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police have a policy of not fining for small amounts of cannabis and
for the most part tolerate the trade in Christiania, but they do
sometimes patrol the area. Tourists should think twice before abusing
the liberal attitudes and good will of the Danish officials. Also,
don't take photos of Christiania or Christianians, they won't like it
and you may have your film taken from you if do.
Legal intoxicants can be tried out by taking a guided excursion to the
two major Danish breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg. Tuborg is located in
the suburb of Hellerup in northern Copenhagen, Strandvejen 54,
excursions are Monday-Friday 10 a.m, 12.30 and 2.30 p.m. Carlsberg
breweries are at Ny Carlsbergvej (at the Elephant Gate; take bus 16
from Rådhuspladsen toward Sydhavn), excursions Monday-Friday at 11 a.m
and 2 p.m. Carlsberg has always been a major patron of the arts in
Denmark, and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (near the Tivoli gardens),
which houses a collection of antique artifacts as well as French and
Danish art, is well worth a visit. Nyhavn canal close to Kongens
Nytorv square is a popular place to walk around; there's also a H. C.
Andersen exhibition at Nyhavn 69. Statens Museum før Kunst (Sølvgade
48-50) is the Danish National Gallery; European masters and Danish
art. Nationalmuseet (National Museum) has, among other things, a
splendid collection of unique prehistoric finds (rich, well-preserved
bronze age bog-finds, the Gundestrup Cauldron, the Solvagn, Viking age
gold treasures, etc) and an exhibition of Eskimo culture. North of
Copenhagen lies Frilandsmuseet: open air museum of the history of folk
architecture in Denmark and the formerly Danish part of Sweden (Skåne)
- it can be accessed by train or bus.
3.4.3 Zealand and surrounding islands
* Hillerød: Frederiksborg Castle
* Roskilde: the cathedral and, as long as you're there, the Viking
Ship Museum.
* Louisiana art museum has excellent collections of contemporary
art, while Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek concentrates on older sculpture
and painting.
* The view from the top of the City Hall (Radhuset) is not to be
missed.
3.4.4 Bornholm
* Bornholm: an island in the Baltic, easily reached by overnight
ferry from the Copenhagen waterfront. Well worth a few days--or
even a week, if you're in a mood for leisurely exploration.
(There's also a ferry from Bornholm to Sweden, making Bornholm a
convenient stopover on a tour through Scandinavia.)
3.4.5 Fyn and surrounding islands
* Odense, the largest town of Fyn, has Hans Christian Andersen's
birthplace [someone could add something here]
3.4.6 Jutland
Compared to Sealand and Copenhagen, Jutland has not many castles etc.
to offer. Jutland's main asset is nature, which spans a wide spectrum
from lakes, hills, and forests (very like the landscape of Sealand and
Funen) to heaths, moors, marsh and dunes, unique to the Jutland
landscape. Some of Europe's finest beaches are found on Jutland's
North Sea coast.
Here is a brief description of some of the attractions in Jutland -
going from south to north.
* Sønderjylland:
This part of the country was the northern part of the duchy of
Schleswig - a Danish "dominion". It was ceded from 1864 to 1920
(see history section) and became re-unified with Denmark after a
referendum. Close to Sønderborg, the windmill and embankments of
Dybbøl is part of the national heritage. It was here that Denmark
was defeated in the 1864 war against Austria and Prussia. Further
west, the marshlands and dikes form a unique landscape with an
abundant bird life. The islands of Rømø and Fanø are popular
resorts.
* Vejle and the Jelling Stones:
In south-east Jutland the city of Vejle is a good starting point
for an excursion. On both sides of the Vejle Fjord there are
beautiful beech forests with some (for Danish conditions)
unusually steep hills. The train from Vejle to Jelling will take
you through the Grejs Valley; again with some unusually hilly
terrain and beautiful forests. In the village of Jelling the
"Birth Certificate" of Denmark can be studied: Two large stones
with runic inscriptions set by King Harald Blåtand for his father
Gorm den Gamle (Gorm the Old) and his mother Thyra. The
inscriptions on the stones are some of the oldest known writings
in "Danish" translating approximately as: "Harald had this stone
made, for his father Gorm and his mother Thyra; the Harald who
united all of Denmark and Norway and christianized the Danes". Two
large burial mounds adjacent to the stones are popularly believed
to be the graves of Gorm and Thyra.
