EUROPE ACCORDING TO ELERITZ

WHERE MERMAIDS GRAZE

It seems that the Baltic Sea and its surroundings used to be a favourable habitat for mermaids. Nowadays only few representatives of this endangered species still graze on its shores. The most famous one lives in cold waters off the Danish city of Copenhagen. Local folks call her den Lille Havfrue.

The Copenhagen Mermaid is mute, which comes as a pleasant surprise to tourists who fear that the Copenhagen mermaid could, just like some other mermaids or sirens, enchant them with her voice and consequently lead to perdition, whatever it might mean. They can approach den Lille Havfrue safely and harmlessly. So if you want to take pictures of her, go for it. She doesn't mind it.

Of course den Lille Havfrue is not the only reason to visit Copenhagen. Full of picturesque streets, spacious squares, elegant palaces, and, last but not least, imaginative, fanciful spires, this windswept city is definitely the most beautiful one in the Southern Baltic region (up north are Stockholm and Sankt Petersburg, both of which Copenhagen, in spite of all its atractiveness, can´t compete with).

Photo: Window reflections of Nyhavn houses

SIGHTS:

Town Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen)
For most tourists Rådhuspladsen is the beginning of their walking tour of Copenhagen. It is surrounded by pleasantly homogeneous but somewhat gloomy red brick buildings, the biggest of which is Copenhagen Town Hall (Københavns Rådhus). Rådhuspladsen is an always-bustling area and a popular venue for political demonstrations, open-air concerts, social meetings and busking. It is also home to a famous statue of H.C. Andersen, but I overlooked it (not surprisingly, since as a child I hated his fairy-tales).

Photo: Rådhuspladsen

Strøget
A walk along the famous Strøget, which is one of the biggest pedestrian-only shopping areas in the world, is a must-do for every tourist. Strøget is comprised of several streets stretching from Rådhuspladsen in the south to King’s New Square (Kongens Nytorv) in the north. Many of the city’s most beautiful buildings (including churches) are located along Strøget. This charming thoroughfare is the real heart and soul of Copenhagen.

St Nicholas Church (Skt. Nicolai Kirke)
Located by Strøget, the Gothic spire of St Nicholas Church is one of the landmarks of the historical centre of Copenhagen. It is Copenhagen’s third oldest church. After a devastating fire in 1795 St Nicholas ceased to be a place of worship and has served as a cultural centre ever since. Currently it houses Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre (Kunsthallen Nikolaj).

Photo: The spire of St Nicholas Church

Greyfriars Square (Grabrodretorv)
Hidden away behind the busy Strøget, in the heart of the old Latin quarter, there exists a secret, small, cobblestone square called Grabrodretorv. Surrounded by picturesque 18th century Dutch houses, it is certainly the most beautiful square in Copenhagen. I’m so glad I didn't miss it!

Photo: Greyfriars Square (Grabrodretorv)

New Harbour (Nyhavn)
Nyhavn is one of the most beautiful port areas in Europe and, for this very reason, the highlight of Copenhagen. It used to be the playground for sailors who did here all the filthy things sailors like to do when they are on land. Now it’s the playground for both locals and tourists, who find it a perfect place to eat out or just sip a Carlsberg. Be sure that colourful houses of Nyhavn will keep your camera busy for more than a while.

Photo: Colourful houses of Nyhavn

The Little Mermaid (den Lille Havfrue)
The life of this barebreasted creature hasn't been all roses. Neither has her relationship with the human race. Some of us made her pass through some very unpleasant experiences, like being doused with paint (red, green and recently pink), beheaded (twice), draped in a burka, accessorized with a dildo ore even blasted off its rock. But, vandalized or not, the Little Mermaid is a must-see in Copenhagen. Not because of being extraordinarily beautiful or impressive (in fact, it is a rather unremarkable monument), but because of being the international symbol of the city.

