Discover 50 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Denmark. Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Dyrehavsbakken (Copenhagen), Rosenborg (Copenhagen) or Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (Copenhagen).
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Denmark.
Table of Contents
Dyrehavsbakken, Copenhagen
Amusement park with 16th-century origins. Dyrehavsbakken, commonly referred to as Bakken, is an amusement park in Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Denmark, near Klampenborg, about 10 km north of central Copenhagen. It opened in 1583 and is the world's oldest operating amusement park.
With 2.5–2.9 million visitors per year, it is the second most popular attraction in Denmark, after the more widely known Tivoli Gardens amusement park. Unlike Tivoli, admission is free.[1]
Address: Dyrehavsbakken 81, 2930 Klampenborg (Northern Suburbs)
Rosenborg, Copenhagen
17th-century palace and royal museum. Rosenborg Castle is a renaissance castle located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV's many architectural projects. It was built in the Dutch Renaissance style, typical of Danish buildings during this period, and has been expanded several times, finally evolving into its present condition by the year 1624. Architects Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger are associated with the structural planning of the castle.[2]
Address: Øster Voldgade 4A, 1350 København (Indre By)
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Fine-art museum of sculpture and painting. The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, commonly known simply as Glyptoteket, is an art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark. The collection represents the private art collection of Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Breweries.
Primarily a sculpture museum, as indicated by the name, the focal point of the museum is antique sculpture from the ancient cultures around the Mediterranean, including Egypt, Rome and Greece, as well as more modern sculptures such as a collection of Auguste Rodin's works, considered to be the most important outside France. However, the museum is equally noted for its collection of paintings that includes an extensive collection of French impressionists and Post-impressionists as well as Danish Golden Age paintings.
The French Collection includes works by painters such as Jacques-Louis David, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas and Cézanne, as well as those by Post-impressionists such as van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec and Bonnard. The museum's collection includes all the bronze sculptures of Degas, including the series of dancers. Numerous works by Norwegian-Danish sculptor Stephan Sinding are featured prominently in various sections of the museum.[3]
Address: Dantes Plads 7, 1556 København (Vesterbro - Kongens Enghave)
Kronborg, Elsinore
16th-century castle with royal chambers. Kronborg is a castle and stronghold in the town of Helsingør, Denmark. Immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe and was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000.
The castle is situated on the extreme northeastern tip of the island of Zealand at the narrowest point of the Øresund, the sound between present Denmark and the provinces of present Sweden that were also Danish at the time the castle was built. In this part, the sound is only 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) wide, hence the strategic importance of maintaining a coastal fortification at this location commanding one of the few outlets of the Baltic Sea.
The castle's story dates back to a stronghold, Krogen, built by King Eric VII in the 1420s. Along with the fortress Kärnan in Helsingborg on the opposite coast of Øresund, it controlled the entranceway to the Baltic Sea. From 1574 to 1585, King Frederick II had the medieval fortress radically transformed into a magnificent Renaissance castle. The main architects were the Flemings Hans Hendrik van Paesschen and Anthonis van Obbergen, whereas the sculptural work was coordinated by Gert van Groningen.
In 1629, a fire destroyed much of the castle, but King Christian IV subsequently had it rebuilt. The castle also has a church within its walls. In 1658, Kronborg was besieged and captured by the Swedes who took many of its valuable art treasures as war booty. In 1785 the castle ceased to be a royal residence and was converted into barracks for the Army. The Army left the castle in 1923, and after a thorough renovation it was opened to the public.[4]
Address: Kronborg 2 C, 3000 Helsingør
Roskilde Cathedral, Roskilde
Also known as: Roskilde Domkirke
Lutheran cathedral with 39 royal graves. Roskilde Cathedral, in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark.
