Day 11 ~ Aalborg, Denmark

Aalborg is Denmark's fourth largest city with an urban population of 136,000. The earliest Viking settlements date to around 700 AD. It was originally settled as a trading post because of its position on the Limfjord.

The Budolfi Cathedral was built in the last decades of the 14th century. Originally Catholic, it became a Lutheran Church after the Protestant Reformation. 

Below is the Aalborg Post Office.  On the tower about midway down, notice the 27 boxes.  These were used for homing pigeons until 1960 at which time they were covered over.

The Hospital of the Holy Ghost is a former monastery of the Order of the Holy Ghost and was the hospital of Aalborg from 1431 to 1953. It is one of Denmark's best preserved medieval establishments and the oldest social institution in Denmark. For 300 years, the grammar school of Aalborg was also located in the buildings. During the Second World War, Denmark's first resistance group, the Churchill Club, was established here. Today, the buildings contain a retirement home with independent apartments for the elderly.

The Old City Hall was built in 1762 and served as city hall until 1912. Now, it is only used for celebrations such as weddings and representative purposes.

Jens Bang's House was built in 1624 in Dutch Renaissance style. It is said to be the finest privately owned Renaissance building in the country. The five-story building has housed the city's oldest pharmacy for more than 300 years.

Originally built as a fortification by King Christian III in the 1500’s, the  Alborghus Castle is an example of a half-timbered architecture.

Aalborg is proud of its Viking heritage. Before the end of our tour, we gathered for a brief demonstration which included a beverage and food tasting. When I went to take a picture of this fellow, he was posing nicely. Then, just before I pressed the shutter button on my camera, he suddenly gave me his growling Viking pose. Of course, I jumped and am amazed I got the picture.

The Royal Customs House was built in 1902. Since 1556, the custom house of Aalborg  was located where the Royal Customs House is now. The circular structures in front of the customs house are fountains that also play music.

In 2008, the Utzon Center was dedicated to its architect, Jørn Utzon. Born in Aalborg, his most famous design was the Sydney Opera House. This cultural center is designed to look like waves.  

We have rough seas tonight as we make our way to Stavanger, Norway.  We have had such perfect weather for the past 11 days, but our luck may be changing in Norway.

Day 10 ~ Copenhagen, Denmark

I have been very interested in Denmark ever since my 4^th grade students read the novel, Number the Stars. During World War II, Denmark was occupied by the Germans. The Danish resistance performed a rescue operation that managed to evacuate several thousand Jews and their families to safety in Sweden before the Germans could send them to death camps. Due to their actions, over 99% of Denmark’s Jewish population survived the Holocaust.

Today, Denmark is considered to be one of the most economically and socially developed countries in the world and consistently ranks very high in the annual World Happiness Report. Its current population is 5.78 million. Copenhagen is the  capital and most populous city (1,308,893) in Denmark.

Amalienborg is the home of the Danish royal family. Queen Margrethe II has been head of state since 14 January 1972 and lives here part of the year. Amalienborg consists of four identical classical palace façades. It was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burned on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces. (Click on the picture to enlarge it)

We arrived at Amalienborg  just in time for the 10:00 changing of the guard.

Frederik's Church, popularly known as The Marble Church, is an Evangelical Lutheran church and was  designed by the architect Nicolai Eigtvedin in 1740.

The Royal Yacht, the Dannebrog, is named after the flag of Denmark.  It was built in 1931–1932 at the Naval Dockyard in Copenhagen. The yacht now serves as an official and private residence for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and members of the Royal Family.

The Citadel (Kastellet) is one of the best preserved  fortresses in Northern Europe. It is still  an active military area that belongs to the Danish Defense Ministry. King's Gate (below) is the entrance on the south side or the Citadel facing the city.

The Rows are six two-story terraces which were originally built as barracks for the soldiers based at the Citadel.

The Christiansborg Palace is the seat of the Danish Parliament.  The palace is home to the three supreme powers: the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power. It is the only building in the world that houses all three of a country's branches of government.

The Børsen the a 17th-century stock exchange in the center of Copenhagen. The historic building is situated next to Christiansborg Palace. It is most noted for its distinctive spire, shaped as the tails of four dragons twined together. It was built under the reign of Christian IV in 1619–1640 as part of his plan to strengthen Copenhagen's role as a center for trade and commerce in Northern Europe. It housed the Danish stock-market until 1974.

The Little Mermaid, based on the fairy tale of the same name by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, has been a major tourist attraction since its unveiling in 1913.

The Gefion Fountain  was first activated on July 14, 1908. It features a large-scale group of animal figures being driven by the Norse goddess Gefjon. The fountain was donated to the city of Copenhagen by the Carlsberg Foundation on the occasion of the brewery’s 50-year anniversary.

The Copenhagen Opera House is the national opera house of Denmark and opened January 15, 2005. It is among the most modern opera houses in the world and also one of the most expensive ever built with construction costs well over $500 million.

On the other side of the river is the The Royal Danish Playhouse which opened in 2008.

This yacht belongs to a retired Microsoft employee who helped create MSOffice.  He married a Danish woman and spends time in Copenhagen. His yacht has been used in some James Bond movies.

