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Sightseeing Tour Notes

                                                      

These are some general notes and more detailed notes regarding many of the topics that may be covered in some of the Sightseeing Tours.

It provides the customer a chance to see beforehand some topics that may be covered

and also to be reminded about their Sightseeing Tours when they have returned home .

 

It also provides other professionals such as Travel & Tour Agencies, Hotels & Concierges,

Companies & Businesses plus Limousine and Taxis a good idea of our Tours

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ISCAT 
 International Sightseeing, Consultancy And Training

 

Sightseeing Notes


For Copenhagen, North Sjælland and Southern Sweden - plus extra notes.
 
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 Sightseeing Tours - Copenhagen & Region

The Copenhagen City Tour   -  By Paul H Wilson

(Approx 1½ - 3 hours  - can be extended to 5 hours)


The Little Mermaid                      Photo Stop

   The Little Mermaid was created by Edvard Eriksen, commissioned by Carl Jacobsen 
 the founder of Carlsberg Brewery and placed on it's famous stones on 23 August 1913.
  From the story by Denmarks most famous writer Hans Christian  Andersen
written in 1837.  The story is about a young mermaid who falls in love with
  a prince when his ship sank  She wants to live with him above the surface
 with him but  can not be as she is a mermaid who can only live under
 the water and the prince  can not live  under the water only above.   etc, etc.

* The Little Mermaid -  Copenhagens psychological symbol
    Has been attacked 8 times by hooligans.
Trekroner Fort ( second fort) 1786 - King Christian Vll.
* Nelson destroys the Danish Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars
- Battle of   Copenhagen ,  2 April 1801 .
   The British war fleet returned and bombarded the City in 1807.
* Burmeister & Wain Shipbuilders -
* Holmen - Danish Royal Navy / The Queens Royal Yacht 'Dannenbrog'
* Kastellet , started by Christian Vl in 1626  and later finished by Frederik lll  in
   1663.   HQ of Danish military for Sjælland (and soon in 2007 for all of Denmark)
* Langelinie - Germans Landing 1940 / Cruise Ships
* Langelinie Pavillion Restaurant 

* Swedish Church - St.Gustavs - tradition for many Swedes to come and be married
and  then easy for access for Copenhagen airport for their honeymoon
* Statue of Christian IV (Born 1577 -  became king in 1588 - and died in 1648)
* Nyboder - Navy houses about 400 years old, still mainly used by Danish Military
 * Maersk HQ - largest container fleet etc, Danmarks largest company etc
    Maersk Mckinley Moller- was the richest person in Denmark lived in Charlottenlund - Funeral 21 April 2012
* Toldbod where the queen arrives/departs from Dannenbrog
* Dannebrog - Queens yacht- Holmen/Danish Royal Navy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Gefion Fountain                            Photo Stop
* Mythology - Gefion and 4 bulls given 24 hours to ploughout the land. From Lake Vanern ,
 Southern Sweden and is now  Sjælland) (also Gotland is Lake Vatern)
(see seperate extra knowledge notes below)


* St Albans Church (1885)
  The English Church  - The Patron is Queen Elizabeth II

   The first Patron was Queen Alexandra (Wife of Edward VII)
and now it is Queen Elizabeth ll who is the patron. A dispute debate 
   between the Russian ( 1881) and English churches for who was  allowed to have
   the land for their church.  Alexendra and Dagmar- 2 Danish Princesses who both
   became emporeseses. Alexandra was patron of St Albans Church .  Dagmar married
   Alexander lll of Russia and was The last Tzars  Mother (Nicholas ll)  . Dagmar was
    buried at Roskilde Cathedral and was transferred to (September 2006)
 St Peter & Paul fortress in St Petersburg, Russia.
* ChurchillParken - Bust of Churchill  /  War resistance museum (1940-45)

*

Amalienborg P|alace
 Photo Stop ( note, No parking at all allowed in square or else you will be shot !)

 

*  the 4 palaces - the Queens / Museum/ etc -  Built by Frederik V, in 1749
(changing the guard about 11.50-12.15)

* Marble church / Frederiks Church - worlds 4/5th largest domed church started 
    designed by Nicolai Eigtved who died in 1754, The building lay in semi ruin for
    more  than 100 years with costs too high etc Eventually finished  after 1874
* Statue on the horse is Frederik V

* New Opera House, tax deducted gift from A.P Moller - designed by Henning
   Larsen costing approx 2.5 billion DKr.  opened  15 January 2005

* Russian Church, Alexander Nevsky (Bredgade) 

* Statue of Christian X on his horse
( Sct Anna Plads )

* Nyhavn      ( best near Charlottenborg)        Photo Stop

* Old sailors area / old red light district, Typical Flemmish style warehouse buildings
* Hans Christian Andersen lived at 3 places in Nyhavn (number 20/67)and a couple of  
   places around Magasin / Royal Theatre area and often stayed at Hotel D'Angletterre.

