Original subtitles

(howling wind)

(exciting music)

- [Narrator] Our aerial journey begins

at Rødby Harbor on Lolland Island

before crossing to Falster Island

and its beaches and bridges.

On the Island of Møn, we take a look at the white cliffs

and a very rare romantic landscape

before crossing to the main Island of Zealand

and the city of Roskilde.

We then fly east to Copenhagen, the capital city,

before going north past Royal Palaces

to the end of our journey at Kronborg Castle,

immortalized as Hamlet's Castle from Shakespeare's play.

In Denmark, ferries are a very familiar sight,

as the country consists of over 480 islands,

of which 100 are inhabited.

At Rødby Harbor on the island of Lolland

the ferry links Denmark to Germany and mainland Europe.

(soft music)

The landscape of Denmark is low-lying,

with wide stretches of corn fields and forests

and in this sea of fields are small neat farms,

many going back centuries.

(soft music)

And in the villages, centuries old colored churches

rise above the low-lying houses.

And nowhere in Denmark is very far from the sea.

This is the country where the Vikings

once set out across the oceans

to explore and conquer distant lands.

And the sea is still a way of life

with harbor towns like Nykøbing

on the island of Falster, next to Lolland.

The love of the sea has given rise

to the Danish tradition of summer houses by the beach.

At Marielyst on Falster,

the beach extends to around 20 kilometers,

but like all beaches in the country,

is protected from any development.

Simple, individual, wooden houses are built in the woods

and used as holiday and weekend homes.

(soft music)

Marielyst began in the late 19th century

as a place to recuperate and the popularity of fresh sea air

and simple living caught on.

As engineering development progressed

bridges began to replace ferries on major routes.

In the 1930's, the Storstrøm Bridge was built.

It is just under two miles long

and carries both road and rail.

Before the bridge was commissioned by Danish State Railways

trains would have been loaded onto ferries

to cross the water.

So the new bridge took hours off a journey

to Hårbølle Harbor for both trains as well as road traffic.

For the next 50 years,

this was the only road connection between the islands.

But by the 1970s with more vehicles on the road,

the bridge was becoming too narrow.

The large lorries could barely pass.

A new bridge was needed.

So in 1985, the Farø Bridge was opened

with four lanes for traffic.

This suspension bridge is unusual

in having only a single cable structure in the center.

There are actually two Farø Bridges

which meet on a small island in the middle of the street

and the suspension bridge is high enough

to let small ships pass underneath.

(gentle music)

In 1989, Denmark was the first country in the world

to ban straw and stubble burning,

though in places like Bogø Island

it still seems to carry on.

The old practice of burning

had the advantage of removing weed seeds

and creating a natural fertilizer from the ash

which could be plowed back into the soil.

(gentle music)

However, it pollutes the atmosphere

and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide.

It's also potentially dangerous

if the fire gets out of control.

(gentle music)

To the east of Falster is the Island of Møn,

which pushes out into the Baltic Sea.

And on the southeast corner is a lighthouse

warning ships of the nearby cliffs,

which are one of the highest parts of Denmark

and one of the country's most

popular destinations for tourists.

(gentle music)

These are the cliffs of Møn,

which stretch for six kilometers.

At their highest these chalk cliffs

stand at over 120 meters.

They are made up of millions of microscopic creatures

which lived on the sea bed over 70 million years ago.

Every so often, large sections break off

with erosion from the sea as a result of water

freezing in the cracks during the winter.

(gentle music)

For a period of time, the spoil creates a new beach

and colors the sea a milky blue.

And with every fall of chalk from the cliffs,

fossils become exposed and the cliffs

become a popular place to collect them.

(gentle music)

Visitors also come to see Liselund

in the woods above the cliffs,

which is a rare romantic landscape

from the late 18th century.

The Calmette family built a small

thatched, picturesque castle in a neoclassical style.

This romantic house was to be a place

where the family could be as informal as the period allowed.

