這座城市集華美之大成:巴黎的高雅浪漫,倫敦的宏偉莊嚴,威尼斯詩般的夢幻……它展示著古老與神奇、人文與自然、激情與寧靜、藝術與現代……哥本哈根,一段維金(Viking)的傳奇,一個秋天的童話。
—By Terence
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is Scandinavia’s most fantastic city, and part of the most dynamic region in Northern Europe. The city is one of Europe’s oldest and most wonderful capitals, with a royal touch.
There is evidence that Copenhagen existed as a settlement more than 6,000 years ago. Called "Havn"(meaning the Harbor) in those days, the place was of little strategic or political importance. Most of the people in "Havn" earned their daily bread by fishing. In the next two centuries, fishing and trading turned the small village into a flourishing town. And in 1343, King Valdemar Atterdag made Copenhagen the capital of Denmark.
More than 600 years later, the waterside city of Copenhagen is vibrant1 and modern, yet at the same time packed with old-world fairy-tale charm and fascination.
Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace, the residence of Queen Margrethe II, her husband, Prince Henrik, and her son, the Crown Prince Frederik, is one of the greatest architectural masterpieces in Europe and probably the most outstanding piece of Rococo2 architecture in Denmark.
Amalienborg comprises four palaces which were built for four noble families in the middle of the 18th century by King Frederik V. In 1794, the royal family moved into the four palaces around the square. The statue in the middle of the square was sculpted by the French artist Saly.
Kronborg Castle
Kronborg Castle in Elsinore is one of Northern Europe’s most important Renaissance castles. Known all over the world from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, it is also the most famous castle in Denmark and is visited each year by about 200,000 Danes and tourists.
Frederik II’s Kronborg is both an elegant Renaissance castle and a monumental military fortress3 surrounded by major fortifications4. The castle was burned down in 1629 but was rebuilt again in 1638. Among the most important attractions are the 62m-long Knight’s Hall, one of the longest halls in Europe, and the famous statue of Holger Danske. Legend says that if Denmark is ever threatened, the stone figure will turn into flesh and blood and rise in defense of the kingdom.
From 1998 to 2010, Kronborg Castle is undergoing extensive development to turn it into a modern exhibition center and visitor attraction. The restoration of the buildings and fortress areas go hand in hand with the development of the historical presentation of the castle to the public.
The National Museum
The National Museum is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history and a place where you can follow the history of the Danes right down to the present day. You can follow their explorations around the world from Greenland to South America. You can also have a close look at the legendary Viking5 ships.
The National Museum’s do-it-yourself guides only take an hour, and make it easy to get an overview of the exhibition area. Its audio6 guide in both English and Danish is a transportable CD player with headphones. The museum also has equipment to magnify7 both exhibits and texts for the partially sighted.
The Little Mermaid
Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale about her, Disney produced a movie and Copenhagen maintains a statue in her honor. The Little Mermaid continues to be the most popular tourist attraction in Denmark and one of the most photographed statues in the world.
The sculptor Edward Eriksen sculpted her in bronze, while his wife Eline Eriksen modeled. It is said that she is a sea king’s half-human and half-fish daughter, who must wait on the rock for 300 years before she can enter the world of humans. She’s been sitting there since 1913, so she still has many more years to go.
We can only wait and see ...
This lovely Scandinavian city that inspired Hans Christian Andersen is, indeed, a modern fairy tale: one of Europe’s finest capitals and most desirable destinations that retains a provincial8 charm and sense of history along with a contemporary edge9, offering visitors something for every taste.
Notes:
1. vibrant adj.充滿生機的
2. Rococo adj.洛可可式的, 過分修飾的(洛可可風格盛行於18世紀)
3. fortress n.堡壘, 要塞
4. fortification n.防禦工事
5. Viking n.維金人,北歐海盜
6. audio adj.聲音的,錄音的
7. magnify v.放大, 擴大
8. provincial adj.首都以外的;地方性的
9. edge n.優勢
Treasure Box
Scandinavia 斯堪地那維亞,位於歐洲大陸北部,包括三個國家——丹麥、挪威和瑞典
Amalienborg Palace 阿瑪利安堡皇宮,丹麥王室所在地
Kronborg Castle克倫堡宮,歐洲文藝復興時期最重要的城堡之一,因作為莎士比亞著名悲劇《哈姆雷特》的故事發生地而聞名天下
The Little Mermaid 小美人魚,丹麥著名作家安徒生創作的童話人物