From Amalienborg, to the Little Mermaid, to Kastellet

On Tuesday the 24th Michael and I journeyed along the Copenhagen waterfront. Our first stop was Amalienborg, the palace complex where the royal family resides. When the royals are at home the respective royal flag will be flying above the center of the palace.On this particular day only the Crown Prince's family was in residence.

As is a natural second stop when one is in the Amalienborg area, we journeyed next to Marmorkirken - the Marble Church. Though not as flamboyant as many churches one sees in Europe, Marmorkirken definitely has an aura of magnificence beneath its high domed ceiling.

With our umbrellas in tow to protect from the occasional bout of rain, which is characteristic of Danmark at this time of the year, we continued to walk along the waterfront. Despite the looming threat of rain we continued on to our third and fourth destinations; the famous statue of the Little Mermaid, and Kastellet, a fortress still in use by the Danish armed forces.

For those of you who may not be aware, the story of the Little Mermaid is of Danish origin. Written by Hans Christian Andersen, the story of the Little Mermaid is quite forlorn, unlike the Disney version. Akin to many stories by the Brothers Grim, the story is known for its happily ever after ending. For those who know the real story of the Little Mermaid, standing by her side as she sits alone on her rock perpetually condemned to the only imagine the acquisition of her dream, you can not help but think of your own dreams being deferred or unobtainable.

The statue of the Little Mermaid is next to Kastellet. This pentagram shaped fortress with bastions at the corners used to be part of series of ramparts protecting Copenhagen from attack. Not only is this fortress well preserved, but it is also still in use by the Danish armed forces. Though one can not go into the heart of the fortress, since it is still in use, you can walk the ramparts.

 (Above is a picture of Kastellet)

(Below is a picture of a soldier walking the ramparts)

Despite the somewhat inconsistent weather throughout the day on Tuesday we had a good time journeying along the Copenhagen waterfront, and seeing what there was to see.

Vi Ses!