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Nearby Attractions |
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Outside of Copenhagen are quite a few palaces, churches, museums and other places of interest. Many of these can be seen on shore excursions organized by the ships calling in Copenhagen.
Perhaps the most impressive of the castles outside of Copenhagen is Frederiksborg Castle. Built on three islands in the Dutch Renaissance style, the castle was a royal residence for two centuries. The oldest parts date from the reign of Frederik II but his son Christian IV is usually given credit for this magnificent structure. After a fire in 1859, J. C. Jacobsen restored the castle as a museum. Its 60 rooms house a comprehensive history of the Danish monarchy. The castle is surrounded by a romantic landscaped garden. |
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Kronborg Castle, built between 1574 and 1585, was immortalized by William Shakespeare as Elsinore Castle, the setting for his play Hamlet. It is situated at the narrowest point of the Oresund, the channel between Denmark and Sweden and which is one of the few exits from the Baltic Sea. Ships passing the castle were charged a toll payable to the Danish king.
As a result of a fire in 1629, much of the castle had to be re-built. While the exterior was eventually restored to its former glory, much of the interior is somewhat bleak. Of interest are the oak-beamed Banqueting Hall and the elaborate chapel. According to legend, Ogier the Dane is buried in the castle and will come to Denmark's rescue in times of peril. 
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Fredensborg Palace is the country residence of the Danish Royal Family. It was built between 1719 and 1722. The grounds are open to the public as are the royal apartments when the Royal Family is not in residence.
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On the northwestern outskirts of Copenhagenis the Grundtvigs Kirke
(Grundtvig’s Church). The size of a cathedral, this impressive modern church was started in 1921 and completed in 1940. It is a monument to the priest, hymn writer and social reformer Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872). |
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Some other places of interest outside of Copenhagen include the Frilandsmuseet, an open air folk museum with more than 40 farms, cottages and other buildings from around Denmark.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a collection of primarily 20th Century works in which both Danish artists and artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and Magritte are represented.
The Viking era is memorialized at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde. Five Viking ships deliberately sunk in order to thwart a seaborne attack were recovered in 1962 and form the nucleus for the museum's collection.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a collection of primarily 20th Century works in which both Danish artists and artists such as Picasso, Matisse, and Magritte are represented.
The Viking era is memorialized at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde. Five Viking ships deliberately sunk in order to thwart a seaborne attack were recovered in 1962 and form the nucleus for the museum's collection.
Cruise destination travel guide - - Denmark- - Copenhagen - - Nearby Attractions