Denmark: Fairytale Northern Europe (Countries of the World)

by Maria Cristina Castellucci (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2006

  $4.34

  Denmark is a small and enchanted country whose hills and plains, woods, long beaches and heathery moors mark the point where Northern Europe ends and Scandinavia begins. Traditionally known as the land of fairytales - after all, Hans Christian Andersen was born here - the country lives up to its reputation by offering visitors breathtaking scenery, like romantic pastel-colored cottages with thatched roofs, charming villages and country churches, magical northern lights, and turreted castles surrounded by parks. But modern Denmark also has much more to offer. Design, high technology, innovation and futuristic architecture go hand in hand with the vestiges of the past, striking a perfect and fascinating balance. Copenhagen, the capital and most important city in Denmark, ably overcomes stylistic inconsistencies, and its Dutch-style Renaissance buildings sit alongside the most daring creations of modern architects. The city combines the slow pace of a small town with the hustle and bustle of a major metropolis, maintaining its ancient spirit but without closing the door to progress. Set at the crossroads of past, present and future, the Danish population loves all three eras equally and has created a perfect synthesis. The past returns in the historic commemorations of the Viking era, live ethnology museums and the creations of porcelain artists. All this has become a key to the present, and a heritage to be safeguarded for future generations. The Danes are also enormously protective of their natural environment, family and social traditions, the envied Scandinavian welfare model and the monarchy, represented by the beloved royal family that has ruled here for over a thousand years. This book does not illustrate modern Denmark as seen through the eyes of tourists, but the country as it is viewed and experienced by the Danes themselves and by those who, like them, share its genuine patriotic spirit. It is a journey along less-known itineraries to discover the heart and soul of Denmark.