OFF THE DANISH TOURIST PATH

                                             SORO ACADAMY

        At the time of my visit to Denmark’s Soro Academy the head master was a shoe in for a stand in of Prince Charles. I had a hard time taking my eyes off him as he showed us the oldest brick church in Denmark that monks built between two lakes in 1160-1170. There is only a meter difference in lake levels, but that was enough to build a water mill. The church was walled all around containing a couple of gate houses that were built for the teachers and are now the oldest continuously inhabited houses in the country.  Entering the church we found beautifully carved pews as well as gorgeous railings and other carved wooden works. The organ with its many angels was restored in 1944.There were several tombs inside with one dating to 1170.

     In 1586 King Fredrick established an academy in the old monastery. It was meant for 30 noble boys and 20 middle class boys, and the King’s son was one of the first students. An 1812 fire destroyed the school but it was rebuilt and today there are 470 students, several of them exchange students from all around the world. The Academy is the only state high school in the country. The other high schools are run by the county or municipality. It is one of five boarding schools in Denmark. Girls were admitted as boarding students in 1993.   

    The large main foyer overlooked Lake Soro, and  in each corner was a large marble statue—Plato, Homer, Hesodet, and Euclides.

    In the ballroom owls decorated the high walls just below the ceiling. It seemed appropriate for a place of learning –the wise old owl.

    In the teachers’ all purpose room the chairs were 117 years old. Of course they had been reupholstered many times over the years and the wood had recently been stained to match the modern tables. Of the original 49 chairs 48 remain! Amazing for such continual use.

     As we were leaving, the headmaster told us, “All schools including five universities are free. High school is a bit different than yours. If one’s grades are high enough he enters high school at 16 and four years later graduates with a baccalaureate. About 50% of students go this route. Others attend vocational school and a few drop out. Children learn English at age 10. Nearly everyone is bi or multilingual.  To graduate from the Academy one must be fluent in three languages other than Danish!”

MARIBO CATHEDRAL

     In another part of Denmark we visited Maribo Cathedral built in 1390 between the North and South Lakes. Originally it was a monastery for 60 nuns and 65 Augustine monks.  Destroyed by fire in 1600, it was opened to the public when rebuilt.

    The large church had many gothic arches, but there were no frescos or ships hanging from the ceiling. The altar, pulpit, and chandelier were all quite ornate. Maribo means the place where Mary lives.

     As the guide walked us into a room behind the altar she showed us the original altar and a 1420 canvas painting of Mary in its original wooden frame. Today it is preserved under glass. We also saw a large carved statue of St. Augustine and the original crucifix which is hollow. During a difficult time in Danish history a priest hid treasures in the crucifix and it was 300 years before they were rediscovered! A 1550 bible was open on the table.

     In the church the beautiful carved marble baptismal font was dated 1777. Originally the church was Catholic but after reformation it became Lutheran. Denmark has ten cathedrals and ten bishops.

      Remains of the nunnery have been preserved. Many large beech and chestnut trees covered the grounds providing welcome shade. The area was quiet, scenic and peaceful.     One advantage of getting into the countryside and away from ‘tourist spots’ is that one often sees and learns interesting things.

DANISH SITES

                                                COPENHAGEN
Carlsberg Brewery.

     The brewery, headquartered in Copenhagen moved its major brewing facility to the island of Jutland, in 2008. One can now tour the original brewery and museum in Copenhagen. Isaac Jacobson who started the brewery had one son, but as the son grew into adulthood, father and son disagreed about how to run the business. The son was sent off to Europe to school and when he returned he wanted to brew ale to which Dad said no. 

     The elder Jacobson wrote the son out of his trust, but after a court confrontation the son was awarded one million krones. He spent one-quarter of it to build a church, another quarter for a museum, and another quarter to build a brewery to brew his ale which he started in 1882.  For years father and son never spoke to each other, but eventually before the elder died they made peace. The brewery building is unique and beautifully decorated. The entrance to the brewery sits upon four huge elephants, two on each end of the short narrow tunnel entrance. It was known as the elephant gate. and eventually there was a beer brewed called elephant beer.