Photo: The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue)

The Stock Exchange (Børsen)
Børsen, built in the 17th century in the Dutch Renaissance style, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in Copenhagen. Its most unusual element is the spire, which is shaped by twisting tails of four fairy-tale dragons. It is said that the dragons symbolize three Scandinavian kingdoms: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Don't ask me how come four dragons can symbolize three kingdoms. This is the part I don't understand either. But, whatever its symbolism, the spire is absolutely fabulous.

Frederik’s Church (Frederiks Kirke)
I said Copenhagen is the city of spires, but it’s got also one marvellous monumental dome. The dome, said to be the biggest in Scandinavia, tops the Baroque Frederik’s Church a.k.a. the Marble Church (Marmorkirken). This is probably the most impressive and beautiful church exterior not only in Copenhagen, but also in the whole of Denmark.

Photo: Frederik’s Church a.k.a. the Marble Church

Amalienborg Palace (Amalienborg Slot)
Exteriors of official residences of European royal families usually tend to be so sober, so elegant and so noble, that they become dull. That’s the case of Buckingham Palace in London or Palacio Real in Madrid. Amalienborg Palace, which is the winter residence of the Danish royal family, is no exception from this rule, but somehow I find it more appealing and less yawn-inspiring than its British or Spanish counterparts. I guess it is the wonderful dome of the Marble Church overlooking Amalienborg that adds a lot to the palace’s visual attractiveness. Amalienborg consists of four identical parts that surround an octagonal square called Amalienborg Slotsplads. The whole compex is a fine example of European Baroque architecture.

Photo: Amalienborg Palace

Christiansborg Palace (Christiansborg Slot)
Christiansborg Palace is home to the Danish Parliament called the Folketing (Folketinget), to the Supreme Court as well as to the Office of the Prime Minister. Compared to Amalienborg Palace, it is slightly less sober, more impressive and more imaginative. And much bigger.

Photo: Christiansborg Palace

The Citadel (Kastellet)
Kastellet is a system of fortifications located close to den Lille Havfrue. It comprises five bastions, defence walls, entrenchments, military quarters and a windmill. Although still a military area, it is open to visitors. A nice place for a relaxing walk and the opportunity to get an insight into the military history of Copenhagen.

Photo: Kastellet

FOR BEST CITY PANORAMAS I CLIMBED:

The Round Tower (Rundetårn)
Rundetårn is a 17th century tower located in the historical centre of Copenhagen. Apart from being an excellent viewpoint, this 38-metre tower is an astronomical observatory and a concert venue. Instead of the stairs, it has a wide, spiral ramp winding up to its very top.

The spire of the Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke)
This black and golden spiral spire is one of the most beautiful and unusual spires I have ever seen. From this viewpoint you can see the Øresund Bridge.

MY IMPRESSIONS:

To be honest I didn’t expect much from Copenhagen. I thought that Denmark was the only Nordic country without top notch tourist attractions. Now I know I was wrong. Full of architectonical treasures, Copenhagen is second most beautiful city in the Nordic countries (after Stockholm) and undoubtedly a top notch tourist attraction, no worse than Norwegian fjords, Finnish lakes or Icelandic geysers. Like Venice, Amsterdam, Bruges, Stockholm and some other urban centres, Copenhagen belongs to the group of canal cities, which adds a lot to its charm. Its historical centre has many influences of 18th century Dutch and Flemish architecture, so no wonder that some parts of Copenhagen resemble Bruges, Antwerp or even Amsterdam. I also noticed some similarities between Copenhagen and historical centres of Tallinn, Warsaw and Vilnius. Rådhuspladsen was quite obviously inspired by Town Hall Square in Siena, but, as far as beauty is concerned, it is a far cry from its Italian counterpart. The Round Tower reminded me of the White Tower in Thessaloniki.

