Dancing Through Denmark We Visit Ålborg and Copenhagen

Our welcoming committee

Twenty miles up the Limfjord (LIM fee ord) sound, at its narrowest point, lies our next stop—the Danish city of Ålborg (ALL burg). Because of its ideal location on the Limfjord, both for defense and trading purposes, Ålborg was established as a Viking trading post around 1000 A.D.

Situated in northwestern Denmark on the Jutland Peninsula, Ålborg is Denmark’s third most populous city with 210,000 persons. Early in the 20^th century, the city started to evolve as an industrial hub and by the 1930’s Ålborg was being promoted as Denmark’s new center for industry with textiles, spirits and liquors (i.e. aquavit), building materials, tobacco, and cement being the most prominent. This industrial expansion led to the nickname “the city of smoking chimneys.’ Today Ålborg is transitioning from a working-class industrial area to a knowledge-based community.

Ålborg Castle

Half-timbered construction

The Viking Sea had a late (1230), but very receptive arrival in Ålborg. The lateness was explained as the extra time it took to travel up the Limfjord, the receptiveness was due to a local band of residents who greeted us waving Danish flags in time to blaring music as we arrived at the pier. The only other port we had ever experienced such a reception was Adelaide, Australia.

Nytov Square

We think other ports, especially the smaller ones, should likewise show their appreciation for the benefits these ports of call bring. Goodwill is a two-way street.

The faux pax groom.

Our shore excursion was scheduled for 1430. We had lunch, gathered our excursion needs, and left the ship to meet our tour guide. Her name was Tova and as a little girl everyone told her her name was associated with the Norse gods and goddesses. She imagined that it might be a goddess of love, peace, or poetry. But no, she found out that her name is the feminine version of Tor, the god of thunder!

Olufsen's house (yellow)

Tova took our group to a square overlooking the Limfjord, and explained why the Vikings choose this sight. Indeed, the Vikings were conquerors and the constriction of the Limfjord allowed defense or harassment of anyone who passed that way. But the Vikings were also traders and this site allowed them access to trade on both sides of the sound.

Bang's house (center)

The square had a number of fountains that would shoot water intermittently and a naked little girl was jumping from fountain to fountain trying to get sprayed (and it wasn’t very warm)!

It started to rain as we viewed Ålborg Castle, built as a fortification in 1555. But Tova told us the castle was never approved as a fortification, because no one thought about the need for a water supply should there be a siege. Duh!

Olufsen's revenge!

It became the seat of the king’s provincial governors in Northern Jutland, and later it was used for tax collection. The castle is one of the finest examples of half-timbered architecture in this area with an expansive courtyard. We saw the castle’s dungeon, a horrifyingly small, low-ceilinged room with holes in the door for ventilation. Tova told us that there was one case where 9 women were convicted of witchcraft and lived in this ~90 ft² room for approximately 3 years before they were burned at the stake. Talk about torture, water boarding would have more tolerable! We explored the courtyard and then were taken to a Viking camp re-enactment replete with Viking costumes, weapons, armor, and drink. We were given cups of mead and drank a toast to the god Tor, before being turned loose to make purchases in the Viking market.

Ålborg street art

We followed our guide to Nytov Square in the central business district. Overwhelming the square are two huge houses next to each other, and according to Tova the story behind these structures goes like this: A very successfully rich merchant and mayor of Ålborg, Jørgen Olufsen, invited his younger half-brother, Jens (yens) Bang to come to Ålborg and set up shop and trade. When he offered Jens to live with him, Jens took one look at the house and told his half-brother that he could never live in such a place and that he would show his brother how to build a house.

Street scene

 He brought in some Dutch architects and built a mammoth, Dutch-Renaissance style house out of stone instead of half-timber construction that was completed in 1624. The house to this day was known as ‘Jens Bang’s Stone House.’ Insulted as he was, Jørgen and his fellow cronies on the city council started to make life difficult for Jens. Eventually he bought the property adjacent to Jens and erected a fine, but still not in the same class, home.

Old City Hall

But he did get revenge of sorts in several stone motifs that are incorporated in the wall facing Bang’s home! As we stood outside Bang’s house, a wedding party emerged from the Olufsen home and entered bang’s house. Capt. Larry wasn’t quick enough to capture the bride, but the groom lingered at the doorway and announced to the cheering, clapping crowd: ‘I think I have found the one!’ You THINK, buddy. This is something you should KNOW! Just glad the bride was inside and didn’t hear this faux pax.

Gate to Ålborg Kloster

One last interesting fact about the Bang house that Capt. Larry wishes he could have seen: for over 300 years it has housed the city’s oldest pharmacy. By the way, Capt. Larry apparently got so excited in seeing the bride that he didn't get a very good picture of Bang's house! Here's a link to some online images: Link to Jens Bang's House

We left the scene of the Bang and Olufsen spat and walked around the corner to the Old City Hall. Built in 1762 and in service until1912, this Late Baroque style building  is now used for ceremonial purposes.

The bride and groom

Passing though an outdoor classical concert that was sheltered from the rain, we arrived at Ålborg Kloster. Just as we entered the gate, another bridal party was exiting the Kloster. Capt. Larry was not so slow this time and caught the happy couple. Not religiously affiliated, the Kloster was established as a hospital for the poor and infirmed by a wealthy heiress in 1431. The buildings on these grounds are now a retirement home, and are the oldest in North Jutland. The former hospital is the oldest social institution in Denmark.

