Picketts in Poland: Our Summer Trip to Denmark

We travel to Copenhagen, Denmark

Before my September trip to Utah for wedding planning, Mark and I took a weekend trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. I had wanted to go to Denmark for quite a while. So since Mark likes me to initiate our weekend trips I decided Denmark would be a good summer travel destination….we went from August 22-26, 2013.

Our first stop (while still at the airport), was to find a machine that would give us Danish Krone (DKK). It takes 5.4 Krone to equal 1 US dollar….so we would need a lot of Krones to make purchases here.

Denmark is further north than Warsaw, where we live….so the sun was setting much earlier here in Copenhagen on our first night of arrival.

Copenhagen, Denmark Temple
On Friday morning, we took a bus just outside of our hotel, and traveled to the Copenhagen, Denmark Temple. It was not far to travel….maybe a 20 minute bus ride and then a short walk to the temple.

This temple was originally a standard church building. During WWII it was used as a bomb shelter, and luckily received very little damage. The outside of the building looks much the same as when it was first built in the 1930s. The inside was redesigned and renovated, and became a temple in 2004.

On every temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the words "Holiness to the Lord…House of the Lord"….seen here in Danish.

It was a lovely experience being in the temple in a new city….the people were kind and helpful, and I loved starting our visit in a new city with a visit to the temple.

After attending the Copenhagen Temple, we became real tourists as we walked and explored downtown Copenhagen.…starting with an outdoor lunch.

As in most European cities we have visited, people love to eat outside…including us.

Rundetaarn (The Round Tower)
Located in central Copenhagen, it has been an icon of Denmark since 1642.

We climbed to the top of the Round Tower….but not by steps!

Instead there is a wide, spiraling corridor that encircles the tower 7-1/2 times as it ascends from the ground floor to the top of the tower.

The reward at the top of the tower is this great view of Copenhagen.

Like so many European cities, Copenhagen's red-roofed buildings provide colorful beauty that spreads throughout the city.

Another view from the tower…looking northeast toward Sweden.

The church towers seem to be the tallest buildings around.

A beautiful day in Copenhagen

Mark waves from a resting spot that he found part way down the corridor.

This tower was one of many architectural projects of Christian IV. It was originally created to be an observatory.

Inside there was a chapel, a church, a library and places for students to study. The corridors were purposely built wide enough for a horse and carriage to reach the library and observatory at the top.

What a unique place to visit, and the great views of Copenhagen were a bonus!

As we walked the streets of downtown Copenhagen…we saw that cycling is a popular means of transportation….

….as in many European cities.

A neighborhood of Danish apartment complexes.

Church of Our Lady

We went looking for the Church of Our Lady…and found it...very close to where we were exploring.

In this church we saw the original Christus statue created by the sculptor

Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844).

The Christus is considered his greatest work.

We have seen replicas and pictures of this statue in different US locations, but seeing the original Christus was something special that I had wanted to do.

The 11-foot statue is made of marble and is very beautiful…

….depicting the resurrected Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched.

This statue was completed in 1821, but until 1896 it was not well known outside of Denmark. An American textbook writer wrote that the statue "was considered the most perfect statue of Christ in the world."

Along the sides of this chapel are statues of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.

These marble statues were also created by Thorvaldsen and are very beautiful.

The Apostle Peter holding the keys

Peter from his left side.

This is the Apostle John

This statue of Jesus Christ, with his hands outstretched, invites all to come to him. It represents the central doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints….that Jesus Christ is the resurrected Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world!

I am so glad we found this church in Copenhagen and could spend some time here.

Our late afternoon was spent taking a canal tour (Kanalrundfart) around Copenhagen.

It was great to be outdoors and a wonderful way to see the city.

We saw magnificent buildings, the Danish flag….

….and many beautiful bridges with people relaxing and enjoying the view of the water.

The black building below is the Royal Danish National Library…also known as "The Black Diamond".

Its nickname comes from the polished black granite that covers the outside. Our tour guide said that when the sun shines on the water, the building sparkles like black diamonds.

Our first full day in Copenhagen was August 23, the 100th anniversary Copenhagen's most famous landmark….

….the Little Mermaid Statue.

This bronze statue sits on a rock in the harbor of Copenhagen. It is based on the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

A short distance across the harbor are a number of small islands….where today are located art schools (film, drama, fine arts), military ships, and the old mast crane that dates from 1748.

Churches….Our Savior's Church with its twisted corkscrew spire.

This baroque church was built in 1695.

The International Opera House is one of the most modern opera houses in the world. It would have been nice to go inside….or better yet, see an opera performance. The Opera House can seat up to 1700 guests and has 14 floors, 5 of which are below the ground….or should I say below the surface of the water.

The Opera House sits directly opposite the Amalienborg Palace….the winter residence of the Danish monarchy. This palace is made up of four separate spacious palaces with a plaza and courtyard in the middle.