The idea for Liselund came from the Calmettes' trip

to Germany and Switzerland where they were inspired

by the landscape and romantic buildings.

They surrounded their new house

with the latest ideas for a landscaped garden,

which was carefully contrived to look entirely natural.

Other buildings were added, including the Norwegian house,

which was used as a place for guests to stay.

Some of the other buildings have since disappeared

over the cliffs as they eroded away.

In the late 19th century, the new owner of Liselund,

Baron Rosenkranz, built a larger house close by.

And in 1938, his descendants decided

to make over the estate to a preservation trust,

who would maintain it and open

this rare landscape to the public.

(gentle music)

The Queen Alexandrine Bridge, built in 1943,

joins Møn to Zealand, Denmark's largest island.

A distinctive feature in the Danish landscape

is all the well-kept manor houses,

and in particular, the beautifully built farm buildings

that surround them which often go back centuries.

They show quite how important farming has been

in the Danish economy.

And in the 18th century, the profitable estates

of the Danish nobility allowed them

to build impressive houses.

Ledreborg Palace is one of the finest examples

of Baroque and Rococo architecture in Northern Europe.

The Palace was built between 1740 and 1745

by Count Johan Ludvig Holstein,

who was head of the Danish Chancellery.

And today, the estate is still the home

of the Holstein Ledreborg family.

The Palace has undergone very little change

in 250 years both inside and out.

The symmetrical courtyard, entrance lodge and outbuildings

have not been substantially altered.

And as a result, Ledreborg

is one of the most complete 18th century houses

and unique in Danish architectural history.

(upbeat orchestra music)

Close by the palace, is the Land of Legends

a historical park where visitors

can get hands-on experience of what life was like

in the early days of Denmark's history.

It was founded in 1964 and includes a reconstruction

of an iron age village.

(gentle music)

The Center also includes activities for families

to learn about the best known Danes of all, the Vikings.

(gentle music)

In the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde,

five original Viking ships are on display

overlooking the Roskilde Fjord.

Around the year 1070, five ships were sunk at a narrow point

to protect Roskilde from an enemy attack.

In 1962, they were excavated and they turned out

to be five different types of Viking ships,

ranging from cargo carriers to warships.

In the museum harbor, replicas of the ships

are built in a purpose-built boat yard

and visitors can take a trip out into the fjord

in a Viking boat to experience what it was like

to sail in a type of ship

built over a thousand years earlier.

The city of Roskilde has a history

stretching back to the year 960

when it was the capital of Denmark

and the King, Harald Bluetooth,

built a church and royal estate here.

The present Cathedral dates from the 13th century

and since the 15th century, has been a main burial site

for all the Danish kings and queens.

In the 14th century, King Eric VIII

moved the capital away from Roskilde

to another harbor city 20 miles to the east, Copenhagen.

(upbeat music)

With a population of around two million people,

Copenhagen is considered to be

one of the best cities in the world for quality of life

and environmental sensitivity,

with 35% of the population commuting by bicycle.

(upbeat music)

The city is home to the Danish Royal Family

here at Amalienborg.

The four palaces were originally built for four nobles.

But after a fire in the old Royal Palace in 1794

the Royal Family bought them and have lived here ever since.

Overlooking the palaces is Frederick's Church,

also known as the Marble Church,

and has the largest dome in Scandinavia.

(upbeat music)

Christiansborg Palace is the third palace on this very site

and the main building was not finally finished until 1928.

However, the 18th century horseshoe-shaped courtyard

has survived the centuries.

Today, the Royal Family use the reception rooms

on state occasions, and the Palace is home

to the Danish Parliament as well as the Supreme Court.

(upbeat music)

Denmark's crown jewels are housed in Rosenborg Castle.

This is one of the most visited places in the city

and contains thousands of Royal objects

collected over the centuries.

(upbeat music)

The Castle was built in the Renaissance style

in 1606 as a summer residence.

It has remained largely untouched since it was built.