* Kongens Nytorv ( Kings New Square )
* Amber Museum / French Embassy /Gothersgade original city center wall / Hotel 
   D'Angletterre / End of Stroget (better quality shops in city area)  / Magasin  / The
   Royal Theatre (1748) built by Nicolas Eigtved -  The Danish Royal Ballet (1771)

  (Rosenborg Slot via Gothersgade and Sølvgade etc)

*  Christianshavn (optional depending on time)
Original photo : Paul H Wilson
Vor Frelsers Kirke ( Our Savious Church) 1696


* The Danish Foreign Ministery
*  Orlogs/Navy Museum
*  Our Saviours Church -  1696 
 Grundtvig was a Priest here for about 4 years writing many hymns
It costs 20 DKr to go right up to the top and is an exciting experience and fantastic view point
*  Christiania - 1971
*  Strandgade -  Christians Kirke - Rococo Church built in 1755-59
*  New Opera House (note : have to drive all round by Klovermarken to visit !)
   Bank of Denmark - Designed by Arne Jacobsen
* Holmens Church-(1619) Navy Church and where the Queen was married (Christian 4)
* Borson 1624 ( old stock exchange) ( Christian 4 )
* Christiansborg- Danish Parliament
* Ministery buildings / Finance ministery etc
* National Museum
* Thorvalds Museum
* Prime Ministers office
* The Danish Jewish Museum

 

 

    * Højbro Plads 
Near Bishop Absalons statue   (if possible)                   Photo stop

* Bishop Absalon - founded Copenhagen in 1167 ( Bishop of Roskilde and Southern Sweden)
*  Copenhagen means Merchants Harbour   (HAFNIA in Latin) (Købmagergade etc) Became the capital in 1416
* The area nearby and towards Holmens Kirke is the place where Copenhagen started

* Underwater scupltures   -     Stork Fountain
* Fisherwoman statue and fish stall
* Højbro plads - flower market in old days
* Walking Street / Illum etc
* Royal Copenhagen building 1775 / Georg Jensen / Holmegaard / Ilums Bolighus
* Kobermagade post office  (actual true city center, streets all lead away from here generally low  

    even numbers to the right etc etc)
Drive through city parallel with stroget (optional depending on time)
*  via Magasin / Kongens Nytorv / Gothersgade / Store Regnegade / Antonigade
                                                                  Kronprincesgade / Over Kobemagergade
* Round Tower - ( 1642) (Christian 4) -  observatory / 7 times around in his carriage / exhibitions etc
* Grabrodre Torv -(3 major fires in the city, new buildings without corners as then the long horse 
  drawn fire engines could get round the corners more easily. old buildings before the fires with corners )

* Skindergade / Vestergade
* Gammel Torv / Nytorv - Byret etc  - Fountain

*

* Town Hall Square -  Italian style 1905 (same year as Norway became Independant ! )
106.5 meters high - Gold  figure of Bishop Absalon above front door.


106.5 meters high - Gold  figure of Bishop Absalon above front door.

* Nye Carlsberg Glyptotek - Carlsberg Fund
* Tivoli Gardens -  161 years
Palace cinema - old Rail station and now one of the largest Cinemas in Copenhagen
Royal Hotel - designed by Arne Jacobsen ( + The Egg & The Swan chairs )
Main Railstation  - currency exchange with Forex
* Istedgade - Pornography was Denmarks third largest export business for a while in the early 1970's

* Carlsberg Brewery                                            Photo Stop
* Elephants/swatiska-Indian symbol / Carl Jakobsen and family etc
   Buildings about 1876/1888 ( check each ) pictures etc on building wall high up of family
good artistic detail on Victorian brewery buildings.

