Roskilde Museum / Nature Park Åmosen / Lejre Museum / Land of Legends / Viking Tours / The Viking Fortress Trelleborg / The Roskilde Cathedral Museum / The Viking Ship Museum / Ulvsborg / The Ruins of St Lawrence’s Church / Sorø Abbey Church / Fjenneslev Church / Antvorskov Abbey Ruin / The Chapel of Knud Lavard / St Bendt’s Church / Holbæk Museum / Tveje Merløse Church / Dragsholm Castle / Kalundborg Museum / Vordingborg Castle / The Medieval Centre and The Golden Swan inn
foreword / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 1
In the beating heart of the world’s oldest kingdom
Central and west Zealand played a pivotal role in the creation of the kingdom of Denmark. dense stream of cultural monuments in the area tells of when Denmark came to be. Archaeological excavations bearing major finds from ancient history, churches holding the world record for the number of kings buried there, and thrilling chronicles and legends. In short, central and west Zealand have a unique story which needs to be told. With its four-year project, When Denmark came to be — from kings to Valdemars, Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland/Cultural Region Mid- and West Zealand really marks the start of focus on the exciting history of the Viking Age and the Middle Ages. Over the coming years, the project will improve local, national and international awareness of the unique cultural history of Region Zealand – in particular Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland/Cultural Region Mid- and West Zealand – and thus help to make the area the leading destination for Viking and medieval experiences. Through experiences and stories, we depict the time from when Denmark came to be – the Viking Age and the Middle Ages – presented through the attractions of the area. We hope this look into our shared treasure trove of fascinating history will give shape and colour to a truly unique culture-historical period for Denmark, and that your visit to our various attractions will bring central and west Zealand’s cultural heritage to life for you! Learn about the heroic endeavours of Beowulf, who protects King Roar’s king’s hall by slaying the troll Grendel, or shudder at the tales of the bloody battles for the right to the Danish throne. Our attractions are unparalleled storytellers. With substance, power and exciting forms of communication, they pass on our cultural heritage to successive generations. Come and discover the beating heart of the world’s oldest kingdom – from Viking kings to Valdemars. Have a great trip! Hanne Pigonska Mari Schmidt Chairman of Kulturregion Project Manager, Midt- og Vestsjælland When Denmark came to be From 2012 to 2014, the When Denmark came to be project will be holding major, spectacular Viking and medieval events and projects, so keep an eye on the project’s website. When Denmark came to be is funded by Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland, the Ministry of Culture Denmark, Østdansk Turisme and Region Zealand, and is marketed in collaboration with Østdansk Turisme.
2 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
Legend has it that Zealand was shaped by the goddess Gefion. Gefion had four sons with a giant. She transformed these sons into giant oxen, which she used to plough the island of Zealand out of Sweden’s land. he word Zealand comes from “sea land” and, for the Vikings, the sea was a means for exploration, cultural exchange, trade, raids and conquest. The Viking ship – a technological marvel in its day – was what made the Viking Age so legendary and created the basis for an age when, more than ever, Denmark was a military and cultural superpower. Through expeditions across the sea, the Viking ships “Aslak” and “Havhingsten” (the Sea Stallion) still tell the 1,000-year-old story of the Vikings’ ships. See them and go for a sail Viking Tours and the Viking Ship Museum. At Tissø and Lejre, the Vikings’ pagan past is ever present. Mystical pagan rituals can be traced back to lake Tissø, the lake of Tyr, the Norse god of war. The story about the landscape and paganism can be experienced at Nature Park Åmosen. Odin, king of the gods in Norse mythology, still watches over Midgard, realm of the humans, from Roskilde Museum with his two all-seeing ravens, while warrior Beowulf’s battle against the troll Grendel resonates like a poetic echo in the recreated universes of Land of Legends. The ancient king’s hall and boat-shaped burial setting at Lejre Museum recount the story of the legendary kings, while Viking Fortress Trelleborg is spectacular evidence of their greatness – and decline. The most influential medieval families in the history of Denmark also had their power base on Zealand. Fjenneslev Church and Sorø Abbey Church stand as proud monuments, erected by Zealand’s Hvide family, a line of ecclesiastical and worldly noblemen. You can almost feel the presence of these noble families at the fortified farm Ulvsborg, while a large number of the royal family’s burial monuments, from Harald Bluetooth to the Reformation, can be found at Roskilde Cathedral Museum and St Bendt’s Church, the latter being the burial site of the Valdemars. The lost stories about how Denmark, came to be can be felt in the traces of the ruins. The forgotten hospital abbey of the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 3
