København, known to the rest of the world as Copenhagen,
wonderful Copenhagen, became the capital of Denmark in 1415, but several
of its fine old buildings date from the reign of King Christian IV, from
the late 16th to the mid-17th century.
When people think of Elsinore, they
immediately conjure up deep, dark, mysterious images of the castle in
Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. But, in fact, Shakespeare never traveled
to Denmark, at least as far as anyone knows. And Elsinore is the town.
The castle, referred to in his play, is Kronborg. In 1412, when Erik of
Pomerania ascended to the throne of Denmark, he assumed leadership over
a country united by King Valdemar Atterdag, who ruled for 35 years from
1340 to 1375, and strengthened by his daughter, Queen Margrethe I, who
ruled from 1375 to 1412. The Kingdom of Denmark had already become
unified, and King Erik’s goal was to stabilize it.
Read moreRead more articles on Scandinavia >
Icelanders eat a lot of
fish and lamb. Fishermen catch fresh haddock, cod, plaice, halibut,
herring, and shrimp all year round while sheep roam the grass-covered
hillsides. In addition, many farmers raise chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
Traditionally, an Icelander’s diet consisted of variations of the two
previous staples, plus potatoes, canned or frozen vegetables, but over
the years has expanded to include many other Scandinavian and European
dishes. Read more
Scandinavian pewter craftsmen have been producing
unique wares since Roman times: Tin and lead mines have been in
operation since the third century. Historians believe that the
Norsemen gathered copper and other raw materials for their famous
metal work on their epic sea voyages.
Every year about 95 000 people die in
Sweden and, according to the law, everyone must be buried. There must be
room for everyone in the cemeteries, therefore the future needs of space
have to be predicted. Because of this funerals must be part of the
planning process.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
is known to young and old alike as one of the world’s
best storytellers. In fact, his own story is as good as any of
the fairy tales he wrote later in his life.
In
the early Middle Ages, driven by famine at home and the promise
of wealth to be had in other lands, the Vikings set out from
Scandinavia to conquer parts of England, Ireland, France,
Russia, and even Turkey. Bolstered by their successes, the
Vikings pushed westward, eventually crossing the North Atlantic
and founding settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland
in Canada.
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When people think of Elsinore, they
immediately conjure up deep, dark, mysterious images of the castle in
Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. But, in fact, Shakespeare never traveled
to Denmark, at least as far as anyone knows. And Elsinore is the town.
The castle, referred to in his play, is Kronborg. In 1412, when Erik of
Pomerania ascended to the throne of Denmark, he assumed leadership over
a country united by King Valdemar Atterdag, who ruled for 35 years from
1340 to 1375, and strengthened by his daughter, Queen Margrethe I, who
ruled from 1375 to 1412. The Kingdom of Denmark had already become
unified, and King Erik’s goal was to stabilize it.
Icelanders eat a lot of
fish and lamb. Fishermen catch fresh haddock, cod, plaice, halibut,
herring, and shrimp all year round while sheep roam the grass-covered
hillsides. In addition, many farmers raise chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
Traditionally, an Icelander’s diet consisted of variations of the two
previous staples, plus potatoes, canned or frozen vegetables, but over
the years has expanded to include many other Scandinavian and European
dishes.
Scandinavian pewter craftsmen have been producing
unique wares since Roman times: Tin and lead mines have been in
operation since the third century. Historians believe that the
Norsemen gathered copper and other raw materials for their famous
metal work on their epic sea voyages.
In
the early Middle Ages, driven by famine at home and the promise
of wealth to be had in other lands, the Vikings set out from
Scandinavia to conquer parts of England, Ireland, France,
Russia, and even Turkey. Bolstered by their successes, the
Vikings pushed westward, eventually crossing the North Atlantic
and founding settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland
in Canada.