I get to do something a little different to my usual travel day today. One of the reasons for my visit to Copenhagen is to meet some relatives that live here. As such they have arranged a day out to show me around some of the Danish Countryside near to Copenhagen. It is very nice to get to meet some family that I have not met before and see their home country through their eyes.
Taarbaek
There was a sort of plan for the day, and I was happy to follow along and see what was here. The first stop was a small seaside town just north of Copenhagen by the name of Taarbaek. On a clear day from here, you can see Sweden across the water. Unfortunately, today is not a clear day. The area has many nice older homes and along the foreshore, you will find many sailboats.
Fredensborg Palace
The next stop today was at Fredensborg Palace, the home of the Danish Royal Family. Located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand. The most used of the Danish Royal Residences, Fredensborg Palace often hosts important events and state visits.
The timing of our visit coincided with the changing of the guard. There is a choreographed process to the changing of the guard. For much of the process, there is the accompaniment of flute and drums.
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace is a palace from the early 17th century originally for King Christian IV. The palace was built on the site of an earlier castle from the era of Frederick II. The palace itself resides on a series of three islands in the middle of Palace Lake. The building is of primarily red brick in the Renaissance Style. In fact, it is the largest Renaissance Palace in Scandinavia.
Surrounding the palace is a series of gardens that are very beautiful and well kept. The gardens incorporate a series of monograms made from small box hedges. Along with extensive flower displays and water features running the length of the gardens.
Herlev Kirke
From the outside, Herlev Kirke is rather indistinct and not so impressive. However, once you enter the building, it is such a beautiful old church. There are a series of beautiful paintings that cover the ceiling, and there is a very nice feeling being inside here.
Today has just been an incredible experience getting to see the Danish Countryside through the eyes of my relatives. It is such a beautiful country that does share some similarities with Australia. There turned out to be a couple of points when we were driving down the country roads that I could have been in Australia.
If you ever have the chance to visit Denmark, I would highly recommend it. Even if the only excuse is it being a beautiful country. Just don’t let the language barrier stop you, as it is not an issue at all.