FOOD:

Danish Sausages
Eating out in Copenhagen is extremely expensive. After one visit in a restaurant that cost a fortune (by my standards), I decided to feed myself on fast food. Which in Copenhagen is quite an easy and pleasant thing. The city swarms with pølsevogn, which are sausage stands. Traditional Danish sausages (called pølse) are red, very thin and very long. They are eaten with bread, mustard, ketchup, grilled onions and sliced pickles. Very tasty, by the way.

TRANSPORTATION:

Copenhagen Airport
I fell in love with Copenhagen Airport. Located in Kastrup (a town on the island of Amager), it is one of the most architectonically interesting airports I have ever seen. Some parts of its transit areas have wooden floors, which gives it a cosy and welcoming look.

SURROUNDINGS OF COPENHAGEN:

Helsingør (45 km north of Copenhagen).
Once upon a time there was a Dane called Hamlet. He was just an ordinary young man, except for the fact that he killed his uncle, who had married Hamlet’s mother after killing Hamlet’s father, who was the king of Denmark. Hamlet also accidentally killed his fiancée’s father. As a result, his fiancée went mad and drowned herself.

Photo: Kronborg Castle in Helsingør

According to a Briton called Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet lived and ocasionally murdered his family members in Kronborg, which is a Renaissance castle located in the town of Helsingør. Nowadays Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I liked its interesting coastal location.

It’s also a good idea to take a stroll round the historical centre of Helsingør. Its old half-timbered houses are really picturesque.

Photo: One of the old half-timbered houses in the historical centre of Helsingør

Roskilde (40 km west of Copenhagen)
The small town of Roskilde is known for its world-famous rock music festival, which is the second biggest in Europe. It is also home to Roskilde Cathedral (Roskilde Domkirke), which is the burial site for Danish kings and Denmark's most important church (since 1995 it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

I went to Roskilde to visit the cathedral. Unfortunately I was denied entrance by an intimidating doorkeeper, who explained that on that day the cathedral was open exclusively to wedding guests (it was a Saturday afternoon). If such a thing happened to me in a country where church interiors are exceptionally beautiful, say, in Italy or Spain, I would probably burst into tears or beat the doorkeeper up. But since churches are not something Nordic Europe is most famous for (let’s face it, many of the best Scandinavian churches would be a minor attraction in a provincial Italian town), I swallowed this bitter pill quite easily and comforted myself with exploring surroundings of the cathedral. Thanks to this I discovered the neighbouring Baroque Roskilde Palace a.k.a. the Yellow Palace (Det Gule Palæ), which is the seat of the Bishop of Roskilde and also houses the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Photo: Roskilde Cathedral (in the background) and the Yellow Palace

Quite surprisingly, the humble Yellow Palace became the highlight of my visit to Denmark. I got fascinated with its intensely bright yellow walls and took a lot of photos in the hope that the yellow madness would look on the photos as vivid and mad as I was seeing it. And it does. These photos are probably the best architecture photos I have ever taken. Therefore for me Roskilde is all about the uncelebrated Yellow Palace rather than the much celebrated Roskilde Cathedral.

Photo: the Yellow Palace (Det Gule Palæ)

It is also a noteworthy fact that it was in Roskilde where I had seen, for the first time ever, a fjord. Of course, this being Denmark (a very flat country), the fjord I saw had nothing to do with its scenic counterparts in Norway or New Zealand. It was just an unexciting sea inlet. If you are interested in Vikings, be sure to visit the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet), which overlooks Roskilde Fjord. Some of the ships that belong to the museum can be seen in the fjord.

Photo: Viking ships in the Roskilde Fjord

MOVIES SHOT ON LOCATION IN COPENHAGEN:

1. Babette's Feast (Babettes Gæstebud) - Denmark 1987, dir. Gabriel Axel
2. Breaking the Waves - Denmark/France 1986, dir. Lars von Trier
3. Dancer in the Dark - Denmark/France 2000, dir. Lars von Trier
4. Smilla's Sense of Snow - Denmark 1997, dir. Bille August
5. Torn Curtain - USA 1966, dir. Alfred Hitchcock