The cathedral is the most important church in Denmark, the official royal burial church of the Danish monarchs, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is due to two criteria: the architecture of the cathedral shows 800 years of European architectural styles, and it is one of the earliest examples in Scandinavia of a Gothic cathedral to be built in brick; it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe. Constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral incorporates both Gothic and Romanesque architectural features in its design. The cathedral has been the main burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. As such, it has been significantly extended and altered over the centuries to accommodate a considerable number of burial chapels and the many added chapels show different architectural styles.
The cathedral is a major tourist attraction, bringing in over 165,000 visitors annually. Since 1995, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unique architecture. A working church, it also hosts concerts throughout the year.[5]
Address: Domkirkepladsen 3, 4000 Roskilde
The Old Town, Aarhus
Also known as: Den Gamle By
Museum in Aarhus, Denmark. Den Gamle By, or The Old Town in English, is an open-air town museum located in the Aarhus Botanical Gardens, in central Aarhus, Denmark. In 1914, the museum opened as the world's first open-air museum of its kind, concentrating on town culture rather than village culture, and to this day it remains one of just a few top rated Danish museums outside Copenhagen, serving more than 400,000 visitors pr. year. Today the museum consists of 75 historical buildings collected from 20 townships in all parts of the country. The town itself is the main attraction but most buildings are open for visitors; rooms are either decorated in the original historical style or organized into larger exhibits of which there are 5 regular with varying themes.
The museum buildings are organized into a small town of chiefly half-timbered structures originally erected between 1550 and the late 19th century in various parts of the country and later moved to Aarhus during the 20th century. In all there are some 27 rooms, chambers or kitchens, 34 workshops, 10 groceries or shops, 5 historical gardens, a post office, a customs office, a school and a theatre. There are several groceries, diners and workshops spread throughout the town with museum staff working in the roles of town figures i.e. merchant, blacksmith etc. adding to the illusion of a "living" town.[6]
Address: Viborgvej 2, 8000 Aarhus C (Århus C)
Frederiksborg Castle, Hillerød
Also known as: Frederiksborg Slot
National history museum in former palace. Frederiksborg Castle is a palatial complex in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II and becoming the largest Renaissance residence in Scandinavia. On three islets in the Slotssøen, it is adjoined by a large formal garden in the Baroque style.
After a serious fire in 1859, the castle was rebuilt on the basis of old plans and paintings. Thanks to public support and the brewer J. C. Jacobsen, its apartments were fully restored and reopened to the public as the Danish Museum of National History in 1882. Open throughout the year, the museum contains the largest collection of portrait paintings in Denmark. It also provides visitors with an opportunity to visit several of the castle's state rooms including the restored Valdemar Room and Great Hall as well as the Chapel and the Audience Chamber which were both largely spared by the fire and contain sumptuous decorations. While there was renovation, a fire truck was permanently parked in the castle.[7]
Address: Frederiksborg Slot 10, 3400 Hillerød
Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde
Also known as: Vikingeskibsmuseet
Museum in Roskilde, Denmark. The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde is Denmark's national ship museum for ships of the prehistoric and medieval period.
The main focus of the museum is a permanent exhibition of the Skuldelev ships, five original Viking ships excavated nearby in 1962. The Viking Ship Museum also conducts research and educates researchers in the fields of maritime history, marine archaeology and experimental archaeology. Various academic conferences are held here and there is a research library in association with the museum.[8]
Address: Vindeboder 12, 4000 Roskilde
ARoS, Aarhus
Modern art in vast contemporary venue. The ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum is an art museum in Aarhus, Denmark. The museum was established in 1859 and is the oldest public art museum in Denmark outside Copenhagen. On 7 April 2004, ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum opened with exhibitions in a brand new modern building, 10 stories tall with a total floor area of 20,700 m² and designed by Danish architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen. Today, ARoS is one of the largest art museums in Northern Europe with a total of 980,909 visitors in 2017.