Between their windmills and waste to energy plants (in the background), Denmark is a very energy efficient country. Because the city burns more trash (64 tons an hour) than it generates, they need to import some of their garbage. In the foreground is the Nyholm Central Guardhouse, part of the Royal Danish Navy.

This morning, we went on a 4 mile walking tour and in the afternoon, a canal cruise. The buildings were beautiful, whether historical or modern and the history interesting.  Tomorrow we travel to another Danish city, Alborg.

Day 9 ~ Rostock, Germany

Founded in 1218, Rostock is about to celebrate its 800 year anniversary. In 1251, the city became a member of the Hanseatic League (The league created to protect the guilds' economic interests). In the 14th century, it was a powerful seaport town with 12,000 inhabitants. Today, it has a population of 203,000. After World War II, it was part of the GDR (East Germany) until the reunification of Germany in 1990.

One of the most picturesque places in Rostock is New Market Square with the Town Hall. Originally built in the 13th century in Brick Gothic style, it was extensively transformed in the 18th century,with the addition of a Baroque façade.

While much of Rostock's Wall was removed on the sea side (towards the River Warnow), a large part of the city wall remains on the land side. Originally. there were 22 gates, but only 3 remain. The curved area in the photo is where a gate once stood. 

The 16th century Steintor Gate was built in a Dutch Renaissance style on the foundation walls of the former Gothic Southern Main Gate. The inside is adorned with seals and symbols of the city, as well as the words, “May harmony and prosperity reign within your walls.”

Western Gate is a six story brick gate built in the 14^th century. Today is houses an exhibition of Rostock’s fortifications.

St. Mary's Church was built in the 13th century but was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present basilica. Since the Protestant Reformation in 1531, it has been an Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The organ inside the church was first built in 1770 but has since been rebuilt and modified over the years. Today, it contains 83 stops with 5,700 pipes.

The astronomical clock, also inside St Mary’s, was built in 1472.^. The medieval clock is the only one of its kind still in working condition with its original clockworks.

Rostock is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. The University of Rostock, founded in 1419, is tuition free for its 14,000 students.

I will end today’s post with the Fountain of Joy in University Square. 

OK, one more picture… We set sail about an hour ago, and I couldn’t resist posting this photo of our gorgeous sunset. Tomorrow morning we will be in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Day 8 ~ Gdańsk, Poland

Gdańsk (Danzig in German) began as a Polish stronghold in the 980s giving Poland access to the trade routes of the Baltic Sea. Its luster harkens back to medieval times when it was one of the most prosperous cities of the Hanseatic League (the organization created to protect the members’ economic interests). The city's history is complex, with periods of Polish rule, periods of Prussian or German rule, and periods of autonomy or self-rule as a "free city". On September 1, 1939 the Germans attacked Gdansk, marking the beginning World War II. During the war, most of the buildings in Gdansk were destroyed but have since been restored. After the war, Gdansk became part of the Soviet Union. In August, 1980, Gdańsk Shipyard was the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement, whose opposition to the Communist regime led to the end of Communist Party rule in 1989. Today, Gdańsk is a major shipping port and tourist destination with a population of 464,000 in the city and 1 million in the metropolitan area.

The Main Town Hall in Gdańsk houses the History Museum of the City of Gdańsk. Its origins date back to the 14^th century.

Neptune Fountain was originally constructed between 1606 and 1633.

Long Market was established in the 13th century, initially as a merchant road leading to the oval market place. Soon the street became the city's main artery. It was also called the Royal Route because it served as a road of solemn entrances into the city during the visitations by Polish monarchs. The street was inhabited by the most prominent and wealthy citizens of the Royal City of Gdańsk.

The Golden Gate forms a part of the old city fortifications at one end of Long Market. The building behind the gate is Prison Tower and Torture Chamber. It was here that executions were carried out until the middle of the 19th century.

The Great Armory was built in 1600-09 on the medieval line of the city walls. A working arsenal until the 1800's, the armory remains the finest example of Renaissance architecture in the city.

Construction of St. Mary's Catholic Church (the brick church in the background) began sometime between 1343 and 1379 and is currently the second largest brick church in the world. Between 1536 and 1572, it was used for Roman Catholic and Lutheran services simultaneously, then exclusively Lutheran until after the Second World War when it was returned to the Catholic diocese. It was badly damaged during the war with reconstruction and renovation continuing today.

Royal Chapel of the Polish King (Pink building in the foreground) was built in baroque style between 1678–1681. Initially, both Catholics and Lutherans were able to worship here; however near the end of the 16th Century, the Protestants occupied the entire building, while the Catholics were forced to squeeze into the rooms of the rectory. The chapel was also badly damaged during World War II but has since been restored.

The Monument to the Defenders of Westerplatte honors those who fought in the Battle of Westerplatte. This battle was the first clash between Polish and German forces during the invasion of Poland and thus, the first battle of the European theater of World War II. Our ship was docked at Westerplatte.

Tomorrow morning, we will explore Rostock, Germany.

