From Vikings to Royalty

With the threat of rain in the afternoon, we hopped on a train and rode out to Roskilde (ROSS-killa) so we could enjoy the best part of the day outside. Roskilde is only 18 miles west of Copenhagen on a long narrow fiord that was once home to Danish royalty. In the mid-1000s, the people had to barricade the channel to prevent their enemies from entering the town, so they sank 5 Viking ships across one channel and left open a channel that only the locals could navigate. 900 years later, acting on a rumor that there were ships in the fiord, divers went searching and found them. It took 25 years to recover, preserve and assemble the remains of these ships. Boatbuilders then recreated each of the five boats using 11th century tools and techniques using the recovered Viking ships as models so that they can sail the seas today. 

I said the town was the home to royalty. We walked through the Roskilde Domkirke and got a history lessen while looking at the many tombs and crypts of Danish kings and queens.  The cathedral was first a wooden church built by Harold Bluetooth in 985.  It burned and another stone structure was put on the exact spot. Starting in 1170 the present church was started and has been added to many times  by successive kings to accommodate their burials. The most recent burial was of King Frederick IX in 1985. 

The organ dates back to 1425 with additions and changes in 1654. It was renovated in 1991. Each King and queen had their own room and some were ornate, some plain and some had marble sculptures.  There was even a room for the children who had died

Just as the train pulled into the station to take us back to Copenhagen it started raining - what timing! It stopped long enough for us to explore Tivoli Gardens - an amusement park in the middle of the city. Elton John performed there last Monday and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are there tonight. The rides were built over the restaurants. We counted 43 sit down eateries!!  The Boys Drum and Fife Youth Corps marched past as we tried some wine at one of the restaurants. 

Dinner in the Meat Packing District was fantastic!!

Kings and Churches

After having toured with a guide for over a week, I got to practice being a guide for John.  He didn't appreciated my efforts!!  How dare he! I worked so hard on reading the descriptions from my phone while walking and trying to look for myself.  

We toured Rosenborg Castle and Treasury, Christianshavn, Our Savior's Church and Christiansborg Palace.  We walked over 20,000 steps and climbed well over 500 stairs.  We feel we've seen Copenhagen from the inside to the outside today.

Rosenborg Castle was built in the early 1600's by King Christian IV, one of Denmark's greastest monarchs.  His name is evident almost everywhere we look in Copenhagen.  The palace as a whole is smaller than some we have toured and less grand but it has a very lived in feel to it.  A couple of unique features is the speaking tube that runs through the building to other rooms on the same level or to the kitchen or wine cellar.  There is also floor vents in the diningroom that can be opened so that the music being played one floor down could be heard while dining.  The castle contained many collectables such as china, porcelain, ivory carvings, gold  and silver knick knacks and much more.  We even saw 1640 wine in bottles.  Also the never ending paintings and tapestries.

A short walk away was the area of town called Christianshavn or Christiania where in 1971 squatters took over a military base and created a commune.  Today they are still there but instead of seeing it as a run down area full of junkies, it is a tourist attraction that is still run down.  They don't have hard drugs in the are but you can see and smell pot all over the place! We had a great lunch but turned down brownies for desert!

Not far from there is Our Savior Lutheran Church (Vor Frelsers Kirke) built in 1696.  It has had a recent restoration so it looks very clean and modern except for the ornately carved wood decorated pipe organ supported by two elephants (a royal symbol of the prestigious Order of the Elephant).  The building is topped by a bell tower that has spiral stair steps to the top that we hiked up.  398 steps for a magnificant view of Copenhagen.

Not tired yet (but close) we toured Christiansborg Palace.  The current palace was built in 1928 but it stands on top of the remains of 6 other palaces from 800 years ago.  These either crumpled or burned down.  The current palace has some items that were saved from the last fire.  This is where Queen Margrethe II impresses visitors from the library and dining room to the reception rooms and the thrown room.

Now we are tired and it is trying to rain. 

Copenhagen

Regent Cruises has disembarkation down to a science. We left one of our bags in the hall last night so by the time we were ready to leave, everyone's bags we're sorted in order of departure and the taxi cabs lined up, ready to go. We were lucky that our hotel had one room ready for us so we could head out to sightsee. 

We took a self-guided walk through the heart of Copenhagen.  We decided to not stop at any one site but to see what we could and go back another day to get a closer look. It is cooler today than yesterday and will be even cooler the rest of the week with slight chances of rain. This way we could go to the museums to stay dry. 

This is the home of Hans Christian Andersen so we had to see his statue.  There are many wonderful old buildings from City Hall to numerous churches, the University to fountains and from numerous small squares lined with cafe tables to the extremely busy pedestrian shopping street called "The Stroget" (STROY-et). 

We took a canal cruise and saw the Opera House, the Royal Danish Theatre, a palace, lots of boats, and the back of The Little Mermaid.