, which is about 4km. The castle was used by the army from the 1700s and as a tax collection outpost until the mid-1800s.
That's Sweden in the background!
Pretty!
We headed back to Copenhagen and to the Round Tower. It was one of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, built as an observatory. Interesting part - instead of stairs, it was a huge ramp within the tower.
Afterwards we had dinner at the Atlas bar, a recommendation by Frommers. Good thing we were there early otherwise we wouldn't have gotten in!
Wes had the shark.
After dinner we went to Tivoli, which is a year-round carnival/fair in the middle of town.
Everything was lit up like crazy. We also had really bad apple cider, seriously yucky.
Our last day was full of museums, specifically the Danish history museum - it was really well done!
I got lazy - but seriously the museum can explain way better than I can...
We couldn't leave Copenhagen without seeing the crown jewels of Denmark. We had to wander through a park to get to the old castle.
Copenhagen was an enjoyable city but I think we were a bit lucky in that it was mild for November.