Carlsberg Glyptotek, 1897

      The Glyptotek is an excellent sculpture and art gallery, and the building is as lovely as its contents. We perused the gallery and made it up to the third level to view the masters’ artwork. Hundreds of sculptures are displayed in a multitude of rooms. No elevators are available. The marble inlay and mosaic floors were simply gorgeous. A lovely garden is in back of the building.

Rosenborg Castle.

      The castle sits on several acres of park-like grounds with lots of trees with many hard pack paths running through it. There are several small flower gardens, but they were not as extensive or as lovely as I had anticipated.

     The capital's old medieval castle, Copenhagen Castle, was hardly the ideal residence for a young and ambitious Renaissance ruler. Christian IV preferred Frederiksborg Castle, 35 km away from the city, but it was, of course, more convenient to also have a residence  closer to the capital.      The history of the Rosenborg Castle goes back to 1606-1607, when the King in a newly laid out park, The King's Garden, (Kongens Have), built a summerhouse.

     The summerhouse, which today makes up the core of the southern half of Rosenborg, was two stories, with a spire-crowned stair turret facing the city and two bays to the east. In 1611 a gate tower with a drawbridge was built forming the central part of the current gate house.  

     In 1613-1615 the summerhouse was extended to its present length. There were two bays to the east with a stair turret between them.  In 1616 additions were made for the Dutch Renaissance castle that it is today.

     Rosenborg was used as a Royal residence until around 1710, when Christian IV's great grandson, Frederik IV, gave it up in favor of other, more up-to-date, summer residences. Rosenborg Castle instead became the setting for the Royal collections. After the reign of Frederik IV, Rosenborg was used as a Royal residence only twice; both times were emergencies: after Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794 and during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801. It has been open to the public since 1838. The Danish crown jewels are housed here as well as 500 years of royal knick knacks.

      The sparkling collections in the Treasury were mind boggling. Jewel studded saddles and sabers are among the jewels, brooches, and several crowns.

Kronborg Castle

     This structure, both an elegant Renaissance castle and a monumental military fortress, in 2000  became a UNESCO site.

      Perched high on a hill overlooking the city of Helsinger and the Baltic Sea, Kronborg Castle was built by Fredrik II in 1580 on the site of the 1420s Krogen fortress.  He lived in the castle only a short while, but Christian IV lived there a few more years. Then the castle was occupied by soldiers and has been unoccupied for the past couple of centuries. The castle also collected taxes from passing ships. In the basement were prison cells. Kronborg is the legendary home of Hamlet, Shakespeare’s Prince of Denmark. In 1629 a great fire destroyed the castle. Christian IV rebuilt it.

     Huge wooden beams hold up the ceilings. The high 15-18-foot walls are painted white, and the many windows make the rooms light. The original marble floors are covered with 17^th century wide wooden planking in pleasant designs. The fire places in each room were large.

     The king’s private room still had the original marble floor. Queen Sophie had a hallway built from her room to the grand ballroom so she could transit in her party finery without having to go outside. The grand ballroom, 52-meters long, runs the whole width of the castle. The ceiling has been lowered six feet to its present 18-foot. Old tapestries hang on the walls. They were not only decorative; they also held heat from the fireplace in the room.

     Some of the stone walls in the castle were 5-6-feet thick. Globes were often placed in rooms to impress guests how educated and traveled the owner was.   

    This structure was not only big but very stark and I would suspect very damp and cold  much of the year.

    Amalienborg Palace has been home to the royal family since 1794. Four identical buildings were built in 1754 for wealthy Danes. After the palace burned, a little arm twisting resulted in the whole compound being given to the royal family.  The square is large enough to hold 35-40,000 people.

     The Marble Church, with the second largest dome in Europe sits at the end of the Palace courtyard. Built in 1754, it was modeled after St Peter’s in Rome. We tried twice to get into this church but it is only open two hours in the afternoon and we just never made it back in time. The inside is supposed to be magnificent with a marble dome, and gilded frescos.  A King Christian statue is in the middle of the palace courtyard. It took 22 years to make and a year and a half to put in place. It also cost three times that of the palace! It took 23 days to bronze.