750 — 1250 God, Antvorskov Abbey, and the lost St Lawrence’s Church today exist only in the form of fragmentary ruins, – but they still tell the story of a Denmark where saints and abbeys were factors of power. Pilgrimage was an important religious act in the Middle Ages. A purification process for body and soul, as the mysterious “tired” pilgrim monk who made five long trips to Santiago de Compostela from Holbæk Museum can recount. Zealand’s popular pilgrimage destination, the Chapel of Knud Lavard, tells the story of murderous deception. The fortified medieval castle Dragsholm Castle stands today as evidence of the need for protection in the dangerous and rebellious times that were the Middle Ages. Danish noblemen were involved in the papal religious war against the pagans, through the crusade led by the Danish King Valdemar Sejr in Estonia. Kalundborg Museum tells the story of the crusades through the Church of Our Lady, architecturally constructed in the shape of the Greek cross. The seeds of democracy were sown in Zealand soil at Vordingborg Castle, where the wording of the Danish kingdom’s great law – the Jutlandic Law – was adopted. Meet medieval halberdsmen, housewives, traders and hustlers in the reconstructed town at the Medieval Centre, where both hangings and exquisite medieval fare are part of everyday life. Welcome to the story from Viking kings to Valdemars – Experience the story of WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE Lars Holten Kirsten Henriksen Chairman of the steering committee, Member of Museumsrådet When Denmark came to be the Museum Council Director, Land of Legends Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland Manager Historiens Hus – Ringsted, Museum and Archive
4 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / contents
contents
MUSEUM
AUDIO GUIDE
RESTAURANT SERVING HISTORIC FOOD
DISABLED FACILITIES
GUIDED TOURS
PARKING
CAFé
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
ROSKILDE MUSEUM
Nature Park Åmosen
LEJRE MUSEUM
No. 1 / page 8
No. 2 / page 10
No. 3 / page 12
Land of Legends
Viking Tours
Viking Fortress Trelleborg
No. 4 / page 14
No. 5 / page 20
No. 6 / page 22
Roskilde Cathedral Museum
The Viking Ship Museum
Ulvsborg
No. 7 / page 24
No. 8 / page 26
No. 9 / page 32
THE RUINS OF ST LAWRENCE’S CHURCH
SORØ ABBEY CHURCH
Fjenneslev Church
No. 10 / page 34
No. 11 / page 36
No. 12 / page 38
Antvorskov Abbey Ruin
The Chapel of Knud Lavard
St Bendt’s Church
No. 13 / page 44
No. 14 / page 46
No. 15 / page 48
Holbæk Museum
Tveje Merløse Church
Dragsholm Castle
No. 16 / page 52
No. 17 / page 53
No. 18 / page 56
Kalundborg Museum
Vordingborg Castle
No. 19 / page 58
No. 20 / page 60
THE MEDIEVAL CENTRE and The Golden Swan inn No. 21 / page 62
map / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 5
Nykøbing Sjælland
9 18 16 Holbæk Kalundborg 19
Copenhagen
5
17
Roskilde 4
3
7 10
8 1
Lejre 2
14 Sorø 13 6
11
Køge
15 12
Ringsted
Slagelse
Næstved
20
21
Vordingborg
Nykøbing Falster
6 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 7
8 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / ROSKILDE MUSEUM
1
ROSKILDE MUSEUM
Sankt Ols Gade 18 DK-4000 Roskilde www.roskildemuseum.dk Tel. +45 / 4631 6529
DK
Roskilde Museum tells the story of when Roskilde was one of the most important cities in Denmark. The museum’s antiquities exhibition includes rich finds from the Stone Age to the Viking Age, including a world-famous figure of Odin. In the Middle Ages, Roskilde was the capital of the kingdom and home to kings and bishops. The museum’s medieval exhibition tells of the town’s church life, crafts, traces of pilgrimages and early printing.
ROSKILDE MUSEUM / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 9
750
Pagan mythology
ccording to the legend, Odin, the greatest of all gods in the gods’ world Asgard, saw that the country lacked a king. He therefore sent the royal infant Scyld, the forefather of the kings of the Danes, to the country in a fantastic ship. According to Norse mythology, Odin is omniscient and allseeing.
… And there is a great dwelling called Valaskjalf, which belongs to Odin. The gods made it and thatched it with sheer silver. In this hall is the high-seat, which is called Hlidskjalf, and when Alfather sits in this seat, he sees over all the world ... There are two ravens on his shoulders, and everything they see or hear, they say into his ear. They are called Huginn and Muninn. Odin sends them out at dawn, and the birds fly all over the world before returning at breakfast time. As a result, Odin is kept informed of many events, and that is why people call him raven god … Snorre Sturlason (1179–1241) from the saga Gylfaginning
10 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / VISITOR CENTRE FUGLEDEGÅRD
2
Nature Park Åmosen
Bakkendrupvej 28 DK-4480 St. Fuglede www.naturparkaamosen.dk Tel. + 45 / 3056 6685 Tissø Viking Market www.vikingemarked.dk
DK/s/n
At Visitor Centre Fugledegård at Tissø, you can feel the forces of nature and the pagan religion in a forgotten and mysterious interaction. The offering of weapons in Tissø lake and many finds of pagan figures suggest that this was where rituals took place in a religious pact with the surroundings and nature, though nothing more is known. Visitor Centre Fugledegård shows the remains of a fortified farm which was one of the largest Viking settlements.
VISITOR CENTRE FUGLEDEGÅRD / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 11
750
Worship
round and about on Zealand are relics of the ancient customs and the Norse pagan beliefs. By the big lake Tissø was a pagan cult centre. This was where our ancestors worshiped the Viking gods – the Aesir. Tissø is named after the god of war – Tyr in Norse mythology.
