Goodbye to Copenhagen

I know the Little Mermaid is Copenhagen’s most well known (iconic?) site but the good lady and I didn’t bother seeking it out as we’d both seen it already many moons ago before we’d even met. The adjective “little” is highly apposite, by the way.

What I did notice as we made our way back onto Langelinie Pier was a statue of a polar bear with two cubs:-

Statue of Three Bears, Copenhagen

Statue of Polar Bear with Two Cubs

And so back to the ship – which was always referred to on the PA system as “the beautiful” Magellan. (There was another, larger, block-of-flats type cruise ship berthed immediately in front of her):-

SS Magellan

Danish National Second World War Memorial, Copenhagen

Moving on from the memorials to individual soldiers from Denmark I found the Memorial I had spotted from the Gefion Fountain.

King’s Gate entrance to the Kastellet behind:-

Danish National Second World War Memorial, Copenhagen

The Memorials’ inscriptions are Vore Faldne (Our Fallen) followed by,

I Dansk og I Allieret Krigstjeneste 1940-1945 (In Danish and in Allied War Service 1940-1945) and then,

Rejst af det Danske Folk. (Raised by the Danish People.)

Danish National World War 2 Memorial

Individual War Memorials, Copenhagen

From the top of Copenhagen’s Gefion Fountain looking over the canal/moat round the Kastellet (first picture in that post) I could see off to the left in the middle distance what looked very much like a War Memorial, so made my way in that direction.

However, on the way down towards it, after passing St Albans Kirke, I came across three memorials to individual Danes.

Memorial to Thomas Dinesen. Private Dinesen, 1899-1979, became a member of the Quebec Regiment of the Canadian Black Watch, and was awarded the Victoria Cross in World War 1 on 12th August 1918. Inscribed “Opført af de Allierdes Danske Vaabenfæller.” (Constructed by the Allied Danes brothers in arms?):-

Memorial to Thomas Dinesen, Copenhagen

Memorial to Anders Lassen. Born on 22/9/1920, Major Lassen won the Victoria Cross, Military Cross and two bars. Inscribed, “Faldet for danmarks frihed i allieret tjeneste,” (fallen for Denmark’s freedom in Allied Service) “9 April 1945,” and also “Opsat af frihedkampens veteraner (erected by the veterans of the fight for freedom) 9/4/1987.”

Memorial to Anders Lassen, Copenhagen

Kaj Birksted Memorial. Per Ardua ad Astra, Wing Commander Flying, Lieutenant-Colonel Birksted, DSO, OBE, DFC, krigskorset m Sverd og Stjerne p p (the war cross with swords and star) Flying Ace. Erected by the Kaj Birksted Committee, 5/5/2010:-

Kaj Birksted Memorial, Copenhagen

The Kastellet, Copenhagen

The Kastellet (citadel) is a military bastion near Copenhagen harbour.

This view of the canal that surrounds it was taken from the Gefion Fountain (previous post.) The winged structure just to the left of upper centre was actually our ship’s funnel:-

Defensive Military Canal, Kastellet, Copenhagen

The water and banked earth round the Kastellet reminded me of Naarden in The Netherlands.

This is a view of the moat from the exit bridge nearer the harbour:-

Kastellet Military Canal, Copenhagen

As is this, looking in the opposite direction:-

Kastellet Canal, Copenhagen

Right by that exit bridge bridge this bird was nesting. It refused to lift its head so that I could get a good photo:-

Nesting Bird by Kastellet, Copenhagen

Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

This impressive fountain is quite near to Copenhagen harbour.

Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Detail:-

Detail, Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Gefion Fountain from above (St Alban’s Kirke to right rear):-

Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen from Above

Gefion Fountain and St Alban’s Kirke:-

Gefion Fountain and St Alban's Kirke, Copenhagen

Fountain upper detail:-

More Detail, Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Video of fountain from below. (Click on picture to get to video):-

Video Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Video from higher up:-

More of Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Close-up video:-

Detail, Gefion Fountain, Copenhagen

Amaliehaven, Copenhagen

Amaliehaven is a relatively new (1983) park near the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen:-

Concrete Roof Garden by Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

From it you could see these onion domes. Onion domes are unusual for Denmark I’d have thought. By searching Google Maps I discovered the building they belong to is on a street called Bredgade. Apparently it is the Alexander Nevsky Church, the only Russian Orthodox Church in the city:-

Onion Domes, Copenhagen

There are more images of the church here. It would not look out of place in St Petersburg.

This rather grand looking frieze on Toldbodgade seemed to be over an underground car park. The inscription seems to read “Konge May Told Kammer” (King May Customs House?) and below that Anno 1733:-

Frieze, Copenhagen

Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

I hadn’t realised at the time but the Amalienborg Palace, (Kogenlige Slot,) Copenhagen, the winter residence of the Danish Royal Family, is actually four identical facades surrounding a central space.

It makes this stitch I made of my first two photos a bit unnecessary. The building isn’t really bent, of course:-

Amalienborg Palace 1

Second building. Frederiks Kirke to left here:-

Amalienborg Palace,Copenhagen 2

Frederiks Kirke (a street away) from central space:-

Frederiks Kirke from Amalienborg Palace

Amalienborg Palace Gateway:-

Amalienborg Palace Gateway, Copenhagen

Close-up on one of the facades:-

Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen Close-up

Guards at Palace:-

Guards at Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

The guards have an odd posture. They march – and stand – with arms folded:-

Amalienborg Palace Guards, Copenhagen

These two didn’t have arms folded, though. (This is a video. Click on picture to get to the video):-

Guards at Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

Changing Guard, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen. Again, click to get to video:-

Changing Guard, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen

Nyhavn, Copenhagen

Nyhavn is a reminder of old Copenhagen. Once down at heel, now apparently resurgent and full of eateries and such.

Nyhavn, Copenhagen 1

Nyhavn, Copenhagen 2

Nyhavn,Copenhagen 3

Copenhagen Waterfront

From Havnegade.

A Bridge:-

A Bridge, Copenhagen Waterfront

Another Bridge. (The Standard Restaurant is to left here):-

Another Bridge, Copenhagen

Old Warehouse:-

Old Warehouse, Copenhagen

Art Deco in Copenhagen

Undoubtedly Art Deco, this is a restaurant called The Standard, on Havnegade, Copenhagen.

Art Deco Building on Havnegade, Copenhagen

Definite deco lines plus rounded gables, not to mention the tower clock:-

The Standard, Havnegade, Copenhagen

Reverse view:-

Reverse View, The Standard, Havnegade, Copenhagen

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