Copenhagen, Denmark

The rest of our trip in Denmark we took off our genealogy caps and became tourists.

We decided we wanted to get off the Jutland (where our family is from) and visit the islands, where Copenhagen is.  Along the way we stopped in Roskilde, which used to be the capital of Denmark in medeval times, and toured a viking ship museum.

 Here we are in front of a replicated viking ship.  In the background you can see all the different sheds where they show you and allow you to try out the different methods that go into making a viking ship.

Inside the museum you can see 5 preserved viking ships.  They found these at the bottom of the fjords that lead into Roskilde.  They were deliberately sunk at strategic junctures to prevent enemies from traveling up the fjord and attacking without warning.  They were discovered about 20 years ago, and excavated and preserved.  They were pretty neat to see.

 They found two small fishing ships, two war ships and a large trader ship.

Can you imagine sailing in such confined quarters with 30 some odd other people for days on end.  It would take them 3 days to reach England from Roskilde.

 There was a kid section where the kids could dress in traditional viking attire and play around on mock viking ships.  They had a blast!  We almost couldn't get them to leave!

 Finally, we made it to Copenhagen!

This is Amalienborg Palace, where the Queen lives and her son the Crown Prince and Heir to the throne lives with his family.

The flag is flying so she was in residence!

 Trying to get a picture with a danish guard outside the palace.

Unlike England, Scotland and Prague...they don't stand still...so it was a bit difficult.

 Anya's future apartment...what a cool dragon sculptor on the outside!

The tradition of large ship ancor's in the town squares was soo cool!

 Copenhagen's main harbor and shopping district

 In the visitor's center of the L.D.S. Salt Lake Temple there is a massive statue we call the "Christus".

It is actually a replica of the Resurrected Christ sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen.

I have always wanted to see the original, and so we went to the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen and there He was.  It was so majestic.

He sits in the alter, along the sides of the perimeter of the church stand statues of the 12 apostles, all sculpted by Thorvaldsen as well.

You can sort of see the Apostles in this picture...

 Here is the outside of the church, it has a very greek feel to it's architecture.  A lot of neoclassical touches.

We had to stop in a Lego store, after all, Lego's were created in Denmark.  Lego's were first created in the wood toy shop of Ole Kirk Christiansen in Billund Denmark.  His company later came to be called Lego, which comes from the Danish phrase "leg godt" which means play well.  The company headquarters are still there today.

 To finish off our day, before we found a dinner of some delicious open faced sandwiches (which are each like works of art!), we stopped to see the Little Mermaid Statue from the Hans Christian Andersen tale.  It was a perfect way to end the day, now off to warm up with some Hot cocoa... tomato soup and some Smorrebrod.