… There is yet an asa, whose name is Tyr. He is very daring and stout-hearted. He sways victory in war ... when the asas induced the wolf Fenrer to let himself be bound with the chain Gleipner, he would not believe that they would loose him again until Tyr put his hand in his mouth as a pledge. But when the asas would not loose the wolf Fenrer, he bit Tyr’s hand off at the place of the wolf’s joint. From that time Tyr is one-handed … Snorre Sturlason (1179–1241) from the saga Gylfaginning
12 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / LEJRE MUSEUM
3
LEJRE MUSEUM
Orehøjvej 4 B DK-4320 Lejre www.roskildemuseum.dk Tel. + 45 / 4648 1468
DK
DK/UK
At Lejre Museum, you can learn about the special significance of the area in the history of Denmark, focusing on the legends of the Scyldings and Beowulf. The exhibition presents finds and models from antiquity to the present day. Archaeological finds confirm that Lejre was an important place during the Iron Age and Viking Age – historically as well as mythologically. The discovery of large settlements with great halls shows that Lejre was home to the historic Viking kings.
Today, the floor plan of one of the two halls is marked out on the ground. East of the museum are the remains of two ship-shaped stone burial settings which served as burial sites during the Viking Age.
LEJRE MUSEUM / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 13
750
The Viking king’s halls and burial customs
ing Scyld’s descendants, the Scyldings were based in Lejre. Here, according to legend, they built Hjort, the vast and lavish king’s hall. Just as King Scyld came to the kingdom in a ship, his final journey to the grave was also connected with ships, as was the custom in the Viking Age.
… Forth he fared at the fated moment, sturdy Scyld to the shelter of God. Then they bore him over to ocean’s billow, loving clansmen, as late he charged them, while wielded words the winsome Scyld, the leader beloved who long had ruled..... In the roadstead rocked a ring-dight vessel, iceflecked, outbound, atheling’s barge ... No less these loaded the lordly gifts, thanes’ huge treasure, than those had done who in former time forth had sent him sole on the seas, a suckling child … The tale of Beowulf from c. 700
14 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / LAND OF LEGENDS
41
LAND OF LEGENDS LEJRE
Slangealléen 2 DK-4320 Lejre www.sagnlandet.dk Tel. + 45 / 4648 0878
DK UK/d
DK UK/d
A great wealth of archaeological finds near Lejre confirms that the site was a cultural powerhouse in the Iron Age and Viking Age – historically as well as mythologically. In the magnificent lansdcape of LAND OF LEGENDS, with its giant ship-shaped burial setting, longhouses and the sacrificial bog, it is easy to imagine the power, the monuments and the stories that once prevailed there. At Land of Legends, you can meet the Vikings face to face and experience snippets of everyday life such as cooking, crafts and other day-to-day activities, and also battles, play and worship.
he Swedish hero Beowulf was summoned by the Danish Scylding king, King Roar, who, according to legend, founded Roskilde. Beowulf was to help Roar with a terrible plague in the kingdom of the Danes. The kingdom was haunted by the troll Grendel, whom neither Roar nor his best men in the king’s hall Hjort could defeat.
LAND OF LEGENDS / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 15
750
Legendary kings and heroes
‌ Beowulf closely held him he who of men in might was strongest in that same day of this our life ... The outlaw dire took mortal hurt; a mighty wound showed on his shoulder, and sinews cracked, and the bone-frame burst. To Beowulf now the glory was given, and Grendel thence death-sick his den in the dark moor sought, noisome abode: he knew too well that here was the last of life, an end of his days on earth. To all the Danes by that bloody battle the boon had come ‌ The tale of Beowulf from c. 700
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18 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
Did you know that‌
the Danish Vikings in England were described as luxurious, shaven and
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 19
not unhygienic and hirsute
20 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / VIKING tours
5
Viking Tours
Take part in a Viking cruise with Viking tours Check cruise dates at: www.vikingtours.dk
Groups of 10 or more can also book their own Viking cruise Tel. + 45 / 4091 0336
With Viking Tours, you can come out on a boat and experience a cruise as if through the eyes of a true Viking. We set sail from Roskilde Fjord and Isefjord, just as they did 1,000 years ago, and learn about historical events and the sagas. We sail to creeks, forests, ancient trading places and settlements once ruled over by the Viking kings. Viking Tours offers many different types of cruises on board Viking ships in the fjord systems of Zealand. The ships were built by hand without drawings and are some of the largest that sail with passengers. The two largest Viking ships are the swift-sailing Nidhug at 16 metres and the longship Aslak at 24 metres.
illaging, chaos and booty. Danish Vikings went on raids to England, where rich unprotected monasteries were easy targets. The English monks saw the Vikings’ violent attacks as God’s punishment – punishment from across the sea. The booty was immense – silver, gold, slaves and hostages.