Copenhagen has a number of world-renowned art galleries,

including the Danish National Gallery

and the Carlsberg Glyptotek, which is built

around the personal collection

of the brewing magnate, Carl Jacobsen,

and ranges from ancient sculpture

to impressionist paintings.

One of the best places for a view over the city

is the Round Tower, built in the 1640s

as an observatory for the nearby University.

Inside is a spiral ramp

wide enough to allow horse-drawn carriage to get to the top.

(dramatic music)

Perhaps the best-known monument

and also one of the smallest, is to be found

on the edge of the harbor, The Little Mermaid.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's story,

the bronze figure was placed by the shoreline in 1913

and soon became an icon for the city.

Back in the center is another very

popular attraction, Tivoli Gardens.

(carnival music)

Opened in 1843, Tivoli has remained

just as popular with the Danes as it has with visitors.

At night, the gardens are lit in a breathtaking display

and people can go to concerts,

eat in one of the many restaurants,

and enjoy the rides, including the Star Flyer,

the world's tallest carousel.

(carnival music)

Copenhagen is home to some outstanding modern architecture

such as the Royal Danish Library,

known as the Black Diamond because of the black glass

and the granite imported from Zimbabwe.

And one of the latest buildings

is the Copenhagen Opera House

and one of the most expensive opera houses ever built,

with costs in excess of 300 million pounds.

It was a gift of AP Moller,

cofounder of the Maersk Shipping Line.

The architect was Henning Larsen

and construction began in 2000

and took six years to complete.

Before the new opera house was built

opera was performed here at the Royal Theater,

which was built in 1872

to replace an 18th century predecessor.

Today, it is the home of the Royal Danish Ballet.

It fronts Kongens Nytorv, the King's New Square

created over 300 years ago.

(gentle music)

It also marks the end of Nyhavn, or New Harbor,

which was dug by soldiers in the 1670s

to allow ships to unload goods in the center of the city.

Back in the 19th century, this was a notorious place

with a seedy reputation for cheap bars,

rough hotels, and brothels.

Today, Nyhavn and its colorful houses

is one of the most popular places to have a drink,

catch a tourist boat or stay one of the smart, new hotels.

(gentle music)

City Hall Square is marked by Copenhagen City Hall

and its Italian-inspired clock tower.

And running off the square is the walking street,

the main shopping district.

This is the longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe

and full of the city's most expensive and famous stores.

It's a popular place to meet and often packed with people.

The city is full of old buildings and historic sites,

including the Citadel, rebuilt in 1663

following a Swedish attack.

And it's still used by the Danish Military.

Next to the Fort are rows of yellow-colored

18th-century houses for naval personnel

and built for the expanding Danish fleet.

In Copenhagen Harbor, ferries come and go

between Sweden and Norway, as well as being

a stopping point for cruise liners from around the world.

But things were not so peaceful in 1801

when a British fleet attacked.

Trekroner Fort was an important part

of the Danish line of defense

during the Battle of Copenhagen.

This was the battle where Horatio Nelson, second-in-command,

inflicted a heavy defeat on the Danish Navy.

In the Naval dockyard, built on reclaimed land,

an 18th century crane for lifting masts

still stands as a reminder of past times.

The dockyard is now a museum.

Also on reclaimed land, is Christianshavn,

which was built up in the 17th century

as part of the fortifications of Copenhagen.

It was originally laid out as an independent merchants town

and clearly the influence of Dutch architecture,

as well as the use of canals,

gives the area a very distinctive style.

And one of the best ways of seeing Christianshavn

is from the canals.

There is also a rather dramatic way of seeing the area

and that is by climbing the outside staircase

of the corkscrew spire on the Church of Our Savior

which was added to the original Church in 1749.

From the top, most of Copenhagen can be seen,

including the International Airport.

(airplane engine roaring)

Locally known as Kastrup, the airport opened in 1925,

and today it handles over 20 million passengers a year.