* Billund:
About 28 km west of Vejle is the small (but world famous) town of
Billund - home to the Lego factories and Legoland. It's not just
for kids. The centerpiece is "Miniland", a great many models of
cities, palaces, and harbors, all made of Legos and constructed in
scale of 20-to-1. The Amalienborg Palace is there, and Bavaria's
Neuschwandstein Castle, and a Dutch town, and a Norwegian fishing
village, and an oil refinery, and trains, and Mount Rushmore, and
the U.S. Capitol, and zebras, and rabbits, and much more. Many of
the exhibits have moving parts: boats are drawn up into dry dock,
trucks pick up loads, bridges rise and fall, and so on. The DSB
(state railway) sells a very attractively priced ticket at the
central train station in Copenhagen: DKK 344 round trip (as of May
1994), including transfer to the Vejle-Billund bus and admission
to the park.
The town also has Denmark's second largest airport with many
European connections. "Museum Center Billund" houses a collection
of vintage cars and aircraft.
* "Lake District":
Further north-east you enter the "Jutland Highlands" and the "Lake
District" - the area between Horsens, Silkeborg, and Skanderborg.
The world's oldest still-operating paddle steamer will take you on
a sightseeing tour of the lakes. On the southern shore of one of
the lakes is "Sky Mountain" (Himmel-bjerget), so named for its
astonishing height -- 147 meters! There is a nice look-out from
the tower on top of Himmelbjerget.
* Århus:
North-east of the Lake District is Århus, Denmark's second city,
which offers a wide range of things worth seeing.
The Moesgaard Museum is located in a forest some 15 km south of
the city center (bus #6) and it gives a splendid display of
prehistoric Denmark. The museum's main attraction is the Grauballe
Man, a ~2000 year old body found in a bog in eastern Jutland in
1952. Also in the city center you will find museums, e.g. the
Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art, both located in
the southern part of the university campus (which BTW is well
worth visiting in its own right). You will also find lots of
restaurants, cafes, places with live music etc. The concert hall
(Musikhuset) opposite the City Hall was completed in 1982 and is
home to the Jutland Opera and the Århus Symphony Orchestra.
The university campus is both a beautiful park and a good example
of Danish architecture (by Danish architect C.F.Møller). The
university is an architectural unity where there is no random
mixing of different styles as at many other campuses; the same
simple (some might say barren) design with yellow bricks has been
maintained right from the first buildings of the 1930's to
present-day new constructions.
Århus' main attraction, however, has to be the museum "The Old
Town" (Den Gamle By). This is a collection of old houses from all
over Denmark, carefully dismantled at their original sites and
re-erected at this open-air museum adjacent to the Botanical
Gardens, within walking distance from the city center.
* The "Mid West":
In the central and western parts of Jutland you find the infertile
moor which is probably the closest Denmark has to a "wilderness".
In late summer the purple heather provides a nice setting for a
long hike. Last century large parts of the moor were converted
into plantations and farmland. This was a consequence of the
defeat in the war in 1864; the pioneer of moor plantation E. M.
Dalgas put it like this (approximately): "What was lost abroad
must be won at home".
West of Viborg there are two old chalk mines (Daugbjerg and
Mønsted) with guided tours. Further west there is an open-air
museum at Hjerl Hede with a display of iron age life. At the west
coast the large lagoon Ringkøbing Fjord is home to a bird
sanctuary - Tipperne. Also the tongue of land separating the Fjord
from the North Sea is a popular resort.