VIKING tours / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 21
793
The raids begin
‌ 793. This year came dreadful forewarnings ... immense sheets of light rushing through the air, and whirlwinds, and fiery dragons flying across the firmament ... the harrowing inroads of heathen men made lamentable havoc in the church of God in Holy-island, by rapine and slaughter ‌ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 793
22 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / TRELLEBORG
6
The Viking Fortress TRELLEBORG
Trelleborg Alle 4, Hejninge, DK-4200 Slagelse www.vikingeborg.dk www.vestmuseum.dk Tel. + 45 / 5854 9506
DK/UK
DK
The Viking fortress Trelleborg was built in 980–981. Here you can see some of the many excavation finds, sense the shadows of the past in the large longhouse and even try your hand at being an everyday Viking, a warrior or a craftsman – for example, with archery, spear throwing, cooking over an open fire or warrior training. Viking fortress Trelleborg is also home to Denmark’s only surviving Viking shield.
he Danish kingdom was united by the Viking king Harald Bluetooth. During his reign, Trelleborg was part of the Viking Age’s military power system. Harald Bluetooth was a good diplomat, and he understood the importance of alliances outside Denmark, including the west Slavic communities in Poland. But, after many years in power from 980–990, Bluetooth’s position was challenged by none other than his own son, Svend Forkbeard, who brutally seized power from him.
TRELLEBORG / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 23
980
Trelleborg is built
‌ With an army of Danes and slaves his father attacked him again ... after having fought all day, he had neither victory nor the need to flee. So they determined that, as the armies were tired of fighting, they would talk the next day to make peace. When, in confidence, Harald ... walked around as if there was peace and no danger ... he was wounded by the arrow of Toke, and was returned to Julin by his men, where he soon after gave up the ghost ‌ Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
24 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / Roskilde Cathedral Museum
7
Roskilde Cathedral Museum
Roskilde Museum Roskilde Cathedral Museum Domkirkepladsen DK-4000 Roskilde www.roskildemuseum.dk Tel. +45 / 4631 6500
DK
Roskilde Cathedral Museum tells the story of the cathedral’s 1,000-year history. From the first wooden church on the site to the magnificent UNESCO-protected medieval cathedral you encounter there today, where centuries of Danish monarchs are buried. Authentic objects and models, drawings and photographs allow you to follow the development of the church through its Catholic and Protestant eras. Experience the medieval wooden figures, a reconstruction of Queen Margrete I’s exquisite golden dress, fragments of stained glass from the cathedral windows, the first printed edition of Saxo Grammaticus’ History of the Danes, coffin plates and digging equipment from noble burials and a boatswain’s chair used for work on the church spire.
uring his reign, Harald Bluetooth not only unified the Danish kingdom, but also Christianised the Danes. He is said to have built the first church in Roskilde – where Roskilde Cathedral stands today.
… Harald’s body was sent to Roskilde and solemnly buried in the church he had himself recently built … Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
Roskilde Cathedral Museum / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 25
1022
The church in Roskilde gains cathedral status
26 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / THE VIKING SHIP MUSEUM
8
THE VIKING SHIP MUSEUM
Vindeboder 12 DK-4000 Roskilde www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk +45 / 46 300 200
call for info DK/UK/RU
THE VIKING SHIP MUSEUM / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 27
1040
The Skuldelev ships
The Viking Ship Museum is a meeting of the shipbuilding and the maritime technology that created Denmark. See the five original Skuldelev ships and experience Viking craftsmanship at the boatyard. The impressive ship collection is situated at the museum harbour, and from 1 May to 30 September, you can participate in daily boat trips on Roskilde Fjord. he ships were the epitome of high technology in Viking times, with the design and shape carefully adapted to the ship’s function. The five Skuldelev Ships reveal stories about war and raids, about trade and travel to far distant places, and about life at and by the sea at the time when Denmark came to be. The ship was the prerequisite for the major changes that characterise the Viking Age: the emergence of towns and cities in Scandinavia, the kingdom’s accumulation and conquest of new lands. The world of the Vikings was global. From the exploration of North America’s coasts to trade in Istanbul.
… some felling trees, some shaping them, some hammering nails, some carrying timber. All the material was of the choicest, and the ship was both long and broad, built with great beams, and the bulwarks thereof were high ... A dragon-ship was she wrought after the same fashion as the ‘Serpent’ ...called he her the ‘Long Serpent,’ ... Dight were her head and the crook all over with gold, and the bulwarks thereof were as high as on sea-faring ships … The saga of Olaf Tryggvason by Snorre Sturlason (1179-1241)
28 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 29
30 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
Did you know that…
BLUE was the Vikings’ favourite colour for their clothing. Fantastic ocean blue, Middle Eastern gems of this type
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 31
were crushed and used as a background colour in chalk frescoes in churches
32 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / Ulvsborg
9
Ulvsborg
Toftholmvej 66 DK-4550 Asnæs Tel. + 45 / 2177 3323 www.ulvsborg.dk
dk UK/d
At Ulvsborg – a reconstructed nobleman’s farm – the nobleman lives with his farm labourers in Salshuset, built in the latest European style on stone foundations, with an extension and with a loft that holds a maiden’s bower and master’s chamber. Meet the nobleman and his people going about their daily chores on the farm, in the woods or down by Storsøen lake, where the boat Søpoppel is moored. Experience sieges and slavery – there’s always time for contemplation and a chat with the farm workers. Every year, Ulvsborg holds a major medieval music festival – Ars Amandi. Find out more at www.middelaldermusikfestival.dk.