(airplane engine roaring)

And next to the airport is the new motorway linked to Sweden

which crosses the new Øresund Bridge.

(whimsical music)

Opened in 2000, the bridge is the longest road

and rail bridge in Europe,

and connects Copenhagen with Malmö.

It took five years to build

and it was completed three months ahead of schedule

despite the discovery, during construction

of 16 unexploded World War II bombs lying on the seabed.

The bridge is just one part of the crossing

as about halfway the road and railway disappear

into a tunnel on an artificial island.

This provides a clear channel for ships

and a safe approach for landing aircraft at the airport.

North of Copenhagen, at Rungsted,

is the house of one of Denmark's

best known 20th twentieth century writers, Karen Blixen.

She is best known for her book "Out of Africa",

an account of her life in that continent,

which was made into an Oscar-winning film

starring Meryl Streep in 1985.

Apart from her years in Africa,

she spent her childhood and later life here

at her parent's manor house,

and it's where she died in 1962.

The house is now a museum dedicated to her life and work.

(gentle piano music)

Five miles up the coast, at Humlebæk

is the most visited Art Museum in Denmark,

the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

The permanent collection features works

from the 1940's from some of the best known artists

including Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein.

In the grounds is a sculpture garden

overlooking the sea, including a work by Henry Moore.

The museum was created in 1958

by the then owner of the property

and since then, new galleries have been added

to house the growing collection

which now stands at more than 3000 works of art.

(upbeat music)

This is Frederiksborg Castle

and the largest Renaissance Palace in Scandinavia,

which is now the Museum of National History.

It was built between 1602 and 1620

by King Christian IV on three small islands

in a lake close to Hillerød and replaced an earlier castle.

For the next 200 years, the castle was used

as a Royal Residence, as well as a place

for the anointing and crowning of Danish monarchs.

In 1859, a disastrous fire destroyed much of the interior.

The reconstruction was funded by public subscription

as well as a large donation

from the Carlsberg brewing magnate, Carl Jacobsen

on the condition that the Castle was turned into a museum.

The Magnificent Baroque Garden

is away from the house across the lake

and was laid out in the 1720's.

A restoration program was begun in 1995

to bring the Gardens back to their original design.

A few miles to the North, on the shore of Lake Esrum

is Fredensborg Palace, the Danish Royal Family's

spring and autumn residence.

It's also the most used of all the Royal Residences

and is often the site of important state visits.

It was built in the 1720's for King Frederick IV

as a small pleasure palace.

During construction, a peace treaty with Sweden

was signed at the unfinished building

ending a 20-year conflict.

The Palace was then named Fredensborg,

which translates as the Palace of Peace.

In the 1750s, the main Palace block

was extended with the addition

of four identical corner pavilions.

The large formal garden layout still exists

though most of the planting has been replaced by grass

and the Palace and Gardens are open to the public

during the summer months.

(ominous music)

Overlooking the narrow strait

between Denmark and Sweden is Kronborg Castle,

one of the most important Renaissance

style castles in the world.

There has been a fortress on this site

since the 15th century, when Danish kings

decided to charge a toll for ships

entering and leaving the Baltic Sea.

(ominous music)

The present building dates from the end

of the 16th century.

It was captured by the Swedes in 1658

and showed that it was not impregnable

so that after its return to Denmark,

the defenses were beefed up

with additional lines of ditches and ramparts,

making Kronborg the most formidable fortress in Europe.

By the 18th century, the fortress was being used

as a prison as well as a military fort

and this continued until the early 1900s

when the army left and the Castle was renovated

and opened as a museum.

But perhaps the Castle is best known around the world

as Elsinore and the setting

for William Shakespeare's famous play, Hamlet.

Shakespeare never set foot in Denmark

yet, when he wrote the play around 1600

he imagined it perfectly.

And today the play is often performed

in this magnificent Castle

and a perfect place to end this journey.

(dramatic music)

(gentle music)