All About Denmark

As we round out our series on the Nordic nations, it’s easy to forget that this small peninsula poking off of northern Germany is a part of Scandinavia, but though she be small, Denmark is mighty!

Denmark consists of this peninsula, the Jutland peninsula, and an incredible 400 islands, the largest and most populous of which is Zealand (Sjaelland), where Copenhagen is located.  (If you were ever wondering how New Zealand got its name, well, now you know.)  As well, the Kingdom of Denmark also includes the Faroe Islands, which we learned about earlier this week, and Greenland.

The first recorded use of the name “Danmark” in Denmark is on two large runestones located in Jelling (the Jelling Stones), one of which was erected by Denmark’s first king, Gorm the Old, and the other erected by his son Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson, both in the late 10^th century.  Another fun fact – if you were wondering where the word “Bluetooth” came from, now you also know that, the logo for which is a bindrune of Hagall (the H rune) and Bjarkan (the B rune), Harald’s initials in the Younger Futhark.

While Denmark and the other nations of Scandinavia are remembered as the birthplace of the Vikings, these people were mostly farmers, fishermen, and traders who lived off the land.  Vikings, specifically, were sailors who, from the 8^th to 11^th century, went on raiding expeditions around continental Europe and the further-afield islands, and were not an ethnic or cultural group. 

In fact, in stark contrast to being a Viking, a major part of Danish culture is the concept of Hygge (“hooga”) – the act of creating a cozy, warm atmosphere in the comfort of your home.  This comfort is often reflected in Denmark’s cuisine.  Generally considered their national dish, smørrebrød are open-faced sandwiches on buttered rye bread that are piled high with a combination of cold cuts, meats, fish, cheeses, and other garnishes. 

Denmark is also home to several horse breeds, among them the Jutland, the Knabstrupper, the Danish Warmblood, and the Faroe pony.  The first written record of the Jutland is in the 12^th century, as this draft breed was used then as a war horse, but it originated as an agricultural draft animal.  The Knabstrup is a versatile warmblood with a flashy spotted coat that is used as a riding horse, trotter, and circus horse.  This more modern breed was established in the early 19^th century.  Youngest of all the Danish breeds is the Danish Warmblood, which was established in the 1960s.  This athletic performance breed is most often used as a dressage or showjumping mount.

We hope our readers enjoyed our jaunt around these beautiful countries and learned a little something along the way.  If you’ve been to Denmark, share your experiences in the comments!

Next week, we are excited to be diving into the meat of BreyerFest with some important information about the weekend experience.  See you back here on the BreyerFest Blog then!