* Fisktorvet - new buildings on Islands Brygge etc
* Black Diamond- Danish architects -Schmidt, Hammer & Lassen - 1999
* Nykredit / Nordea / Ministry buildings / Politi Torv
·       
The lakes - man made defenses
Jarmers Plads 
* Kommune Hospital - 1863 (ish)

* Botanic Gardens -  Existing 4th garden was opened in 1874
* Statens Museum for Kunst (1896 + 1998)
* Rosenborg Slot -  1606  -  Christian lV  / Danish Crown Jewels / Queens lifeguards. (recommended)
* Norreport Station  (Top of the walking streets)
* Copenhagen Cathedral / University / Synagogue  / Roundtower etc

other interesting sights if on a long tour
** Zoo / Frederiksberg Town hall / Frederiksberg Alle

*  Assistens Kirkegard (HCA and other famous buried there) Photo Stop

 


* Grundtvigs Church, Emdrup.
 Peder Vilhelm Klint and his son the architect/designer Kaare Klint and
     his son Esben Klint built betwen 1921-1940 ( a 'Scandimodern' version of Roskilde Domkirke)
(Usually open between 09.00-16.00  - Sunday 12.00-16.00)

* Tuborg, Tuborg Bottle 1888 / WHO / Svanemollen Havn / Unicef / DFDS terminal / Langelinie
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An excellent link to discover more information about the street names
 and history of Copenhagen City can be found on : 

Absalon
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ISCAT Sightseeing Tours -  Roskilde Cathedral and Viking Ship Museum By Paul H Wilson

 

Depart Copenhagen - Drive via Motorway to Roskilde C. (Approx population is 50,000)

Turn right after the Railway bridge just before City Center
Turn first left at the junction (before the roundabout - otherwise turn left at the roudabout)
and then follow the signs for the Domkirke. Try to park in Main Market Square (Roskilde Rådhus)
(alternative parking down the hill next to the Domkirke.)

Wednesday is market day. Be careful of any services held in the Cathedral,
 especially Sunday morning. Usual Opening hours
 (1 April - 30 September = 09.00 -16.45 / Sunday& Holy Days 12.45-16.45)

(1 October - 31 March = 10.00 -15.45 / Monday closed / Sunday& Holy Days 12.45-15.45 ) Cost 25 DKr.
Best to check on the Internet as there could be a Service / Wedding / funeral etc.

 Roskilde Domkirke (Cathedral)

(Originally started in about 985, Another church was consecreted in 1080, third church finished in about 1280)
Free A4 basic tourist information available on the right after entering the main part of the Cathedral.

(I usually go round Clockwise from the entrance)

A) Clock strikes on the hour - very old working clock from the late 15th century

B) Until 23 September 2006 'Dagmar' downstairs in Crypt
C) Note: Christian 4 - Born 1577, became king in 1588, died in 1648 plus the large Mural (of him on board the ship in the battle) in his crypt - original painting at Frederiksborg Slot.
D) Bishop Absalon - Founded Copenhagen in 1167 ) - Painting of all the Bishops

E) Margrethe l (The small boy Christopher is her brother 1363)

F) Alterpiece made in Antwerp in 1560 showing Easter Week
G) Harald Blutooth in the Pillar tomb (opposite Christopher)

H) Seats used by the Canons are able to stand and sit /rest/lean on them during long services.
These are all individually carved and different. Approx from 1420 called 'Misericords' (Latin for compassion)

 

I) Note: that some are kings of Norway - and Southern Sweden etc.

J) In 1995 Roskilde Cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

K) Roskilde was the old Viking capital of Sjælland and 
Bishop Absalon was also the Bishop for Lund in Southern Sweden

L) Originally a Catholic Church and then became protestant after the Reformation in about 1536.

M) Tomb of Christian lX / Tomb of Christian 4 / Paintings of the Bishops / Tomb of Margrethe l /
 Tomb of Fredrik V / Tomb of the Magi (plus heights of famous Royal visitors on the pillar)

(Estimated time about 45-75 Minutes) ( Interesting Cathedral Museum upstairs but usually not available)

2) From the Cathedral Entrance, one way street to junction, turn Right,
Drive down the hill , turn Right and at the Roundabout go into the to

The Viking Ship Museum
Car Park (Next to the Havn)

View the Viking Center to see more about Viking ship building.

Exhibitions about preservering artifacts,
The way the land/sea has affected Danmark area for thousands of years.
Ropes, sail cloth . making money, blacksmith Building a Viking Ships etc.
In 2006 the Viking Ship (Havhingst = Sea Stallion) built here is sailing to Norway and 
in 2007 to Ireland- the first expiditions of this type for about 1000 years !


Enter Viking Ship museum. 
(You may pay at entrance near Car Park or when entering Museum building itself)
May - September 10.00-17.00 - Cost 80 DKr. / October - April 10.00-17.00 - Cost 50 DKr.

 

allow guests to walkabout by self as there is plenty of information displayed.
Remember the Film (and toilets) (and shop etc)
(Estimated time about 45 - 90 minutes depending on customers interest etc.)