* The Limfjord and Himmerland:
The western part of the Limfjord is great for yachting. The island
of Mors in the Limfjord has many splendid landscapes, e.g., the
cliff of Hanklit at the northern part of the island. The porous
clay (called mo-ler) of this cliff consists of zillions of
fossilized diatomers, and this type of clay is not found anywhere
else in the World. Another large bird sanctuary can be found at
Bygholm Vejle 20 km east of the city of Thisted. This marshland is
a result of a failed draining project, and the would- have- been
farmland is now left in a "neither land nor fjord" state. Close to
the city Hobro between Århus and Ålborg you find the remains of a
circular Viking fort called "Fyrkat". A Viking house has been
rebuilt there as accurately as possible.
In the middle of Himmerland (the landscape between Hobro and
Ålborg) the Rold Forest and the Rebild Hills (Rebild Bakker) are
found. Every year, the beautiful hills at Rebild are home to what
is said to be the largest 4th of July celebration outside the USA.
There is also a small museum showing aspects of life of Danish
immigrants in the USA in the 19th century.
* Ålborg and Nørresundby:
Like Århus, the city of Ålborg at the eastern part of the Limfjord
provides lots of city entertainment like bars, restaurants,
museums, a zoo and an amusement park. On the northern side of the
Limfjord in Nørresundby is one of Scandinavia's largest Viking
burial sites, the "Lindholm Hills" (Lindholm Høje). The remains of
a big town from 600-1100 AD have been found.
For more information on Ålborg have a look at:
.
* North of the Limfjord - Vendsyssel:
As mentioned, the west coast of Jutland is more or less one long
beach. Especially the beaches of northern Jutland - facing the
Skagerrak - are excellent. But treat the ocean with respect; each
year people unfamiliar with the North Sea do silly things like
drifting to sea on air mattresses etc. Also, the surf and current
can be strong some days. The resorts of Blokhus and Løkken are
among the most popular (and thus the most crowded) in Scandinavia.
Løkken offers a range of hotels and camp grounds as well as
restaurants and some night life.
Further north, the small hamlet of Lønstrup is a scaled-down
version of Løkken; however, the coast line is somewhat different
with rather steep slopes and cliffs. Just south of Lønstrup there
is an old light-house at Rubjerg Knude. The lighthouse was
abandoned in 1968 when the sand dunes grew taller than the
lighthouse itself. Some years ago it was converted into a museum
with displays on the problems of sand migration, but it will now
have to close because of ... yes, sand migration.
The city of Hirtshals is one of Denmark's most important fishing
ports and a gateway to Norway with ferries to Kristiansand and
Oslo. In 1981 a large North Sea research center was built, housing
a lot of Denmark's fishing research. The center also houses the
North Sea Museum - a nice exhibition and aquarium (including
seals), situated close to the highway leading to the ferry
terminal. The Hjørring-Hirtshals railway also stops at the North
Sea Center.
The coast line between Hirtshals and Skagen also has some
excellent beaches, which are generally much less crowded than the
ones in Blokhus or Løkken. Approaching Skagen, one passes the
migrating dune of "Råbjerg Mile". It is the largest of its kind in
northern Europe and gives you a small-scale Sahara feeling. The
dune migrates a distance of 8-10 m per year. Also, between Råbjerg
Mile and Skagen you will find "the buried church"; a church
abandoned due to problems with sand migration.
Skagen at the very top of Denmark was probably the first Danish
holiday resort. In the last century it became popular with a
school of Scandinavian painters, who were attracted to Skagen
because of the special light and reflections the two seas
(Skagerrak and Kattegat) give. (If the weather conditions are
right you can see waves from the two seas engage in a head-on
collision off the tip of Grenen.) The Museum of Skagen houses a
fine collection of the work of the Skagen painters. Another -
partly outdoor - museum "Skagens Fortidsminder" gives a good
impression of the local culture and history, which is almost 100%
based on fishing.
Approximately 40 km south of Skagen is the city of Frederikshavn,
naval base and home to Denmark's ice breakers. Frederikshavn has
ferry connections to Larvik, Oslo, and Moss (Norway) and to
Göteborg (Sweden).