Apart from the large galleries with both permanent and changing exhibitions, the ARoS building features an arts shop, a dining café and a restaurant. The architectural vision of the museum was completed in 2011, with the addition of the circular skywalk Your rainbow panorama by Ólafur Elíasson. The installation has helped boost the museum's attendance, making it the second most visited museum in Denmark, just behind the well-known Louisiana Museum in Humlebæk.[9]
Address: Aros Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus (Århus C)
Mindeparken, Aarhus
Memorial park in Aarhus, Denmark. Mindeparken is a memorial park and recreational area in the south of Aarhus City, next to Marselisborg Palace.[10]
Trapholt, Kolding
Trapholt is a museum of contemporary art and design located in Kolding, Denmark. It opened in 1988 and was previously named Trapholt Kunstmuseum but its increasing focus on the broader arts lead to its shortened name. It describes itself as a "museum for modern painting, crafts, design, and furniture design".[11]
Address: Æblehaven 23, 6000 Kolding
Museet for Samtidskunst, Roskilde
Art museum in Roskilde, Kingdom of Denmark. Roskilde Mansion, also known as Roskilde Palace and as the Yellow Mansion, is a former royal Baroque mansion in central Roskilde, Denmark. Located just east of Roskilde Cathedral, it now houses both an exhibition venue for contemporary art and the office and official residence of the Bishop of Roskilde.[12]
Address: Stændertorvet 3C, 4000 Roskilde
Aalborg Zoo, Aalborg
Zoo in Aalborg, Denmark. Aalborg Zoo is a zoo located near the center of Aalborg in Denmark. Every year, Aalborg Zoo is visited by around 375,000 guests. The zoo covers 8 hectares, and keeps more than 1,500 animals belonging to 126 species.
At the entrance, one can see the sculpture Det gode kup ("the good bargain") from 1925, made by artist C.J. Bonnesen. The sculpture was donated to Aalborg Zoo from the Urban brewery.[13]
St. Canute's Cathedral, Odense
Also known as: Sankt Knuds Kirke
Gothic church dating from 11th century. St. Canute's Cathedral, also known as Odense Cathedral, is named after the Danish king Canute the Saint, otherwise Canute IV. It is a fine example of Brick Gothic architecture. The church's most visited section is the crypt where the remains of Canute and his brother Benedict are on display.[14]
Address: Klosterbakken 2, 5000 Odense C
GeoCenter Møns Klint, Stege
Museum in Borre, Denmark. GeoCenter Møns Klint is a geological museum on the island of Møn in southeastern Denmark. Located close to the top of the chalk cliffs known as Møns Klint, it was opened on 29 May 2007 by Queen Margrethe. The building was designed by PLH Architects, the winners of an international design competition.[15]
Address: Stengårdsvej 8, 4791 Borre
Lindholm Høje, Aalborg
Lindholm Høje is a major Viking burial site and former settlement situated to the north of and overlooking the city of Aalborg in Denmark.[16]
Address: Vendilavej 11, 9400 Nørresundby
Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Odense
Also known as: H.C. Andersens Hus
Museum in Odense, Kingdom of Denmark. The Hans Christian Andersen Museum or H.C. Andersens Odense, is a set of museums/buildings dedicated to the famous author Hans Christian Andersen in Odense, Denmark, some of which, at various times in history, have functioned as the main Odense-based museum on the author.
They variously comprise: the H.C. Andersen Museum (existing museum), the H.C. Andersen Birthplace (original museum), the H.C. Andersen Childhood Home and even Møntergården (city museum). A new installation called House of Fairytales (called New H.C. Andersen Museum) is planned to open in late 2020.
They are administered and managed by Odense City Museums, a department of the Odense Municipality.[17]
Address: Bangs Boder 29, 5000 Odense
Koldinghus, Kolding
Castle with cultural history museum. Koldinghus is a Danish royal castle in the town of Kolding on the south central part of the Jutland peninsula. The castle was founded in the 13th century and was expanded since with many functions ranging from fortress, royal residency, ruin, museum, and the location of numerous wartime negotiations.