Ulvsborg / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 33
1050
A time of change – from Vikings to noblemen
he power centres of the Middle Ages were often the fortified farms of noblemen. Entire mini communities with their own hierarchy, nobleman, peasants, knights, soldiers, and slaves.
... When the tables had been taken away after the meal and the feast merriment rose, and the cups were handed round ... Then a German singer began to sing about Svend’s flight and exile, tauting and mocking him ... Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
34 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / THE RUINS OF ST LAWRENCE’S CHURCH
10
THE RUINS OF ST LAWRENCE’S CHURCH
Visits by appointment: The Tourist Office Stændertorvet 1 DK-4000 Roskilde Tel. + 45 / 4631 6500
DK
www. roskildemuseum.dk
At the beginning of the 12th century, St Lawrence’s Church was built in Roskilde near the cathedral and the city’s main street. After the Reformation in 1536, the church was demolished and only the tower was allowed to remain. The church ruins are preserved at a depth of almost two metres below street level. Delve into the murky darkness and discover the mysterious ancient tombs, archaeological finds and the church’s famous mosaic brick floor – quite spectacular by Scandinavian standards. The church’s patron saint, Saint Lawrence, was very popular in Scandinavia, as you can see from the prevalence of male names such as Lars and Lasse. ith the arrival of Christianity in Denmark came the Christian saints. Churches were built in the names of saints, including St. Lawrence’s Church. According to legend, Lawrence was a treasurer and the bishop’s assistant in Rome. It is said that he distributed the church’s taxes to the poor. However, the Roman Emperor found out about Lawrence’s generosity and organised a terrible execution, whereby Lawrence was slowly roasted.
THE RUINS OF ST LAWRENCE’S CHURCH / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 35
1100
St Lawrence’s Church is built
… I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, that I have been found worthy to enter the gates of heaven ... I am ready, be so good … Wording from a 15th century chalk fresco in Tuse Church
36 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / SORØ ABBEY CHURCH
11
SORØ ABBEY CHURCH
Akademigrunden 4 DK-4180 Sorø
Dk/book on tel. + 45 / 5782 1012
Sorø Abbey Church is one of the largest medieval churches in Denmark. Built in the late 12th century, it is one of the first brick buildings in Denmark. Bishop Absalon is buried in Sorø Abbey Church, and at the church’s museum you can see Absalon’s wonderful ring, crosier and costume. Ancestor of the Hvide family, Skjalm Hvide is also buried here. Take a look at the church’s coats of arms frieze – here you can see the Hvide family’s many coats of arms.
… His clerk Saxo gave him the 2½ mark silver, which he had given him. Saxo is obliged to return to Sorø Abbey the two books the archbishop had given him … Absalon’s will from 1208
SORØ ABBEY CHURCH / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 37
1128
Founder of the Abbey, Absalon is born
orø Abbey Church is the burial church of the powerful Hvide family. The Hvide family produced some of the great personalities of Danish history – Bishop Absalon and Esbern Snare. The Hvide family’s ancestor was Skjalm Hvide, the most powerful man on Zealand in his day. The abbey also plays a pivotal role in written Danish history. Absalon hired the writer Saxo, who wrote the History of the Danes – our main source of reference on the early Middle Ages in Denmark. Absalon reminded Saxo, with what was perhaps the world’s first library recall notice, that the books he had borrowed in Sorø were to be returned – even after Absalon’s own death.
38 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / FJENNESLEV CHURCH
12
FJENNE SLEV CHURCH
Langtoftevej DK-4173 Fjenneslev www.fjenneslev-kirke.dk Tel. + 45 / 57 80 86 05
The church was built in the 12th century by Skjalm Hvide’s son Asser Riig, who is pictured in the church’s colourful chalk frescoes from the 13th century. It is one of the country’s most famous churches due to the legend of the two towers, which are said to have been built for the twins Absalon and Esbern Snare. There is also a rune stone at the church. n the mid-12th century, there was a bloody battle for the Danish throne. Valdemar (later King Valdemar the Great) was one of the pretenders to the throne and had grown up on the Hvide family’s fortified farm at Fjenneslev. Valdemar flees wounded, after an attempt on his life, to the Hvide family’s fortified farm in Fjenneslev where the power of the family puts him in safety.
FJENNESLEV CHURCH / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 39
1150
The chalk frescoes in Fjenneslev Church
... However, Valdemar, who only had two of his entourage with him, was intent on leaving with his life intact, though he could hardly walk for the wound he had in his thigh, but he pressed on, however much the wound hindered him; ... He came to the same farm where Absalon had been ahead of him and told of what had befallen him. When he was told by the farmer that Absalon had recently gone to his mother, he got together some people who were familiar with the area, to show him the way and hastened after him; thus the imminent hardship and danger which tends to make the weak hardy, helped him to bear his pain. His wounds were tended to, and after having his thigh dressed, he spent the rest of the night there ... Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
40 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
Did you know that‌
LEPROSY was treated with mercury at the monasteries. Monks used the amazing red mercury mineral
CINNa
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 41
aBaR as colour in handwritten books and documents
42 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 43
44 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / ANTVORSKOV abbey RUIN
13
Antvor足skov Abbey ruin
By Kongevejen DK-4200 Slagelse
Today, only the ruins remain of the abbey of the Order of St John, Antvorskov. But the abbey ruins still conceal many little hidden rooms and nooks and crannies where you almost expect to find a monk around the next corner.
