DYBBOL and other Denmark Things to Do Tips

Denmark has a long history. Danes ruled Norway and parts of Sweden for long periods. The wrong side of the Thirty Years War and again during the Napoleonic Wars brought about a country much reduced in size and a confused ruling situation in the southern Jutland province of Schleswig-Holstein, peopled mostly by Germans though the Danish king was able to lay claim via indirect manner.

Mid19th century, German nationalism was just awakening and a popular theme among the liberals of the many states that made up Germany was the liberation of their brothers in Schleswig-Holstein from the evils of Danish rule. When Bismark got into the act, on the part of Prussia, the first step in the unification of Germany was undertaken. Prussia was far from the hearts of most liberals in Germany, but they did support action against Denmark and even the Austrians provided naval support in the short war - Dano-Prussian War of 1864 -that ensued where the reputations of both Bismark and the Prussian general, Helmuth von Moltke, were cemented. The Danes were outgunned and fell back to the fortifications on a hill above the Sonderborg in southeastern Jutland. A long siege ended in Prussian victory and not long after, the Danes were gone from Schleswig-Holstein as Bismark moved on to his next target - Austria.

At Dybbol, there is a national park and a grand view across to Sonderborg - across a narrow channel on the island of Als - and south over the Flensburger Forde to 'lost' lands. The Danish author, Herman Bang's masterpiece "Tine" is set in and among the events here at the Dybbol. When I rode through here, I didn't know much about Danish history and the Park seemed quaint to me. Having read "Tine" and become a little more familiar with the events that transpired here, the Park becomes much more. See the fine websight below for much more on the history of the Dybbol and the events of the mid19th Century.

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Directions: Dybbol is just west of Sonderborg in the southeastern corner of Jutland
Website: http://www.milhist.dk/1864/dybbol/dybbol.html

South of Funen, west of Langeland, the little island of Aero lies at the southern entrance to the Little Belt - the sound separating Als and the Jutland mainland from Funen. The island features low, green, rolling hills in the interior with picturesque little villages; bathing beaches can be found along the north and east coasts. Larger towns are to the north - Aeroskobing - and to the east - Marstal. Aeroskobing is full of lovely half-timbered houses from the17-18th centuries, Denmark's oldest post office, the Aero Museum and another museum devoted to ships in a bottle. Marstal used to be one of Denmark's most important ports, a fact illustrated by the fine Maritime Museum here. Ferries connect from Aeroskoebing to Svendborg/Funen; from Marstal to Svendborg and Rudkoebing/Langeland. Also, in the northwestern part of the island you can leave or arrive Aero via Soeby from Faaborg/Funen or Mommark/Als. We arrived via Mommark and left via Faaborg - a date with the Fyniske Alper!! From the quaint port at Soeby we biked into the interior, finding a rural Danish kro just outside of the village of Bregninge in the high country of Aero - all of 60 meters high. The island is quiet with a rural beauty. The towns have a timeless quality. The night sky is deep and star-filled.

www.ricksteves.com/books/backdoors/aero.htm

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Website: www.aeroe-turistbureau.dk

In the midsouthern part of Funen, about halfway between Odense and Svendborg is one of the best-preserved moated houses in all Europe - Egeskov Slot (Slot=Castle). Built between 1524 and 1554, this is a gorgeous Renaissance manor house set onto pilings in a small lake. The lake is surrounde by grand formal gardens. There are two other museums here as well - one houses cars, motorcycles and air planes and the other is devoted to agricultural history. See VTer Globetrott's entry for 'Egeskov Slot' for more information.

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Directions: Midsouthern part of Funen, about halfway between Odense and Svendborg.

'Travelling is living! Travelling has provided me with the best form of schooling. For me it is like a refreshing bath for the mind, like Medea's potion of eternal youth. My teachers are life itself and the world....'

