Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-09-27
IN OLD COPENHAGEN


spent four years while haS former was
minister to Denmark. has become of
renewed interest to- Madisonians
through the appointment of Prof. John
G. Freeman as consul to the Danish
capital. Pleasant indeed are the mem
cries of week spent by the writer in
this famous city.
Copenhagen is city of absorbing
interest to the student of northern
civilization, art and letters AS Lon
don sums up and exemplifes all the
glory and tradition of Britain, so does
Copenhagen tina. of the north, of which
it is the fashionable and intellectual
capital. 1t is quite cosmopolitan
city also. for ships of all nations call
travel from Berlin to Stockholm and
st. Petersburg pass through it. But in
its theaters, piayhouses and beer gar
dens, of which it has any number, is its
cosmopolitanism made perhaps most
manifest. Here French, Italian and
Spanish soubrettes dance. and sing in
their native tongues, while German,
English and American actors share in
the honors with native players.
1t is a city of many great natural
beauties, with large and glorious shady
: parks admirably kept and rich with
fountains and statuary. Perhaps in
no European city is more free music
of the highest excellence heard, for
Copenhagen though the head of small
kingdom is yet rich and proud capital
and a generous patron of the arts.
Free afternoon concerts are given in
the parks; they are the nightly attrac-
tons of the great hotels and restau-
rants, and the features of the theaters
and beer gardens. If surfeit of good
music is possible it can be had in Co.
penhagen.
Rich in picture galleries and libra
ries, too, it is yet its sculpture and
museums of antiquities that make the
Danish capital most interesting to the
student Here in one majestic wilder
ness of beauty are the collected works
Of the greatest of modern sculptors,
Thorwaldsen, and the most complete
collection of prehistoric antiquities,
the classification of which was first re-
duced to science by DenmarKs stu
dents.
If the tourist approaches Copenhagen
by sea from the north he may touch
at the picturesque fortified town of
Helsingborg (Elsinore) where tradi-
ton says Hamlet lies buried. Already
the Swedish coast is plainly discern
ible to the left. If the day be bright a
picture of surprising loveliness is pre-
scented in the hundreds of flashing sails
upon the Baltic and the scores of little
islands crowned with white fortresses
and lighthouses. Here in the roads
off Elsinore it was that Lord Nelson
won his famous victory in 1901,
When their naughty powers to vex,
He engaged the Danish decks,
And with twenty floating wrecks
Crowned the fray!"
Nearing the city one sees first sur
mounting it all the great dome of Mar
morskirke, blazing like a globe OF
FURNISHED gold Clustered about it
are spires of churches famed in history
and song.
Copenhagen is city Of 100000 souls
or more. 1t is situated on lowlying
ground and has several pretty and inn
portant suburbs. Its name-a corrup-
ton from Kaupmannahofn merchants
harbor) suggests its origin and de-
velopment. Like most old European
cities, it has undergone siege and sack,
fire and pestilence. 1t is protected by
the citadel of Frederikshavn and sew
eral minor forts. The older part OF
the city near the docks contains mar
row brick paved or asphalted streets
with modest red-tiled buildings OF
varied and often quaint architecture
To the west and north lie the modern
portions of the city with broader
thoToughfares, street cars, fine stores
and residences. In the old city are
many public squares of much interest
The more notable are the Amalienborg
or Fredericks place, handsome octa-
gon formed Of four palaces of uniform
size and design and having in its CEN
ter an equestrian statue of Frederik ";
Kongen's ,Nytory, the kings new mar
ket, an irregular square, the largest in
the city and containing a huge eques-
.trian statue of Christian ", the Gam
meltorv and Nytorv. old and new mar
kets, and the Slotsplads on which
stands the ruins of Christiansborg pal
ace, and the exchange and the cham
Gerry buildings.
A visit to some of the more famous
buildings will be of interest. What
northern student has not heard Of the
famous round tower? X stands nearly
opposite the postoffice in the heart of
the old city. 1t is lis feet high and
was built by Christian " as an astro-
nomical observatory. The ascent 70
the top is made by a broad, winding,
brick-paved walk within, so broad as
to admit of Peter the Great riding
horseback to its top on his visit there
and of his czarina driving up in four
finland. From its top. surrounded
with high piked railing to prevent
suicides by precipitation, one can look