Today the restored castle functions as a museum containing collections of furniture from the 16th century to present, Roman and Gothic church culture, older Danish paintings, crafts focused on ceramics and silver and shifting thematized exhibitions. Koldinghus is managed by the Museum at Koldinghus which was established in 1890.[18]
Address: Koldinghus 1, 6000 Kolding
Aalborg Forsvars- og Garnisonsmuseum, Aalborg
Museum in Aalborg, Denmark. The Aalborg Defence and Garrison Museum is a military museum in Aalborg, Denmark that covers all branches of Danish defence organizations.[19]
Address: Skydebanevej 22, 9000 Aalborg
Helsingør Domkirke, Elsinore
Also known as: Sankt Olai Kirke
Cathedral in Helsingør, Kingdom of Denmark. Saint Olaf's Church is the cathedral church of Helsingør in the north of Zealand, Denmark. With a history going back to around 1200, the present building was completed in 1559. In 1961, the church was given the status of cathedral in connection with the establishment of the Diocese of Helsingør.[20]
Address: Skt. Annagade 12, Elsinore
Carmelite Priory, Elsinore
The Carmelite Priory, Helsingør, or Priory of Our Lady, Helsingør, was a house of Carmelite friars in Helsingør, Zealand, Denmark, established in 1430. It is the finest example of a complete monastic complex surviving in Denmark, and one of the best in all of Scandinavia.[21]
Address: Sct. Anna Gade 38, Elsinore
Randers Regnskov, Randers
Zoo in Randers, Denmark. Randers Tropical Zoo is an indoor zoo in Randers, Denmark. It is located in three big domes, with the biomes of Africa, Asia, and South America. The domes contain animals from the biomes, and most of the animals live freely in the domes. In addition there are many reptiles, a snakeyard with free harmless snakes, and a saltwater aquarium with tropical fish.
The zoo first opened with two domes (Africa and Asia); the third being built later. In total there are approximately 275 animal species in Randers Tropical Zoo; about 200 in the domes and 75 in the saltwater aquarium. The South American dome is 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft) and is home to species such as South American tapir, West Indian manatee, callitrichid monkeys and macaws, the African dome is 500 m2 (5,400 sq ft) and is home to species such as lemurs, and the Asian dome is 700 m2 (7,500 sq ft) and is home of species such as pileated gibbon and Komodo dragon. In 2015, an exhibit for jaguars opened, which is the first located outside the domes. Adjacent to the domes is Danmarksparken ("Denmark Park") with farm animals and playgrounds.
The climate inside the domes is controlled by computers because the length of daylight hours varies much more in Denmark than in tropical latitudes.[22]
Address: Tørvebryggen 11, 8900 Randers
Agri Bavnehøj, Mols Bjerge National Park
Hill in Denmark. Agri Bavnehøj is a Danish hill and vista point with a bronze age burial mound, located 137 meters above sea level. It is close to the village of Agri, in Mols Bjerge National Park on the southern part of the Djursland peninsula, 40 kilometres northeast of Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus. The mound was built 1800 – 1000 years BC. Agri Bavnehøj is the least known of four vista points and burial mounds on southern Djursland, despite being the highest. The others are Stabelhøje, Trehøje and Ellemandsbjerg.[23]
Den Fynske Landsby, Odense
1850s-style village and open-air museum. The Funen Village is an open-air museum located in the neighborhood of Fruens Bøge in Odense, Denmark.[24]
Address: Sejerskovvej 20, 5260 Odense
Fredensborg Palace, Fredensborg
Also known as: Fredensborg Slot
Royal palace from 1720 and Baroque gardens. Fredensborg Palace is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the Danish Royal Family’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the Royal Family. It is the most used of the Royal Family’s residences.[25]
Address: Slottet 1B, 3480 Fredensborg
Sønderborg Castle, Sønderborg
Also known as: Sønderborg Slot
12th-century castle housing a museum. Sønderborg Castle is located in the town of Sønderborg, Denmark on the island of Als in South Jutland. It houses a museum focusing on the history and culture of the area. The castle is located in the middle of the town, in a park setting overlooking Als Fjord. The museum is open year-round.[26]
Address: Sønderbro 1-2, 6400 Sønderborg
Poskær Stenhus, Mols Bjerge National Park
Tourist attraction in the Knebel, Denmark. Poskær Stenhus is the largest round barrow in Denmark, dating back to 3.300 B.C. It is by the village Knebel on the hilly southern part of the peninsula, Djursland, at the entrance to the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Sweden in northern Europe. The central burial chamber is equipped with a capstone weighing 11 tonnes, surrounded by 23 slabs taller than a man, forming a circle.
