Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark
Tell a Dane that he’s a hyggelig man, that his home is hyggeligt, even that Copenhagen itself is hyggeligt, and you’ll be saying what he likes to hear. – Hyggeligt is Denmark’s favorite word. Hard to translate, but it means something like warm and cozy. It reflects the Dane’s desire to be not the biggest and best at everything in life, (it’s a small country), but the warmest and coziest of hosts.
Do the words Carlsberg/Tuborg beer, Lego, Bang & Olufsen, Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid and Hans Christian Andersen sound familiar to you? – They’re all Danish!
Visit Denmark, and explore for yourself what this little kingdom is all about. It’s worth it! Meet the Danes; there are about 5 million of them. About one million live in Copenhagen. I’d like to tell you a little about Copenhagen. I know the city very well… it used to be my hometown (although I was born about an hour away in the town of Ringsted).
Copenhagen was founded in 1167 by Bishop Absalon. It was made into a royal residence by King Erik VII in 1417. Today Queen Margrethe II is the Queen of Denmark, the oldest royal dynasty in Europe. She has her residence at Amalienborg Palace, just 20 minutes' walk from the center of Copenhagen.
Here’s what to see in Copenhagen:
Let’s start with the heart of the city, Rådhuspladsen, (Town Hall Square). This is the center of bus traffic in the city, and all the sightseeing tours begins here. The Town Hall (Rådhuset) is situated here, a red-brick building from 1905 built in Italian Renaissance style. It has a golden figure of the city’s founder Bishop Absalon above its portal. You can climb the 344 foot high tower. It’s a great building. I know… I got married there on November 7, 1998!
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