ANTVORSKOV abbey RUIN / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 45
1164
Valdemar the Great founds Antvorskov Abbey aldemar the Great founded Antvorskov Abbey as an abbey of the Order of St. John. Pilgrimage was a dangerous journey through many cultures and countries, but the Order of St. John, also called the Cross Brothers, was an order founded to protect pilgrims on pilgrimage. This order also developed into a Crusader order, which took part in the crusades on the orders of the Pope. In the Middle Ages, the abbeys of the Order of St. John were known to be good hospitals, where the monks treated the sick and dying.
… If anyone seizes or robs monks, or clergymen, or nuns, or their servants, or pilgrims, or merchants, let him be anathema. Let robbers and incendiaries and all their accomplices be expelled from the church and anthematized ... All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins … Pope Urban II’s speech in 1095
46 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / THE CHAPEL OF KNUD LAVARD
14
THE CHAPEL OF KNUD LAVARD
Knud Lavardsvej 35 Haraldsted DK-4100 Ringsted
One of the most popular pilgrimage destinations on Zealand in the Middle Ages was the Danish saint Knud Lavard’s chapel near Ringsted. The chapel was built on the spot where Knud Lavard was killed. After Knud Lavard was canonised by the Pope, pilgrims flocked to the site to gain salvation, pray for miracles and do penance for their sins. The stone foundation is all that remains of the chapel. But the area invites you on a short pilgrimage into the woods and along the roads in this beautiful landscape.
s pretender to the Danish throne, Valdemar feared for his life. His own father Duke Knud Lavard had also been a candidate for the throne. But Knud was not as fortunate, and was violently cut down in a treacherous ambush.
THE CHAPEL OF KNUD LAVARD / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 47
1169
Knud Lavard elevated to saint
‌ Knud had only just entered the woods when he came across Magnus sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree, who now received him with hypocritical smiles and a fake kiss. When Knud gave him a firm embrace, and noticed he wore chain mail, he demanded to know what the dress was for ... Knud grabbed for his sword and tried to get it out of the scabbard, but he had only pulled it out halfway when Magnus split his head and killed him ... where his blood seeped into the ground, a healing spring sprung to the eternal joy of mortals ‌ Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
48 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / St Bendt’s Church
15
St Bendt’s Church
Sct. Bendtsgade 3 DK-4100 Ringsted www.ringstedmiddelalderfestival.dk
DK/UK For guided tours Historiens Hus: Tel. +45 57 62 69 00 www.historienshus. ringsted.dk
Valdemar the Great built St. Bendt’s Church in honour of his father, Knud Lavard, and as a monument to the good cooperation between the church and the Crown. Five kings are buried in the church, which also houses a love triangle. King Valdemar Sejr’s two queens – Dagmar and Bengerd – both rest here, one on each side of their royal master. Every other year, on the third weekend in August, Ringsted Medieval Festival brings the Valdemars back to life. In 2012, the 800th anniversary of Queen Dagmar’s death will be celebrated. 2014 will be awash with flapping flags when Valdemar Sejr brings home the Danish flag “Dannebrog” from the Battle of Lyndanisse. fter the murder of Knud Lavard, his body was taken to Ringsted and buried in the old abbey. In 1170, the construction of the new St. Bendt’s Church had come so far that his remains could be placed there in a beautiful golden reliquary. In 1182, Valdemar the Great died in Vordingborg, but was taken to Ringsted, where he was the first king to be buried at St. Bendt’s Church.
St Bendt’s Kirke / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 49
1182
Valdemar the Great is buried at St Bendt’s church
… and his body was then laid on a stretcher and taken to Ringsted for burial there, as this was a prestigious town, not only because of its age, but also because his father was buried there ... Absalon’s tears, which flowed down over the altar as he prayed, were testimony to how much he loved his king, and I also believe that the incense that was soaked by them would have smelled sweet to God … Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
50 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE
Did you know that…
Medieval monks and the Vikings knew about and used many different herbs — e.g. the psychedelic
cann
WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 51
nabis and hallucinatory henbane
52 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / HOLBÆK museum
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Holbæk Museum
Klosterstræde 18 DK-4300 Holbæk Tel. + 45 / 59 43 23 53 www.holbmus.dk
DK UK: book on tel. + 45 / 5943 2353
Holbæk Museum gives you a little taster of medieval Christianity, where you can try to achieve purification through Purgatory! You can also learn about the strong faith that prevailed at that time from the chancel arch crucifix and the stone-walled dating back to the years 1250–1300. Learn about the region’s chalk frescoes and get under the skin of the universe of medieval man. See the skeleton of a pilgrim with the richest find of “Ibskaller” (scallop shells worn by pilgrims) in Scandinavia. He is buried with no fewer than five of the scallop shells, which could indicate that he made five pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. n the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were a way to do penance for one’s sins. This was something the Danish king Erik Ejegod, father of Knud Lavard, found to his cost when, in a fit of rage, he killed four of his men. To do penance for his crime, he went off on pilgrimage.