The capstone is the lesser half of a granite slab brought to Denmark from Northern Scandinavia by ice age glaciers' movements. The underside is remarkably flat, and possibly split from another half, by the dolmen builders. The other half is a 19-tonne (21-ton) slab 2 km (1.2 mi) to the northwest, placed as a capstone on another dolmen, Agri Dyssen. How these slabs were transported and erected by Stone Age people is not known.
Apart from Denmark's easternmost island, Bornholm, the country has no bedrock. Therefore, large granite slabs have been sought out for construction purposes and many dolmens have disappeared or been damaged.
In 1859 a landowner, Ole Hansen, attempted to dynamite slabs from Poskær Stenhus. A local priest started a process to stop the destruction of the burial site, ending with an official protection of the site in 1860. As part of this, Hansen was given a compensation of 100 rigsdaler. A broken slab-part with drill-marks from dynamiting at the barrow gives witness to his endeavor. At least one slab was destroyed before the site was protected.[27]
Sand-Covered Church, Skagen
Also known as: Den tilsandede kirke
Historical landmark in Skagen, Denmark. The Sand-Covered Church is the name given to a late 14th-century church dedicated to Saint Lawrence of Rome. It was a brick church of considerable size, located 2 kilometres southwest of the town centre of Skagen, Denmark. During the last half of the 18th century the church was partially buried by sand from nearby dunes; the congregation had to dig out the entrance each time a service was to be held. The struggle to keep the church free of sand lasted until 1795, when it was abandoned. The church was demolished, leaving the tower with crow-stepped gable as the only part of the original structure still standing.[28]
Address: Gamle Landevej 63, 9990 Skagen
Men at Sea, Esbjerg
Also known as: Mennesket ved Havet
Huge landmark with 4 seated figures. Men at Sea or Man meets the sea is a 9-metre tall white monument of four seated males, located west of Esbjerg next to Sædding Beach on the southwest coast of Denmark. Located opposite the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, it is one of the area's major tourist attractions, and is a landmark of Esbjerg.
The sculpture was designed by Svend Wiig Hansen and installed on 28 October 1995. It was funded by the Municipality of Esbjerg, Statens Kunstfond (an art fund), and multiple private sponsors, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the municipality in 1994.
The artist's original idea for the location of the sculpture was Grenen, north of Skagen.
The monument can be seen from ships leaving or entering Esbjerg harbour.[29]
Address: Saedding Strand, 6710 Esbjerg
Møns Klint, Møn
Tourist attraction in Borre, Denmark. Møns Klint is a 6 km stretch of chalk cliffs along the eastern coast of the Danish island of Møn in the Baltic Sea. Some of the cliffs fall a sheer 120 m to the sea below. The highest cliff is Dronningestolen, which is 128 m above sea level. The area around Møns Klint consists of woodlands, pastures, ponds and steep hills, including Aborrebjerg which, with a height of 143 m, is one of the highest points in Denmark. The cliffs and adjacent park are now protected as a nature reserve. Møns Klint receives around 250,000 visitors a year. There are clearly marked paths for walkers, riders and cyclists. The path along the cliff tops leads to steps down to the shore in several locations.