From The Viking Ship Museum, turn left at the roundabout, turn left at the next
 and this is the main road from Roskilde to Hillerød and follow the signs
 and chat about Politics, life in Denmark, The Tax system etc.

 

 

 

 

ISCAT - Sightseeing  Tour -   Frederiksborg Slot at Hillerød 

Royal Palace and Denmark's National History Museum
By Paul H Wilson

I rate Frederiksborg Slot as 
''Probably the best thing to see in the whole of Denmark''

***** Highly Recommanded *****

 

 

 

(Remember in Car Park: Pay and Display Car Parking at 10 DKr. per hour or you could get a ticket ! )
 

Spisestedet Leonora (named after Leonora Christina)

A nice place for lunch, but can take 30 minutes to wait for the food if busy.
 so it could be an idea to order the food before going into Frederiksborg Slot

***** Frederiksborg Slot *****
 Royal Palace and National History Museum

Opening Hours : April - October 10.00-17.00 / November - March 11.00 - 15.00 / cost 60 DKr.

Land acquired by Frederik ll in 1560 bought from Herluf Trolle and his wiofe Birgitte Gøye

Christian lV was originally born at Hillerødsholm in 1577 and in about 1600
he destroyed the mansion and started building Frederiksborg Slot
 in the Dutch / French Renaissence style. Just before he died he was taken
 from Frederiksborg Palace to Rosenborg Palace in 1648 .

Thee was a fire that badly destroyed part of the palace on 17 December 1859. 
 J. Carl Jacobsen ( Carlsberg Brewery) provided funds to restore the Palace as it was and then 
in 1878 he created the National History Museum in the Palace.

The Palace houses the best collection of Historical paintings in Denmark.

* Ringriderplads where Knights 'jousted' with a hoop dangled from the metalwork top span of the arch

* A nice place to take a picture of customers in front of the fountain ( about 1617)
with the clock tower and palace in the background. The Swedes took
 it as war booty in 1659 and it was returned in 1888.

* Note the C4 Above the arches
(Showing the Arabic numeral and not the Latin one after the Reformation in about 1534)
 ( Ladegaard with the Kirsten Munk seat 1628)

* The dragon drain pipes

* The metal work over the window (to the left in the inner Palace Coutyard
 and the wooden door to the Chapel, the detailed sculptures all around etc.
The clock tower

*Sightseeing driver has free entry , remember senior/child discounts etc.

* Toilets are also sensible to mention / large bags not allowed inside / photos without flash

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1) The Knights Room

2) upstairs to the chapel - 1617 - Converted 1693 to The Knights Chapel - Order of the Elephant/Dannebrog
a) Shields of Poul Schlutter and Uffe Elleman Jensen
b The kings seat in the chapel
C) The Silver alter was originally in Roskilde Cathedral

c) German made Compenius Organ - 1610 almost 400 years old (in the Chapel since 1617)
d) Shields of the Danish royal Family ( Mary has replaced Alexandra in 2007)
e) Shield of Marsk Mckinley Møller (Mærsk symbol) & Niels Bohr

f) Shields og Churchill, Montgomery and Eisenhour

g) Shields of Many Royal families around the world
Britain, Scandinavia, Europe, Japan, Thailand etc, etc.

H) The ivories in the Kings praying room
( very Catholic in apperarance as it was in those days After the Reformation about 1534 ish )

3 ) The Audience Room (untouched by the great fire)*The waiting room
*The Privy passage
* view the formal French Garden ( design on brochure)
* The hunting lodge and deer park( unable to see , but to the left in the trees

* Discreet meetings so as no one could listen
* The Chair elevator used (to surprise guests ?)
and also to go out of the castle
- a quick way in and out of the Palace for the King to go hunting etc.

4 ) The Big room ( Special Exhibition on Christian lV from September 2006)
(2007 project -Copy of Royal Family tree for Sønderborg Slot )

Bishop Absalon - Large painting with King Valdamar I
Riders painting , style from about 1880-1910 - The model buildings etc

5) In historical Chronological order- The rooms reflect each period with contempory paintings
( mostly dated) and furniture items. Note how the styles change as you go
 further and how smaller items become more noticed, like Silver, glass/crystal,
then porcelain from China, and then Meissen and then Royal Copenhagen etc, note working the clocks.

Astronomy/astrology/navigation/sailing/exploration etc
*Note the style of clothes from the late ' Elizabethan period' etc

* ivory inlay with silver mounts on the tortoiseshell 17 th century cabinet ( turtle shell really !)