… He tore the door open, grabbed a sword and killed four of his courtiers who ran over to restrain him. Finally, the courtiers overwhelmed by having bodyguards from all sides throw blankets over him and, at great danger to themselves, they at long last restrained him. When he had composed himself, he first paid a fine because he had sinned against his courtiers, but to do even more rigorous penance and atone for his sins, he decided to make a pilgrimage and go to the Holy Land … Saxo in History of the Danes c. 1208-1223
HOLBÆK museum / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 53
1199
17
Holbæk is mentioned for the first time
Tveje Merløse Church Close to Holbæk is the beautiful, unique twotowered church Tveje Merløse Church. The church was probably built by the Hvide family, and in 1199, Absalon donated it to Sorø Abbey Church. The church is a unique example of the charming Romanesque architecture of the Middle Ages, with a nobleman’s gallery, wooden ceiling and chalk frescoes.
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WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 55
56 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / DRAGSHOLM CASTLE
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DRAGSHOLM CASTLE
Dragsholm Allé DK-4534 Hørve Tel. + 45 / 5965 3300 www.dragsholm-slot.dk
DK/UK/D
Dragsholm Castle is one of the oldest secular buildings in Denmark still in use. When Dragsholm was built, Odsherred was only connected to the rest of Zealand by a narrow isthmus called “Draughet”. Here, boats could be pulled (dragged) across the land instead of sailing all the way around Odsherred. Hence the name Dragsholm. The restaurants at Dragsholm Castle are based on the castle’s history and have strong roots in Danish and Nordic cuisine. Restaurant Slotskøkkenet uses local produce and has one of Northern Europe’s largest kitchen gardens.
DRAGSHOLM CASTLE / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 57
1215
Dragsholm is built
n unusual window at Dragsholm Castle has the same shape as a window at Roskilde Cathedral – evidence that the castle is one of the very oldest buildings in Denmark. A wide moat and two and a half-metre wide walls show that Dragsholm is built to withstand tough times. A fine medieval example of the need for a safe haven in times of war.
… If the enemy approaches the wall, boiling water, liquid lead and all manner of foul-smelling dung will be thrown onto his head … Peder Månsson in the early 16th century
58 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / CHURCH OF OUR LADY & KALUNDBORG MUSEUM
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Kalund borg Museum
Adelgade 23 DK-4400 Kalundborg Tel. + 45 / 5951 2141 www.kalmus.dk
DK/Uk d/s/n
Learn about Danish crusade history, starting at the Church of Our Lady by the museum. A Crusader church, there is none other like it in the world. The cruciform ground plan and five towers are a direct representation of the Crusaders’ conception of the heavenly Jerusalem, and an indication of the endeavours of Esbern Snare and his family in the fight for Christianity. Legend has it that a red flag with a white cross fell from the sky in Estonia and, where it fell, the Danes were victorious. In medieval times, Dannebrog, as the national flag was called, was kept in Kalundborg, until it was stolen by Erik of Pomerania. Kalundborg Museum tells the tale of the Crusades to the Baltic States. n 1147, Pope Eugene III gave his permission for a crusade against the Wendish tribes in the Baltic region. Over the next 100 years, Esbern Snare, King Valdemar the Great and their descendants headed numerous crusades against the Wends. From Kalundborg, they sent fleets on crusade in the fight for the Holy cause – the search for new lands and salvation in the heavenly Jerusalem.
CHURCH OF OUR LADY & KALUNDBORG MUSEUM / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 59
1219
Crusade in Estonia
… But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable host of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect … Hebrews 12:22
60 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / VORDINGBORG CASTLE
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VORDINGBORG CASTLE
Slotsruinen 1 DK-4760 Vordingborg Tel. + 45 / 5537 2554 www.danmarksborgcenter.dk
DK/UK
dk UK/d
Vordingborg, which is home to the ruins of Denmark’s largest royal castle with its landmark Goose Tower, was, in the Middle Ages, the site of some of the greatest dramas and most important national events, including the signing of the Jutlandic Law. The Danish Castle Centre is opening a new visitor’s centre at Vordingborg Castle. This will take place on Valdemar’s Day on 15 June 2013.
nternally in Denmark, the institutions were shaping and strengthening themselves. During the reign of Valdemar Sejr, thoughts on equal rights for all – the first steps towards a democratic society – were written down at Vordingborg Castle in the form of the Jutlandic Law. A law with surprisingly modern terms, which applied in Denmark throughout the Middle Ages.