On 29 May 2007, close to the cliff tops, the GeoCenter Møns Klint was opened by Queen Margrethe. The geological museum with interactive computer displays and a variety of attractions for children traces the geological prehistory of Denmark and the formation of the chalk cliffs. The museum was designed by PLH Architects, the winners of an international design competition.[30]
Annaborg, Hillerød
Building. Annaborg, formerly also known as Amtsstuegården, is a Neoclassical building from 1783 now operated as a venue for temporary art exhibitions in Hillerød, Denmark. It is located adjacent to Frederiksborg Castle and was until 1939 home to the headquarters of Frederiksborg County. It was listed in the Danish registry of protected buildings and places in 1945.[31]
Address: Frederiksværkgade 2 A, Hillerød
Skagen Lighthouse, Skagen
Also known as: Skagen Fyr
Lighthouse in Skagen, Denmark. Skagen Lighthouse, also known as Skagen's Grey Lighthouse, is an active lighthouse 4 km northeast of Skagen in the far north of Jutland, Denmark. Designed by architect Niels Sigfred Nebelong, it was brought into operation on 1 November 1858.[32]
Address: Fyrvej 36, 9990 Skagen
Rubjerg Knude lighthouse, Lønstrup
Also known as: Rubjerg Knude Fyr
Tourist attraction in Lokken, Denmark. Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse is on the coast of the North Sea in Rubjerg, in the Jutland municipality of Hjørring in northern Denmark. It was first lit on 27 December 1900. Construction of the lighthouse began in 1899.[33]
Address: Fyrvejen 30, 9480 Lokken
Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Esbjerg
Also known as: Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet
Museum in Esbjerg, Denmark. The Fisheries and Maritime Museum is a privately owned museum in Esbjerg, Denmark. Opened to the public in 1968, it consists of a saltwater aquarium for native species and a "sealarium" as well as indoor and outdoor exhibitions on Danish fisheries and shipping.[34]
Address: Tarphagevej 2, 6710 Esbjerg
Skagens Museum, Skagen
Museum in Skagen, Denmark. Skagens Museum is an art museum in Skagen, Denmark, that exhibits an extensive collection of works by members of the colony of Skagen Painters who lived and worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Important artists include Marie and P. S. Krøyer, Anna and Michael Ancher, Laurits Tuxen, Viggo Johansen, and Holger Drachmann. The museum also hosts special exhibitions. Its facilities include a café in the Garden House, an old building which for a while served as home residence and studio of Anna and Michael Ancher.[35]
Address: Broendumsvej 4, 9990 Skagen
Østerlars Church, Gudhjem
Also known as: Østerlars Kirke
Round church dating from 12th century. Østerlars Church is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, 5 kilometres south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churches.[36]
Address: Vietsvej 25, 3760 Gudhjem
Ribe VikingeCenter, Ribe
Ribe Vikingecenter is an experience centre and open-air museum dealing with Denmark's Viking Age. It is located just outside Ribe.
The centre was established in 1992 and, like similar centres, the main form of dissemination is historical animation. The centre has a large number of volunteers, who come and "live" at the centre in their spare time, and live in the everyday life in which the Vikings are believed to have lived. The area includes a market place from the 700s, a manor house from 980, a longhouse and several townhouses from 825.
Every year a Viking market is held at the beginning of the season. Around 300 Vikings from various reenactment groups come and visit the centre. They come from all over the world, but mainly from Denmark, Germany and Holland. Many locals are involved in the centre.
In 2015, construction of a wooden church began with support from the A.P. Møller Foundation. It is being built with timber from Bregentved Estate by various craftsmen such as carpenters, sculptors and navers. Among the craftsmen is a former employee of the similar museum Middelaldercentret. The largest posts weigh around 700 kg and are decorated with period images.
Address: Lustrupvej 4,, 6760 Ribe
Jernhatten, Mols Bjerge National Park
Jernhatten - The Iron Hat - is a protected hill and view point on the peninsula, Djursland, in Denmark protruding into the sea, Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden. From the top of the hill, 49 meters above sea level, there is a view up and down the coast including and the island Hjelm as well as an inland view over the hilly southern Djursland area, called Mols.