DENMARK

Danish Layout

      Denmark, about twice the size of Massachusetts, is an island nation with its highest elevation only 565 feet. With 500 islands the ocean is never more than an hour away. Generally, Danes are well educated and well informed, yet at the same time enjoy a distinctly Danish lack of formality. This gives the Danes a relaxed and often humorous attitude toward authorities and life itself. The people are open, friendly and talkative.  The art of living is enjoyed and there is little sense of any hectic lifestyle. The people enjoy comprehensive social services, sexual freedom and high taxes to support the lifestyle. The land of Vikings fiercely remained neutral during WW II, but never the less was occupied by Germany.

       Denmark’s state-managed palaces, castles and gardens, representing different eras, are an important part of the country’s cultural heritage. There was a lot of talk about King Christian IV, the builder king, who once was king of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. He ruled 1588-1648 and is also referred to as the Renaissance King. Many grand buildings were erected during his reign, and  the city prospered. He had 23 children with an assortment of women.

      Ninety percent of the population is Lutheran, although very few, about 5 %, attend church. In 1536 the country declared Lutheranism as the proper religion. Believe or be beheaded! In 1848 the country attained freedom of religion. Presently there are 250,000 Muslims living in Denmark.

      Denmark is a heavily industrialized nation, but there still are a quarter million farmers. The queen is the first female monarch in six centuries, and she is much loved by the Danes. Both the Faeroe Islands and Greenland are territories of Denmark.

     Denmark’s national animal is the swan and the national flower is the daisy.       

     Copenhagen, founded in 1167, means Port of Merchants. The once tiny fishing village started at Christainborg and has been the capital of Denmark since the 15^th century. Copenhagen is the largest city in the country.  The world’s oldest capital flies the oldest flag and is the oldest monarchy. The low rise city sits on a flat landscape with few steeples or towers breaking the skyline, although it is a city of cathedrals, canals, historic waterfront, parks, waterways, lively pedestrian streets, and the crown jewels.

      The SAS building, built in 1960, is the only skyscraper and after it was constructed the city fathers decided one tall building was enough. Located on the island of New Zealand across the Strait of Southern Sweden, the capital city is one of the most youthful and exuberant in Europe.

      In the 12^th century Copenhagen was a fortified city known as Kobenhaven. In 1850 all 120,000 residents lived within the walls. When building outside the walls it was understood that in the event of attack, one would have to burn his dwelling to allow for a good defense line.  In the 17^th century King Christian IV extended the fortification north, doubling the size of the city and adding a grid plan of streets and his Rosenborg Castle. This old ‘new town’ is where Amalienborg Palace and the Little Mermaid statue are located.

      A cholera   outbreak in 1850 killed 5000 people. The old medieval walls now are roads that define the city. The old moat is a string of lakes and parks.  Denmark is the gateway to Scandinavia and a new bridge connects Denmark and Sweden. The ancient city wall had four gates. It came down in 1856 when the plague killed 17,000 people. A hospital was built beyond the wall.

     The Stroget, running through the heart of the city, is a mile-long pedestrian thoroughfare. the

French Embassy and the five star Hotel D’Angle Terre. The western end of the Stroget ends at Town Hall Square.

     Nyhavn, New Harbor, was excavated in 1671 by prisoners to allow traders to bring their wares into the heart of the city. At one time the area was overrun with sailors, prostitutes and rowdy individuals. Today the revitalized canal district, once home to Hans Christian Anderson when he first arrived in “Wonderful Copenhagen”, is lined with casual cafés.

STONEHAMMER GEOPARK continued

Irving Park
      We spent a pleasant and informative afternoon with a naturalist at Irving Park, one of the several sections or links of Stonehammer Geopark, a linear geopark.

    The 600 acre peninsula of volcanic rock and forest is sandwiched between the ocean and a wide expanse of tidal salt marsh.  In St John, it was adopted by J.D. Irving Limited to help protect an environmentally significant, endangered area in New Brunswick along the Bay of Fundy coastline. This special part of the Fundy Coast, minutes from a major urban center, is now a place where the public can enjoy and experience the various ecosystems of the Southern New Brunswick coastline. With 7-miles of hiking trails in the park’s groomed woodlands, this is some of the best free environmental tourism anywhere. Nature trails are clearly marked, and being well mulched made for easy walking. The area is great for bird watching. Over 250 species have been recorded in the area. 