… With law the country shall be built, but would everyone be content with his own and let others enjoy the same right, no law would be needed. But no law is as good to follow as the truth, but where you are in doubt about what is the truth, the law shall show the truth. Were there no law in the country, then he who had the most could seize the most … The Jutlandic Law 1241
VORDINGBORG CASTLE / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 61
1241
The Jutlandic Law
62 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / THE MEDIEVAL CENTRE and The Golden Swan inn
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THE MEDIEVAL CENTRE and The Golden Swan inn
By Hamborgskoven 2-4 Sundby L DK-4800 Nykøbing Falster Tel. + 45 / 5486 1934 www.middelaldercentret.dk
DK/UK d/s/n
… How to make the masters’ sauce, and how long it is good for. Take cloves and nutmeg, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and ginger, all in the same amount, but with as much cinnamon as all the other spices, and add twice as much fried bread as everything else and mix it together, and grind it with strong vinegar and place it in a wooden canister. This is the masters’ sauce, and it is good for six months … Recipe from a Danish cookbook c. 1250-1300
THE MEDIEVAL CENTRE and The Golden Swan inn / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE / 63
1250
Merchants, war and spices
Come and say hello to the blacksmith, the citizens and the rich merchant, and have a chat with the knights about their weapons and equipment. It all happens at the Medieval Centre, where you can also see some of Europe’s finest reconstructions of medieval war machines and experience a jousting tournament with colourful horses and splintering lances. If you get hungry while you’re there, you can pop into the Golden Swan inn, where the menu remains true to the original recipes from the Middle Ages.
t the end of the early Middle Ages, Zealand and the whole of Denmark were still open to foreign cultures and goods, and trade flourished. An early example of Danish interest in foreign exotic goods to sweeten everyday life is seen in one of the oldest cookbooks.
64 / WHEN DENMARK CAME TO BE/
Print run
Photographic material
7,000 (Danish) 3,000 (English)
Anders Graver (cover, pages 6/7, 12/13, 16/17, 22/23, 37, 38/39, 42/43, 44, 46/47, 53, 54/55, 58/59 and 64)
Editorial team Mari Schmidt, Project Manager, When Denmark came to be (Editor-in-chief) Thure Dan Petersen, Project Manager, When Denmark came to be Tobias Mortensen, Project Worker, When Denmark came to be Lene Overgård Pedersen, Projekt Worker, When Denmark came to be Contributors Lars Holten, Kirsten Henriksen, Hanne Pigonska, Nanna Schacht, Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen, Mari Schmidt, Lene Overgård Pedersen, Tobias Mortensen, Roskilde Museum, Nature Park Åmosen, Lejre Museum, Land of Legends, Viking Tours (Maritime Event Centre), The Viking Fortress Trelleborg, The Roskilde Cathedral Museum, The Viking Ship Museum, Ulvsborg, Sorø Abbey Church, Fjenneslev Church, Historiens Hus – Ringsted Museum and Archive, Holbæk Museum, Dragsholm Castle, Kalundborg Museum, The Danish Castle Centre, The Medieval Centre and The Golden Swan inn.
Roskilde Museum (pages 8/9), © Visitor Centre Fugledegård (pages 10/11) Land of Legends (page 15) Maritime Event Centre (pages 20–21) The Roskilde Cathedral Museum (Roskilde Museum) pages 24/25), © The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Photos: Werner Karrasch (pages 26/27) Tobias Mortensen (pages 28/29 and 32/33) The Ruins of St Lawrence’s Church (Roskilde Museum) (page 34) Sorø Abbey Church (page 37 small photo) Steen Olsson (www.produktzion.dk) (page 49) Dragsholm Castle (page 56/57) Polfoto (page 61) The Medieval Centre (pages 62/63) Quotes translated from historic sources Absalon’s will
Special thanks to the steering committee
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (from Old English)
Lars Holten, Chairman and Director, Land of Legends
The Bible
Karin Melbye Holm, Vice Chairman and Director, Østdansk Turisme (visiteastdenmark.com) Thure Dan Petersen, Project Manager and Culture Manager, Lejre Municipality Susanne Docherty,Culture Manager, Slagelse Municipality Allan Hansen, Restaurateur and Sales Manager, The Medieval Centre Anette Månsson, Deputy Manager, Historiens Hus – Ringsted Museum and Archive Tinna Damgård-Sørensen, Director, The Viking Ship Museum Poul Vestergaard, Manager, Skole tjenesten (the School Service) Visual identity & layout P19, Mette Louise Andersen Printing Clausen Grafisk
Beowulf (from Old English) Gylfaginning (from Old Icelandic) The Jutlandic Law (from Latin) Chalk frescoes in Tuse Church (from Latin) Libellus de arte coquinaria (from Latin) The Saga of Olaf Tryggvason (from Old Icelandic) Pope Urban II’s speech in Clermont 1095 (from Latin) Saxo’s History of the Danes (from Latin) Bibliography Sangen om Bjovulf (The Song of Beowulf). Andreas Haarder, 2001, 2nd edition, 1st printing, Høst & Søn Borge i Danmark (Castles in Denmark). Rikke Agnete Olsen, 1996, 2nd edition, 1st printing, Fremad A/S Copenhagen
When Denmark came to be — from Viking kings to Valdemars is a four-year cultural project (2011–2014) focusing on the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, under the auspices of Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland/Cultural Region Mid- and West Zealand. In collaboration with Østdansk Turisme, the project will raise local, national and international awareness of the unique cultural history of Region Zealand – in particular Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland/Cultural Region Mid- and West Zealand – and thus help to make the area the leading destination for Viking and medieval experiences. The project’s secretariat is based in Lejre Municipality. When Denmark came to be is funded by
Kulturregion Midt- og Vestsjælland