The coastal hill Jernhatten is exposed to the sun, and at the same time located in the driest part of Denmark. This gives a microclimate that favors vegetation with similarities to what can be seen in South Eastern Europe. At the wind exposed top of the hill there is stunted beech tree growth with anemone, ivy, and wild apple trees. The northern and eastern part of the hill merges into a common, maintained through grazing, with primrose blossom in spring. At the foot of the hill lies an elevated beach plain resulting from land uplift due to release of pressure when the heavy ice sheet covering large parts of Denmark melted away 10.000 years ago at the end of the last ice-age.
The coast down from Jernhatten - is known among anglers and divers, due to a varied sea bed with kelp and stones, giving favorable conditions for fish life. The stream Havmølle Å just south of Jernhatten has a run of sea trout. In the same area one can find the last signs of entrenchments from "Englandskrigene" 1807-1814 - a war with England, where most of the Danish fleet was lost. This place, as well as Jernhatten, is part of 266 hectares of protected land.
Hiking - From a small car park to the top of the hill there is a 300 meter footpath leading to the main viewpoint. The area is not overrun. A longer walk is over the top of the hill down along the coast to the coastal hills of Rugaard Forest, which can be seen from the viewpoint, going back the same way. This 8 kilometer round trip passes empty coastline and wooded hills with wellsprings running into the sea, and trees falling out over the stony beach and into the sea. On this stretch there is also a hill with angled beech trees, growing on unstable ball clay, that is slipping into the sea. The tidal difference in the area is normally negligible in the order of one foot, so one does not have to worry about being cut of, even though the beach down from Rugaard Forest is narrow to pass at some places. From Jernhatten and north the coastline is varied and empty up to the coastal town Grenaa and Grenaa Beach 20 kilometers further up the coast of Djursland. This stretch partly joins an international hiking and bicycle trail, the North Sea Trail starting in Sweden and ending in Spain.[37]
Augustenborg Palace, Sønderborg
Also known as: Augustenborg Slot
Palace with a Rococo-style chapel. Augustenborg Palace is a Rococo-style palace in the southwestern part of Augustenborg, Als Island, Denmark, overlooking Augustenborg Fjord. The palace owes its name to Duchess Auguste. Augustenborg gave its name to the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, the last member of which was Duke Christian August II.[38]
St Nicolas' Church, Rønne
Also known as: Sankt Nicolai Kirke
Lutheran church in Rønne, Kingdom of Denmark. St. Nicolas' Church with its distinctive tower is the parish church of Rønne on the island of Bornholm in the Diocese of Copenhagen. Enlarged and fully refurbished in 1918, it stands near the harbour on the site of an earlier church or chapel from the 13th century.[39]
Address: Kirkepladsen 20, 3700 Rønne
Nordsøen Oceanarium, Hirtshals
Huge aquarium of North Sea marine life. Nordsøen Oceanarium is a public aquarium and museum that opened in 1998 on the shores of the North Sea in Hirtshals, north Jutland, Denmark. Their main tank, which holds 4,500,000 litres, is the largest in Northern Europe, but the Oceanarium also has several smaller habitat aquariums and an exhibit with seals. Species displayed are native to the oceans around Denmark.