* Frederiki lll - Christian 4
*Christian lV Painting from Roskilde Cathedral,
*Ceiling with Gefion

* The miniatures - The Leonora Christina collection
Napoleon Miniatures /orders of Elephant & Dannebrog etc

* The Ceiling with the stars. note the markentry and parkentry and vivid colours of the furniture.

6) Up the stairs to the Queens bed -

* Objects of virtue cabinets for displaying your new or special objects / early Chinese Porcelain

7) Big room and large painting of Copenhagen in 1660 - (Frederik lll becomes the absolute monarch)
note Holmens Kirke and The Old Stock Exchange / Navigation/ships etc

8) The Great Hall
A) Note the disgusting paintings of Margrethe and Henrik !

B) Dagmar + Alexander lll + Young Nicholas ll
C) Alexandra + Edward Vll
menton two sisters, Danish princesses who both became Emporesses
and lived together at Hvidovre Hus, Klampenborg ( see it later ?)
Alexandra married Edward and he was Victorias eldest son and was king from 1901 -1911. Dagmar
escaped on a British War ship from the Crimea and returned to Danmark and lived with Alexandra
until her death in 1928 - her body is to be moved from Roskilde Cathedral to Peter & Paul Fortress in
St Petersburg on 23 September 2006.
D) Peter The Great of Russia visited the Palace in 1716 ( noted under the painting of Edward Vll)
E) Disco/ music/band area !
F) On ceiling the 3 giant brass candlebra with hands
G) Picture carvings of the artisans on the ceilings, unusual of ordinary people in those days
H) Animals and birds around the edge of the walls/ceiling
I) Christian X on his horse

return and go to the small Corner room to the left..........
''The toys for the boys room in which the girls like when they see what it is..................''
The Gottorpske Sky globe - The almost 400 year old German made working mechanical globe
of the stars, planets and zodiac systems !! ( listen to it ticking)

*Continue round and note the Kings bed / working clocks / silverware etc

Note the Small rooms with good light for the ladies to play cards or to do their embroidery etc,
fire screens to stop them going red in the face etc, Ivory box on the table. French style mirrors ?

Christian Vl in the Fair ground style display
Continue round through the Christian lX section

* Punch bowls
* Meissen Porcelain centre piece made up of different sections, very intricate and detailed and big !!!

* Ivory ship made of bone by prisoners of war /(Denmark was technically neutral but more on the side of
Napoleon and when the British captured prisoners they were put into prisons where they
were allowed to use the bones from the meat to create ships etc which they
could then sell for pocket money.........)

* Hans Christian Andersen paintings when he was a young man,
unusual as he is often seen as older in most.

* Søren Kirkegaard bronze sculpture

paintings of many famous Danes

 

Depending on time you may return to the first floor to see the
mid 1850-1900 section - The Danish-German wars etc.
note how the uniforms and style is very similar
 to the US Civil War  and the Union Army

Elevator down

Palace Water / Shop / toilets etc
Frederiksborg Slot, Hillerød
The Photograph was kindly supplied by Mr Robert G Elkins, Sightseeing Customer
 from The USA - It shows the main entrance to the Palace with Mrs and Miss Elkins
 and myself next to the Fountain in the foreground.

 

* If time you may drive round to the top of the hill to take pictures overlooking the lake and Palace.

 

 

Note:  the Jørn Utzon designed Arizona/Mexican style homes just after the golf course
on the left and before the roundabout when arriving at Fredensborg

 

Fredensborg Palace (The Official Royal Summer Palace)

Originally a farm which was destroyed and the original palace was built about 1720-1726 in the

French Baroque style by Johan C Krieger for Frederik lV

 

 

or...........

* Customers may walk through the formal French Gardens whilst you drive around

and meet them on the other side on top of the hill

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Drive towards Fredensborg / Helsingor

Approx population of Hillerød is 30,000

Gribskov /Esrum Lake area is the second largest managed forest in Denmark
(Stor Dyrehave -South of Hillerød)
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Further building work continued during the 18 th Century.

(George Bush  Junior visited in 2005 - landing by helicopter in the back garden)
Princess Isabella Christened in 2007 at Fredensborg Slotskirke

* Extensive gardens/park leading to Esrum Lake
*(Royal part of the Gardens are only open to the public during July)
*Nordmansdalen - Norwegian Valley - in the gardens

(approx 70 sculptures of Norwegian and Faroese farmers and fishermen)

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Sightseeing Tours in Copenhagen and Region

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