    Not so long ago the whole area was a field grazed by sheep. A few years after the sheep were removed we hiked in a natural regenerated forest. Our guide was most informative pointing out various plants and trees.

     Eventually we came upon the 61 steps leading up to the park's observation tower. Hidden among the treetops at the highest point on the peninsula it provided a 360° view of the land, seascapes and salt marsh below. The large sturdy structure is more a viewing area rather than my definition of a tower.

     We balanced on 2 X 6 planks spanning a couple stream beds before we reached the wooden boardwalk stretching 330-feet over the marsh. No animal eats salt marsh grass, so the marsh becomes a giant compost heap providing food for birds and tiny invertebrates.

     The abundant rich food sources found in the salt-marsh and the sea attract numerous species of migratory and marine birds. The area is a traditional staging site on flight paths between the Arctic and South America, and a breeding ground for many shore birds along the Atlantic coastline.   All of the built features in the park were constructed with the least disturbance possible to the area's fragile ecosystems.

The Fundy Trail

     The 6323-acre linear park and ecosystem hugs the coast of the awe-inspiring Fundy Escarpment on the Bay of Fundy, and it was a thrill to spend all day here. Ten miles of the parkway is finished. The road follows Fundy cliffs and dramatic coastline sculpted by tides. Another part of the Stonehammer Geopark, it is also a UNESCO designated Fundy Biosphere Reserve. Traveling through 251-million year old rock makes it  one of the last accessible coastal wilderness areas between Florida and Labrador. There is a wide variety of flora, fauna, wildlife and birds in the area. The trail/park has miles of walking and hiking trails along the last undeveloped stretch of coastline on the eastern seaboard.  Along the developed coastal trail are 23 solid wood lookouts showcasing gorgeous seascapes. It was a lovely clear day!

      Fifty years ago Mitchell Franklin had the vision for the trail and bought 2000 acres along the coast. The first section of the trail opened in 1999. The money is secure now for the trail and road to continue all the way to Fundy National Park and should be open by 2018. The area is governed by the Fundy Trust Authority.

     We detoured off the trail to see a large stand of fiddlehead ferns. We had eaten fiddle heads the night before. It is also called ostrich fern because it can grow 6-feet tall. The stem of this fern had a V like a celery stalk. That is an easy identifier as there are other ferns that have a coiled head before leafing out that are not edible.

     Another detour took us toward the water to see a flower pot rock. Carved from Fundy’s sandstone sea

cliffs over the course of years and years, the Flower Pot Rocks – sometimes referred to as sea stacks – showcase the vertical variance of the Bay’s great tides. Originally the rocks were attached to the coastline, but time, and erosion separated them, sort of like a glacier calving. The ice floats away; the rocks stay put.

     The unique rocks are called Flower Pot Rocks for the trees that grow at the top of the reddish-brown stacks resembling plants growing in a terra-cotta clay pot. Sea stacks are found in a few places along Fundy’s coastline, but are most common and famous at Hopewell Cape.

     By lunchtime we made it to Big Salmon River and its Interpretative Center.  Nice benches lined the wrap around deck of the center. We ate lunch facing the river below listening to its rippling sound.

    In the theater Mitch Franklin’s daughter talked to us about her gathering photos and stories for the video. Franklin died a few years ago and she buried some of his ashes in the anchor post of one of the bridges named for him. What fascinating stories she had to tell!

        A bit farther we found the 275-foot long suspension bridge over the Salmon River.  On

the far side was a small waterfall. This is also where the Fundy Footpath begins--a continuous wilderness trail from Big Salmon River to the boundaries of Fundy   National  Park, a total distance of 24 rugged miles where the terrain leads up and down from elevations of 0 to 984 ft. and across a dozen ravines. Most of the elements of the Fundy ecosystem exist within this area, including the dramatic Fundy tides.  Only one would not cross the bridge. It swung some but not as badly as the Capilano bridge in Vancouver, then again this was a shorter and narrower bridge.  The ruins of the old saw mill and the cribs that housed the cut logs were only a short walk away.