The Oceanarium is part of the Nordsøcentre, which also houses a conference centre.[40]
Address: Willemoesvej 2, 9850 Hirtshals
Vallø Castle, Køge
Also known as: Vallø Slot
Castle in Køge, Kingdom of Denmark. Vallø Castle is a manor house located 7 km south of Køge, in Stevns Municipality, on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It now serves as a residence for Vallø stift, a home for unmarried, widowed and divorced women of noble descent.[41]
Address: Slotsgade 3, Vallø, Køge
Ribe Cathedral, Ribe
Also known as: Ribe Domkirke
Romanesque cathedral opened in 1250. Ribe Cathedral or Our Lady Maria Cathedral is located in the ancient city of Ribe, on the west coast of southern Jutland, Denmark. It was founded in the Viking Era as the first Christian church in Denmark by Ansgar, a missionary monk from Hamburg, under permission of the pagan King Horik I. The cathedral has experienced several damaging events throughout its long history and has been restored, expanded and decorated repeatedly. As it stands today, Ribe Cathedral is the best preserved Romanesque building in Denmark, but reflects a plethora of different architectural styles and artistic traditions. It ranks among the most popular tourist attractions in Denmark and has been awarded two stars in the Michelin guide.[42]
Address: Torvet 19, 6760 Ribe
Randers Kunstmuseum, Randers
Museum in Randers, Denmark. Randers Museum of Art is a Danish art museum in Randers in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. The museum is located in the cultural centre of Kulturhuset in the town centre and displays many of the major works of Danish painters, especially those of the 19th and 20th centuries.[43]
Address: Stemannsgade 2, 8900 Randers
Fanefjord Church, Møn
Also known as: Fanefjord Kirke
Protestant church in Denmark. Fanefjord Church is on the Danish island of Møn. It is located in an open setting overlooking the Baltic Sea inlet of Fanefjord between Store Damme and Hårbølle. Standing on the top of a small hill, the church's red-tiled roof and whitewashed walls can be seen from considerable distances, whatever the direction. The interior is of particular historical interest, in view of the many frescos dating back to the 13th and 16th centuries and Fanefjord Church is considered the most famous attraction on Møn.[44]
Address: Fanefjord Kirkevej 51, 4792 Askeby
Norresan, Gudhjem
Also known as: Oluf Høst Museet
Museum in Gudhjem, Kingdom of Denmark. The Oluf Høst Museum is located on Løkkegade Street in Gudhjem on the Danish island of Bornholm. It is dedicated to Oluf Høst, one of the island's most famous artists, and includes an exhibition of some of his paintings. It was established in 1998 by converting Høst's old house where he lived and painted from 1929 until his death in 1966, and where he created most of his paintings around the Nordic theme of light and landscape. Selsø is situated at an elevation of 19 meters.[45]
Address: Løkkegade 35, 3760 Gudhjem
Sædden Church, Esbjerg
Also known as: Sædden Kirke
Church in Esbjerg, Kingdom of Denmark. Sædden Church is a Church of Denmark church in Esbjerg in the southwest of Jutland, Denmark. Designed by Inger and Johannes Exner, the almost cube-shaped building with a tall, free-standing bell tower was completed and consecrated in 1978.[46]
Address: Fyrvej 30, 6710 Esbjerg
Museum Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Museum in Silkeborg, Kingdom of Denmark. Silkeborg Museum is a museum of Danish cultural history with official state recognition based in Silkeborg Municipality, Denmark. Museum Silkeborg is located at three different sites: Manor House and the Paper Mill Museum in Silkeborg and Blicheregnen farm in the village of Thorning.[47]
Address: Hovedgårdsvej 7, 8600 Silkeborg
Bornholms Kunstmuseum, Gudhjem
Art museum in Gudhjem, Denmark. The Bornholm Art Museum is situated on the Danish island of Bornholm, above the Sanctuary Rocks about 6 kilometres north-west of Gudhjem, Denmark.[48]
Address: Otto Bruuns Pl. 1, 3760 Gudhjem
Skamlingsbanken, Kolding
Skamlingsbanken is a large hill located in Vejstrup Parish, Jutland, Denmark, between Kolding and Christiansfeld. With a peak rising to 113 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in Southern Jutland.
The bank of the hill is 2 to 3 kilometres (1.2 to 1.9 mi) long and was created during the ice age with clay pushed up the Little Belt Strait from a nearby glacier. Several major historic public meetings took place here during and after the disputes over the territory of Schleswig-Holstein. When peace returned, there was an exchange of territories between the kingdom and the Duchy of Southern Jutland. As a result, eight non-Jutland parishes in the northern part of Tyrstrup Herred, including Vejstrup Parish, were transferred to the kingdom and Skamlingsbanken thereafter fell within the borders of Denmark.[49]
Address: Skamlingvejen 123, 6093 Sjølund