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		Denmark (Danmark)
The Danish monarchy, founded by Viking chieftains in the 10th century, is the oldest in Europe.  Vikings also established a foothold in England — known as the Danelaw — in the 8th century, and Danish kings ruled all of England from 1014-1042.  Denmark turned its attention to the Baltic Sea in subsequent centuries, becoming the dominant Scandinavian power.
Norway came under Danish control in 1380, followed by Sweden with the 1397 Union of Kalmar.  Sweden rebelled against Danish rule in 1520, and the two kingdoms struggled for control of the Baltic over the next few centuries.			Finding itself on the losing side of the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark was forced to surrender Norway.  War with Prussia in 1864 cost the Danes the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein — though they regained part of this territory after the First World War.
Iceland gained its independence from Denmark in 1918, but Greenland and the Faeroe Islands still owe allegiance to the Danish crown.
Despite a non-aggression pact, Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during WW II.  After the war, Denmark was a founding member of NATO, and joined the European Community in 1973.  Danish voters rejected the Maastricht Treaty which established the EU, and have not adopted the euro common currency.

	Copenhagen (København)
	With over a million residents, Copenhagen is Scandinavia's largest — and liveliest — city.

	Once a simple fishing village, the town of Kømanshavn — "port of the merchants" — grew up around Slotsholmen after Bishop Absalon fortified the island in 1167.

	Slotsholmen's Christiansborg Palace is now home to the Danish parliament (Folketing).

	Copenhagen was granted municipal rights in the middle of the 13th century, and Christopher III of Bavaria selected the city as the Danish capital in 1443.

	Copenhagen has been besieged and bombarded on numerous occasions throughout its history.

	The Hanseatic League towns often ganged up on Copenhagen.
The Swedish siege of 1658-59 was a more serious affair.

	Even the British bombarded the city in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars.

	Copenhagen once again found itself on the front lines when it was occupied during WWII.

	Copenhagen is encircled by gardens and boulevards, laid out after most of the city's fortifications were dismantled in 1863.  Only the 17th-century Kastellet still defends the the city from attack by pesky tourists.

	The nearby monument to the "Little Mermaid" is a popular tourist destination.  Across the harbor lies Christianshavn, established by Christian IV in the 16th century.

	This quiet neighborhood is still cut by canals and surrounded by defensive ramparts.
Nearby Christiania is a "social experiment" in communal living.			This self-governing "free town" is noted for its alternative lifestyles.

Practical Information

We visited Copenhagen for two days in early July 2004, arriving by train from Hamburg.  Along the way, the train actually rolled aboard a ferry for part of the trip.

• Hotel: The Hotel Christian IV, north of the city center, was moderately priced, but would not let us leave our bags in the room an hour past check-out
• Restaurants: The self-explanatory Italiano Ristorante offered a romantic atmosphere and delicious food, but the Tex-Mex at Mama Rosa was a bit disappointing
• Transportation: We walked everywhere, except for taxis to and from the train station
• Miscellaneous: Everything in Copenhagen — and in Scandinavia in general — is way overpriced, and we found the locals to be a bit rude ...

This page was first published 22 October 2004, and last updated 08 March 2005.