Denmark

Denmark's prime attraction is its capital Copenhagen, one of the liveliest cities Europe, which also has an active nightlife. Most of the city's attractions are concentrated in a small area, while the parks, gardens, squares, and fountains are interspersed all over. One of the most interesting attractions downtown Copenhagen has to offer is Tivoli.
If you happen to be a lover of music, the city of Aarhus offers you everything from symphony performances to theatres, apart from the Den Gamle By (The Old Town), which is an open-air theatre and the city's piece de resistance.

The historical town of Roskilde is worth a visit because of the recent explorations that have unearthed a wealth of details about its rich past. Odense on the island of Funen is the capital of Fairytails. In this charming city you find the house of Hans Christian Andersen. Walking the streets of this historic center you can see from where he drew his inspiration.
Then there are the spectacular white chalk cliffs of Mon's Klint, on the island of Lolland ; the 17th-century Egeskov Castle; and the picturesque theme park called Legoland in central Jylland that are worth visiting. Legoland is located in Billund, and can make quite a facinating day trip. The park is filled with scale models of many familiar landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, the Eifel Tour, and even an airport, all built entirely out of Legos!

Cycling is an activity that tourists often indulge in Denmark along with swimming and surfing. Although you can visit Denmark throughout the year because of its mild climate, May and June see the country at its best.

In 1814, Denmark, which had sided with Napoleonic France after British attacks on Copenhagen in 1801 and 1807, was forced to cede Norway to Sweden and Helgoland to England. In 1848, a Prussian-inspired revolt in Schleswig-Holstein ended without a victor, but in 1864, Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg were lost in a new war with Prussia. Despite these major territorial losses, Denmark prospered economically in the 19th century and underwent further reforms. In 1849, King Frederick VII (1848-63) authorized a new constitution instituting a representative form of government. In addition, wide-ranging social and educational reforms took place.
During World War I, Denmark maintained neutrality. At the war's end, North Schleswig returned to Denmark following a plebiscite, and the present southern border with Germany was established. In 1933 great social reforms were instituted, beginning Denmark's modern welfare state.

At the beginning of World War II, despite a declaration of neutrality, Denmark was occupied by Germany (Apr. 9, 1940). On May 5, 1945, the Germans capitulated, and the country was liberated. Iceland had become fully independent in 1944. The Faeroe Islands received home rule in 1948, and Greenland became an integral part of Denmark under the new constitution of 1953 and received home rule in 1979. Denmark joined the European Community in 1973.

International collections of modern art enjoy unusually attractive settings at the Louisiana Museum north of Copenhagen, "Arken" south of Copenhagen, and the North Jutland Art Museum in Aalborg. The State Museum of Art and the Glyptotek, both in Copenhagen, contain masterpieces of Danish and international art. Denmark's National Museum building in central Copenhagen harbors most of the state's anthropological and archeological treasures with particularly fine past history and Viking Age collections; two of its finest satellite collections are the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde west of the metropolis and the Open Air Museum in a near northern suburb where original buildings have been transported from their original locations around the nation and reassembled on plots specially landscaped to evoke the original site.

Denmark has more than its share of impressive castles, many of which have been converted to museums. Frederiksborg Castle, on a manmade island in a lake north of Copenhagen, was restored after a catastrophic fire in the 1800s and now houses valuable collections in awe-inspiring splendor amidst impeccably manicured gardens. In Copenhagen, Rosenborg Castle houses the kingdom's crown jewels and boasts spectacular public gardens in the heart of the city.

Billund   Copenhagen