So wrote the most famous son of Odense, Han Christian Anderson. His best known works are his fairy tales (ie 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Ugly Duckling', etc) but in his travel diaries (he travelled Europe extensively and constantly) we can really discover his true observant abilities. A man capable of bringing reality virtually indeed.

Odense dates to 988 and is Denmark's thrid largest city. Originally a cult site for worshiping Odin, the Danish king Knud was murdered in St Alban's Church in 1086. Following canonization, Odense then became a pilgrimage site - later an important commercial center. St Knud's Church stands on the main square across from the town hall. It was begun in about 1100 but was rebuilt after the first church burnt. East of the church is a pretty park lying along the little Odense A (river) - HC Anderson Haven. There are several fine museums in Odense including one for HC Anderson, Carl Nielsen (Danish composer), Funen Art Museum, Danish Rail Museum and Den Fynske Landsby - an open-air reconstructed village taken from the Funen countryside and rebuilt here, much similar in theme and scope to Den Gamle By (The Old City) in Aarhus.

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Website: www.odenseturist.dk/index_uk.htm

H C Anderson is thought of as mainly a writer of children's literature but his writing goes much beyond that. Born in Odense in 1805, he lived here until 1819 when he moved away to brighter lights and fortunes in the capital of Copenhagen. His feeling of underappreciation by his hometown is evidenced in the story 'The Ugly Duckling'. He eventually died in Copenhagen in 1875, but by that time, even Odense had honored his obvious talents.

Southwest from St Knud's Church is H C Anderson's childhood home, an annex of a larger H C Anderson museum, a little northeast of the same church, based in what is thought to be his birthplace.

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Directions: Southwest from St Knud's Church is H C Anderson's childhood home, an annex of a larger H C Anderson museum, a little northeast of the same church, based in what is thought to be his birthplace.
Website: www.solvangca.com/museum/h1.htm

Aarhus is Denmark's second City, lying halfway along the east coast of Jutland. Dating back to 928, the city has been a site of commercial importance for centuries. For the tourist, the city has ferry conections to Zealand via Kalundborg; a large cathedral - St Clement's - imposing on the Great Market Square/Store Torv; another grand gothic church just to the north - Vor Frue Kirke - features a magnificent 16th century altarpiece; and the open-air museum, Den Gamle By.

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Website: www.aarhus-tourist.dk

75 reconstructed houses from all over Denmark have been restored here in the south part of the Botanical Gardens. You can tour all of Denmark in one site - a merchant's house from Aarhus, a brewery, a toy museum, a tobacco factory, shops for candlemakers, sailmakers, etc... There is an open-air inn and a restaurant along with guided tours and lots of special exhibits - costumed demonstrators showing the old skills, not yet completely lost in the 21st century.

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Directions: Located in the south part of the Botanical Gardens
Website: www.dengamleby.dk/

Overlooking Lake Julso in central Jutland, the Himmelberg was long considered Denmark's highest hill at 147 meters/482 feet. An observation tower was erected atop the mountain in 1874 which gives grand views over the landscape of forests and lakes. In the summer, the small paddle steamer 'Hjejlen' putters around the lakes.

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Website: http://www.himmelbjerget.dk/hovedside-eng.html

It is, however not the Himmelberg that is Denmark's highest peak. That honor goes to the mighty Ejer Bavnehoj which is just south of Aarhus and a little east of the Himmelberg. Here, Denmark reaches its highest point at 173meters/568 feet. There is a monument to that fact and a very nice view of the surrounding countryside. As on the Himmelberg, you can drive atop, walk atop or bike atop.

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12 km/7mi northwest of the city of Vejle in midsouth Jutland, is Jelling. This was the political center of Denmark in the 10th century. There are two high burial mounds -the oldest royal graves in Denmark (935-950). One of the mounds contain the remains of King Gorm and his wife, Thyra. Across from the mounds is a large kro - big enough to handle the tourist buses that stop here.

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Directions: 12 km/7mi northwest of the city of Vejle in midsouth Jutland
Website: http://www.panoramas.dk/index_aug2003.html