Day 7 ~ At Sea

We are having a relaxing day as we travel between Tallinn, Estonia and Gdansk, Poland.  It has been wonderful sleeping in, having leisurely meals, and updating the blog.  Below is our ship, Viking Sky, a 930 passenger ship christened in June 2017.

This evening, Bonnie enjoyed her lobster dinner in the lovely formal dining room. We ended the evening  with a very entertaining Broadway review show.

We’ll be up early tomorrow morning for our walking tour of Gdansk.

Day 6 ~ Tallinn, Estonia

This morning, we arrived in Tallinn to a beautiful warm, sunny day. During our tour of the Old Town, we had a challenging walk on cobbled streets in this picturesque city. Our guide was excellent at explaining the history, politics and people of this country. Below is a view of the Old Town from our ship.

Tallinn (population 450,000) is the capitol of Estonia (population 1.3 million) making it the third smallest country in the EU by population. The territory of Estonia has been inhabited since at least 9000 BC. Ancient Estonians were some of the last European pagans and were Christianized during a crusade in the 13th century. After centuries of  successive German,  Danish, Swedish, and Russian rule, Estonians experienced what has been described as a "national awakening" in the 19th and early 20th centuries. On 24 February. 1918, independence was declared and later secured through a War of Independence. During World War II, Estonia suffered successive occupations by the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union again, resulting in its incorporation into the USSR.  The Singing Revolution began June 1988 at a music festival in Tallinn where 300,000 citizens linked arms singing patriotic songs. Estonia finally regained its independence without any bloodshed on August 20, 1991. Since independence, the country has rapidly developed its IT sector, becoming one of the world's most digitally advanced societies. It also ranks very high in the Human Development Index of the United Nations.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Russian orthodox cathedral in the Old Town. St. Alexander Nevsky, of Russian nobility, rose to legendary status because of his military victories over German and Swedish invaders in the 13^th century.  The cathedral was built during the period of late 19th century Russification and was so disliked by many Estonians as a symbol of oppression that the Estonian authorities scheduled the cathedral for demolition in 1924; but the decision was never implemented. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

St. Mary’s Cathedral was originally established by Danes in the 13th century and is the oldest church in Tallinn. Originally a Roman Catholic cathedral, it became Lutheran in 1561.

St. Olaf’s Church is believed to have been built in the 12th century and was the center for old Tallinn's Scandinavian community before Denmark conquered it in 1219. Dedicated to King Olaf II of Norway (995–1030), it controversially claims to have been the tallest building in the world from 1549 to 1625.

The first City Wall around Tallinn was ordered to be constructed in 1265. During the next three centuries, it became one of the largest and strongest defense systems in all of  Northern Europe. The walls and the many gates are still largely extant today. This is one of the reasons that Tallinn's Old Town became a World Heritage Site.

The Tallinn Town Hall is the oldest town hall in the whole of the Baltic  region  and  Scandinavia, celebrating its 600^th birthday in 2004.

Tallinn has been a favorite for several of us.  We knew so little about it and found it interesting as well as very charming. We get to sleep in tomorrow since we will be at sea all day. 

Day 5 ~ St. Petersburg, Russia #2

St Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 27, 1703. At the end of the 17th century,he wanted Russia to gain a seaport in order to trade with the rest of Europe. Peter moved the Russian capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in 1712 where it remained until the Communist Revolution of 1917. Below is the Monument to Peter the Great.

In 1611, Swedish colonists had built the Nyenskans fortress at the mouth of the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. On May 12 1703, during the Great Northern War, Peter the Great captured the Nyenskans fortress and  replaced it with the Peter and Paul Fortress, the first brick and stone building of the new city.

The Peter and Paul Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress. It is the first and oldest landmark in St. Petersburg, built between 1712 and 1733 on Hare Island along the Neva River. Both the cathedral and the fortress were originally built under Peter the Great. The cathedral houses the remains of almost all the  Russian emperors and empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II and his family, who were finally laid to rest in July 1998. The cathedral's bell tower is the world's tallest Orthodox bell tower.

The Hermitage Museum is the second-largest museum of art and culture in the world. It was founded in 1764 by Empress Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items including the largest collection of paintings in the world. The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace (below), a former residence of Russian emperors and now the entrance to the museum.

Catherine the Great was Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796 and was  the country's longest-ruling female leader. The period of  her rule, the Catherinian Era, is often considered the Golden Age of the Russian Empire. As a patron of the arts, she presided over the age of the Russian Enlightenment, a period when the Smolny Institute, the first state-financed higher education institution for women in Europe, was established. Below is her portrait hanging in the Hermitage Museum.

Staircase just inside the Winter Palace.

One of the many beautiful rooms within the Winter Palace.

The Hermitage Museum complex as viewed from the opposite side of the Neva River is below. From left to right: Hermitage Theatre (not visible in this photo) – Old Hermitage (only a small corner)– Small Hermitage – Winter Palace (the "New Hermitage" is situated behind the Old Hermitage). We got in lots of steps exploring the Hermitage today. When we were inside, we didn’t even have a sense of when we went from one building to another.  We were simply overwhelmed.

We pushed off from the dock about 6:20 this evening.  We arrive in Estonia in the morning.