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq34.html ]
------------------------------
Subject: 3.5 Danish literature
Skaldic poetry in the Danish language no doubt existed already in
before the Viking age, but none of it was written down except for some
Latinized versions later rendered by Saxo Grammaticus. Saxo's Gesta
Danorum (History of the Danes), which recounts the history of Denmark
up to 1186 and includes Danish versions (in a somewhat Christianized
form) the Scandinavian myths and sagas, including the earliest version
of the Hamlet story, is the first major Danish contribution to world
literature. In the middle ages also a large number of religious poetry
in Latin was written, as well as a great variety of folk ballads in
Danish, which are among the more significant achievements of medieval
Danish literature. German influence remained strong, however, up until
the Reformation, and only in the 1600's did Danish poets really start
writing in their own language.
In the early 18th century the French Enlightenment and English
rationalism started to influence Danish literary circles, and satires
became fashionable. As a result, the Danish drama was created by
Ludvig Holberg (born in Norway), whose joyous and witty comedies had
an enormous impact on all Scandinavian playwrights of the following
generations. Holberg may perhaps be called the father of modern Danish
literature.
In the latter half of 18th century, Johannes Ewald, a writer of lyric
poetry and heroic tragedies written in verse, was the foremost of
Danish authors. In the early 19th century Adam Oehlenschlager
introduced Romanticism in Denmark, while Steen Steensen Blicher
[portrait on the left] represented bleak, Danish realism. Among their
contemporaries were the two perhaps most famous figures of Danish
literature throughout the ages: the fairy tale writer Hans Christian
Andersen (1805-75) [portrait on the right] and the philosopher Søren
Kierkegaard (1813-55) whose influence was fully felt only with
20th-century existentialism. In the 1870's, romanticism was replaced
by naturalism, the most ardent advocate of which was the famous
literary critic Georg Brandes. He had much influence on e.g the
novelist Jens Peter Jacobsen, the poet Holger Drachmann, and the Nobel
Prize winners of 1917, Henrik Pontoppidan and Karl Gjellerup.
Major early 20th-century figures Danish literature were the
proletarian novelist Martin Andersen Nexø (1869 - 1954) and the poet
and novelist Johannes V. Jensen (who won a Nobel Prize in 1944). The
most famous of all modern Danish writers was Karen Blixen (pseudonym
Isak Dinesen), who wrote her gothic tales and African memoirs in
English. In the 1940s and 1950s, H.C. Branner wrote brilliant short
stories; the poet Thorkild Bjørnvig and the novelist Klaus Rifbjerg
won fame in the following decades. Among the young generation e.g.
Peter Høeg has recently won international fame with his best-seller
Smilla's Sense of Snow.
For electronic versions of some of the works of Nordic literature, see
the collection of Project Runeberg:
* Icelandic Literature
* Literature from the Viking Age
* Medieval Nordic Literature
* Danish Literature
* Norwegian Literature
* Literature of Finland
* Literature from the Age of Liberty [ in Sweden and Finland
(1719-1772) ]
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq353.html ]
------------------------------
Subject: 3.6 Faroe Islands
3.6.1 Fact Sheet
Name: Føroyar (Danish: Færøerne)
(Bokmål: Færøyene)
(Nynorsk: Færøyane)
(Swedish: Färöarna)
(Finnish: Färsaaret)
Autonomous region of Denmark
Head of state: Queen Margrethe II represented by a High Commissioner
Flag: a red Nordic cross outlined in blue on a white background,
dimensions (6-1-2-1-12 * 6-1-2-1-6)
Languages: Faroese, Danish (both official)
Administrative units: 7 counties (sýslur) each with several municipalities
Area: 1,399 km²
Terrain: 18 islands of volcanic origin, steep cliffs,
Land boundaries: None
Population: 48,065 (1993) - Much lower today, because of economic crisis
Life expectancy: male: 74.5 years, female: 81.5 years
Capital: Tórshavn (pop: 13,636)
Other major towns: Klaksvík (pop: 4,923 in 1987)
Religion: Evangelic-Lutheran (approximately 75%)
Currency: króna (Danish crown, DKK).