Kloster courtyard

St. Budolfi Church

Our last stop was the St. Budolfi Church. Originally built as a Catholic cathedral in the late 14^th century, the Gothic style church is now the cathedral church for the Lutheran Diocese of Ålborg. Even though the Reformation changed the church’s religion to Lutheranism, it retains some strikingly Catholic features.

Interior of St. Budolfi

Examining the interior, we noticed a model ship hanging from the ceiling. Tova explained that when a ship was lost at sea and a crewman survived the ordeal, it was customary for him to make a model of the ship and hang it in his home church.

Hanging shipmodel

She said that you can see several of these models hanging in certain churches.

We left St. Budolfi and headed back to the ship.

The Utzon Center

There was one more tour item, the Utzon Center, directly across from where our ship was docked. Jørn Utzon was a highly regarded Danish architect who designed the Sydney Opera House. Dedicated in 2008, the center contains an exhibition of ­Utzon’s work as well as educational displays on architecture and design. Tova put the stop to a vote and it was return to the ship.

A really big Dane!

We were soaked and cold (and old) and wanted to not brave the elements anymore. We returned to the ship, had dinner, took in the staff’s musical show, and turned in for tomorrow’s last Danish port of call, Copenhagen.

Overnight we eased our way into Denmark’s capital and largest city, Copenhagen. With a population of around 2 million, metropolitan Copenhagen has about one-third of Denmark’s 6 million people, even though the city itself has only 775,000 persons. Founded as a Viking fishing village in the 10^th century, it became Denmark’s capital in the 15^th century. Located on the eastern part of the island of Zealand, Copenhagen sits on the strait which connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. On the other side of this strait lies the Swedish city of Malmo, and a bridge connects these two cities. Based largely on services and commerce, Copenhagen’s economy makes it the major economic and financial center of Denmark. It is also one of the most expensive cities in the world.

The Little Mermaid

The plan for today was another walking tour, but while the weather would still be on the cool side, rain forecasts were for later in the day and it looked like we would have finished our tour by then. We met our tour guide and headed out, traveling along the harbor until we came to a statue of a polar bear and two cubs. Our guide told the story that when the Germans attacked Denmark in WWII, they saw this statue as they were coming across the water. Their first reaction, he said, was: ‘My god these Danes are big.’ And when they fired at the statue and it didn’t fall down, they really became unnerved. We thought this was a pretty good story until he reached up and pointed out the headshot bullet holes in the statue. Maybe a whole string of them along the harbor could have prevented the invasion!

ption

 Next we came upon a wildly popular attraction, The Little Mermaid statue, which was the subject of Hans Christian Andersen’s book The Little Mermaid. Kids would jump out onto the rocks to have their picture taken with the statue. There's always a throng around this attraction!

Jane and the Gefion Fountain

The Copenhagen Opera House

Leaving the harbor area, we traveled to St. Alban’s Anglican Church, a beautiful Gothic style church with and interesting fountain in front of it. Gefion Fountain depicts the mythical story about the creation of Zealand. The Swedish king Gylfi promised Gefjun the territory she could plow in a night. She turned her four sons into oxen, and the territory they plowed out was thrown into the Danish sea creating all of Zealand.

St. Alban's Anglican

Next to St. Alban’s was a park dedicated to Winston Churchill. The Danes have tremendous respect for Churchill and what he did to mitigate the misery the Germans were inflicting on them. Coming back to the harbor we saw the shipping container Maersk-financed opera house which, over the architect’s vehement objections, looks like shipping containers. We also saw the Indies warehouses where rum, molasses, and sugar from the Danish territories in the Indies, later to become the U.S. Virgin Islands, were stored.

The Indies Warehouses

It started to rain and we would not enjoy the luck of a dry walking tour.

Next were the palaces of Amalienborg, home to the royal Danish family. These mansions skirt an immense square which is patrolled by the Royal Guard. Perhaps the coolest thing we saw was two women who had four dogs in a line in front of a Royal Guardsman taking pictures.

Standing guard

In the center of Amalienborg Palace Square is a statue of Frederic V. The short axis of the square aligns Frederik’s Church (The Marble Church), Amalienborg, and the Copenhagen Opera House. The long axis is Amalie Street. We left Amalienborg and made our way to the Marble Church. Along the way we passed the Alexander Nevsky Church, a beautiful church with golden onion domes.

Frederik V and Amalienborg Square

Frederic’s Church, or more commonly called the Marble Church, is an Evangelical Lutheran church noted for its rococo (late Baroque) architecture. It is the largest church dome in Scandinavia with a span of 96 ft.

Alexander Nevsky Churcgh

Our final stop was the Citadel.

The Marble Church

Constructed in the form of a star or pentagram with bastions at its corners, this fortress is still used Denmark’s military forces, but mainly serves as public park and historic site. Construction began in 1626 with upgrades and improvements continuously being made. The fortress has served well in many battles over the years. Buildings include the Commander’s House, The Rows (barracks),  storehouses, powder house, a windmill, church, central guard house and prison. We left the Citadel and returned to our ship, having enjoyed one of the better walking tours (except for the rain!). By the way, Dayne, that Danish tour guide sure didn't have nice things to say about the Swedes!

Entering the Citadel

After dinner we attended a musical tribute to Elvis which Jane enjoyed thoroughly. Off to bed, it’s Warnemüde Germany tomorrow. Nighty night!