The Faroes issue their own bank notes but use Danish coins.
Climate: temperate sea-climate.
Average temp.: 3 C in the coldest month, 11 C in the warmest
Annual precipitation: 1430 mm
Natural resources: fish, sheep, potatoes, whaling
Exports: fish and fish products (88% of total export), ships
3.6.2 General information
The Faroe Islands consist of 18 islands of which only Koltur and Lítla
Dímun are unpopulated. The largest islands are Streymoy, Eysturoy,
Vágar, and Suðuroy.
The inhabitants of the Faroe Islands descend from the Viking settlers
who arrived in the 9th century and the pre-existing Celtic population.
Apart from fishing and sheep husbandry the Faroese have traditionally
also been netting birds, gathering eggs, and hunting the small pilot
whale. These activities remain an important supplement to the economy
in the Faroese society today. The Faroese have a rich cultural
heritage; language and customs (such as the old traditional Faroese
chain dance) are kept very much alive.
The parliament (Fa: Løgtingið, Da: Lagtinget) consists of 27-32
members. The government (Fa: Landsstýrið, Da: Landsstyret) has
executive power in all local affairs. The political parties in the
Faroe Islands cover the traditional left-right spectrum. But in
addition to that (and independent from that) there is another
political spectrum regarding the relations to Denmark; from unionists
over more-home-rule advocates to republicans. The Faroes elect two
members to the Danish parliament.
These days the Faroese must cope with the decline of the all-important
fishing industry and one of the world's heaviest per capita external
debts of nearly 30,000 USD. The fishing industry has been plagued with
bankruptcies. Denmark has threatened to withhold its annual subsidy of
130 million USD - roughly one-third of the islands' budget revenues -
unless the Faroese make significant efforts to balance their budget.
In addition to its annual subsidy, the Danish government has (through
the Faroese government) bailed out the second largest bank, the Føroya
Banki, to the tune of 140 million USD since October 1992.
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq361.html ]
3.6.3 History
ca.600 ?
Celtic settlers (Irish monks) make it to the Faroes.
ca.900
The Faroe Islands are colonized by Norwegian settlers.
1035
The Faroe Islands become a Norwegian dependency.
1380
Along with Norway, the Faroes become united with Denmark.
1709
The Faroes become (technically) a part of Zealand, Denmark.
1814
When Denmark cedes Norway in the peace treaty of Kiel, the
Faroes remain with Denmark.
1880
The independence movement starts.
1940-45
The Faroes are occupied by British forces during WWII. Trade
with the UK leads to economic growth. The Faroese flag is
commonly used since the UK does not tolerate the flag of
German-occupied Denmark.
1948
The Faroe Islands are granted autonomy within the Danish
Kingdom.
1973
When Denmark joins the European Community (EC) the Faroe
Islands choose to stay outside the EC.
1980s
Good prospects in the fishing industry lead the Faroes to
invest large sums in infrastructure to prevent depopulation of
small villages.
1990s
A recession in the fishing industry leaves the Faroes with a
large debt and in an economic crisis. Emigration to Denmark
increases.
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq363.html ]
3.6.4 Main tourist attractions
You can get to the Faroes by air from Copenhagen daily (Maersk Air and
Atlantic Airways). There are several weekly connections from Iceland
with Icelandair. The airport is located on the island of Vágar with a
bus-ferry-bus shuttle to Tórshavn. Also Smyril Line operates the ferry
Norröna during the summer months in cooperation with Scandinavian
Seaways. The ferry sails to Tórshavn from Esbjerg (Denmark) on
Saturdays; from Bergen (Norway) on Tuesdays; and from Seyðisfjörður
(Iceland) on Thursdays (1994 schedule). Strandfaraskip Landsins is
operating Smyril on the route to Scotland once a week.
There is an official camping site in Tórshavn and Selatrað. There are
a few youth hostels on the islands and a few hotels also. Camping can
be a somewhat wet experience since the weather is highly variable -
even for Nordic standards, but on a clear day the views are absolutely
breathtaking.
Popular places are the westernmost island of Mykines with its large
colonies of gannets (Súla; sea birds); - on Streymoy the ruins of the
never-finished Magnus Cathedral at Kirkjubøur, the tiny community of
Saksun with its magnificent fjord and the bird-cliffs between Saksun
and Vestmanna. Also, the capital Tórshavn is a very charming city with
small narrow streets and beautiful old houses in the center. On
Eysturoy some attractions are the rock formations "Risin og kellingin"
north of Eiði; the village of Gjógv with its very characteristic
natural harbour - and nice youth hostel. Also Slættaratindur, the
islands' highest point of 882 m is a popular destination for a hike.
< From: Durant Imboden >
- The Faroe Islands, a Danish dependency in the North Atlantic reached
via car ferry from Esbjerg on the Smyril Line. (It's a two-night
trip.) You can continue on to a fishing town in Eastern Iceland, if
you like, in which case you'll see some lovely and dramatic scenery as
you pass between the islands on the m/v Norröna.
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq364.html ]
3.6.5 Faroese literature and language
The Faroese language resembles both Icelandic and Western Norwegian
dialects. It is almost mutually intelligible with other North Germanic
languages - at least in its written form. The written form of Faroese
was established in the 19th century by Venzel Hammershaimb and modeled
after Icelandic with almost the same alphabet. Written Faroese
apperared rather late and at a time when the language was under strong
pressure from Danish, which had become the established language for
the church and civil servants of the Faroes. But when written Faroese
was established, it meant a great boost for Faroese culture and
language. Today the Faroes have one of the highest number of books
published per capita. The best known authors are William Heinesen
(1900-1991) and Heðin Brú (alias Hans Jacob Jacobsen, 1901-1987).
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq365.html ]
------------------------------
Subject: 3.7 Books for learning Danish
Dictionaries:
Gyldendals røde ordbøger (Gyldendal's red dictionaries)
Dansk-engelsk, ISBN 87-00-73972-3 (niende udgave, 10. oplag)
Engelsk-dansk, ISBN 87-01-09312-2 (11. udgave, 6. oplag)
These dictionaries are very much the standard dictionaries in use. In
the same series Gyldendal publishes Danish-German and Danish-French
dictionaries plus a couple of others.
They are, however, rather expensive in the States (over 100 dollars
the pair). Persons who are just starting out might buy the yellow
pocket-size Berlitz dictionary (ISBN 2-8315-0946-7), available in many
bookstores. Unlike the Gyldendals books, it does indicate
pronunciation, which can be a help to students. Readers might want to
stay away from the Hippocrene Practical Dictionary, which does not
indicate the genders of nouns.
Books for learning Danish:
Teach Yourself Danish, by H. A. Koefoed. Reissued as a paperback in 1995.
Colloquial Danish, by W Glyn Jones and Kirsten Gade
(available in pack of book + 2 cassettes, from the
publisher, Routledge: +1 212 244-3336 in New York;
there's also a London office)
Danish: A Grammar (same authors) (published by Gyldendal)
(available with cassettes and workbook)
A source in the U.S. for dictionaries and grammars of Nordic and other
languages is
IBD limited
24 Hudson Street
Kinderhook NY 12106
phone in USA: 1-800-343-3531
[ the sections above are available at the www-page
http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq37.html ]
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© Copyright 1994-98 by Antti Lahelma and Johan Olofsson.
You are free to quote this page as long as you mention the URL for the
original archive (as: ),
where the most recent version of this document can be found.
--
e-mail: jmo@lysator.liu.se
s-mail: Majeldsvägen 8a, 587 31 LINKÖPING, Sweden
www: http://www.lysator.liu.se/~jmo/
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