Jewish Heritage in Denmark

If you're headed to Denmark & would like to experience a bit of Jewish heritage while you're there, Visit Denmark's Jewish-themed travel site is an amazing resource! Jam-packed with information on useful facts, historical background, and suggestions for places to go and things to see, your trip just became that much easier to plan- and that much more exciting. In addition, you can read about and then experience a fairly comprehensive history of Jews in this lovely Scandinavian country.
The oldest Jewish community in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, & Denmark) resides in Denmark and dates back to the times of King Christian IV when he founed a city on the River Elbe called Gluckstadt near Hamburg, Germany (at the time, under Danish rule) in the 1600's. It was originally a safe haven for Sephardic Jewish merchants from many areas such as Spain, Portugal, & North Africa.
You can visit various sites on your own or join a tour specifically designed for travellers wishing to experience Danish Jewish hertiage first hand.

Sites that currently make the website's Top 5 points of interest are:

1. Danish Jewish Museum- this museum provides a great perspective on Jewish history in Denmark from the 17th century up until present day.
2. Jewish Copenhagen Walking Tour- This is the perfect combination of general points of interest around Copenhagen while also seeing & learning about Jewish history and culture.
3. The Museum of Danish Resistance 1940-1945 (Frihedsmuseet)- Opened in 1957 and inaugurated in 1995, this is a permanent exhibition aimed at telling the story of Danish resistance during Nazi occupation from 1940-1945.
4. The Great Synagogue of Copenhagen- This is the main synagogue of Jewish Danes in Copenhagen and boasts unique & beautiful architecture considered to be the masterwork of Gustav Friedrich.
5. The Rescue Route- While this may be seen through various modes of transportation, the most highly recommended is through a guided tour or specialized guide for the most engaging experience. On this route, originally travelled in 1943, you'll traverse through quaint and charming fishing villages.

View our guide to Scandinavia here!

Illustration of The Great Synagogue of Copenhagen from around 1899

US Virgin Islands (USVI)

About USVI
*The United States Virgin Islands are a group of three main islands, one much smaller Water Island, and surrounding minor islands. They are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles with a total population of just over 100,000. Discovered and named by Christopher Columbus, the islands were held by various European powers until 1672 when they came under Danish rule as the Danish-Westindian islands. It wasn't until 1917 that they were sold to the US became the US Virgin Islands.

*These islands are volcanic in origin, hilly, have strategic harbors including Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted, and white sand beaches for which they've become very well known (think Magens Bay and Trunk Bay). The currency is USD and the official language is English although Virgin Island Creole is spoken informally.

*These islands make for the perfect family vacation or romantic getaway with the laid-back feel, charming culture, and breathtaking scenery. Enjoy near deserted beaches, excellent diving, inland nature adventures, duty-free shopping, delectable dining, and an exciting nightlife.

St. Thomas Nicknamed "Rock City" by the locals, this island has one of the most beautiful harbors. Charlotte Amalie boasts many attractions such as elegant dining, thrilling nightlife, duty-free shopping, and even submarine rides. You can enjoy the areas natural beauty anywhere around the island, be it sea level or 1500ft higher up. A few attractions worth visiting are Fort Christian, Frederick Lutheran Church, St. Peter Greathouse Estate and Gardens, 99 Steps, and Haagensen House.


St. John Also known by locals as "Love City". Most of this beautiful island is a national park and as such provides the perfect opportunity for hiking, camping, and stunning views. This island lays claim to some of the most beautiful and well-known beaches such as Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay, and Salt Pond Bay.

St. Croix "Twin City", as it is referred to by locals, this is the largest of the islands and also has a flatter terrain. The Danish culture is still very much so present around the island, especially in its two historic towns Christainsted and Frederiksted. You'll see this expressed through its laid back charm, quaint shops, brightly colored buildings, and refreshing diversity. The older buildings are made of cut coral, molasses mortar, and Danish bricks brought over in the 1700 & 1800s! You can enjoy golf, beaches, exploring inland, or horseback riding near 18th century sugar mills. A few top dive spots are a wall that drops over 13,000ft, the largest living reef of any Caribbean island, 5 wrecks within 100 yards of each other, and a pier.

Christiansted Harbor circa 1959

Scandinavia

Denmark (Helsingor and Copenhagen)

Christiansborg Palace & Amalienborg Palace-Christiansborg Palace serves as today's seat of Denmark's Parliament and was the former royal palace. Amalienborg Palace consists of four identical Rococo buildings surrounding one of the prettiest squares in Northern Europe.

The Little Mermaid- Located in the Copenhagen Harbor, the statue of Hans Christian Andersen's heroine is an internationally recognized symbol of Copenhagen.

Nyhavn- The streets around the old harbor are lined with open-air cafes, restaurants, and five hundred year old gabled houses. The canal is full of old wooden ships, as it serves as a heritage harbor.

Strøget- Running from Old City Hall Square, this pedestrian street offers the finest shopping in Copenhagen!

Tivoli Garden- Copenhagen's pleasure gardens offers amusement park rides, open-air concerts, dancing, & a host of cafes and restaurants.

Rosenborg Castle & Fredensborg Castle- Rosenborg Castle was originally built as a summerhouse in 1606 by Christian IV. It was used as a residence only twice, both in times of emergency- once when Christianborg Palace burned down in 1794 & second when the British attached Copenhagen in 1801. The most used of the royal residences, Fredensborg Castle is located on the eastern short of Lake Esrum on the island of Zealand. It is used as a spring and autumn residence by the Royal Family as well as the site of important events and visits.

Geifon Fountain- Donated to the city of Copenhagen by Carlsberg Brewery, this large fountain can be found on on the harbour front by Kastellet. It depicts the legend of Gefion, a goddess in Norse mythology. It is the largest monument in Copenhagen and is used as a wishing well.

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Norway (Oslo)

Vigeland Sculpture Park-Named after Gustav Vigeland, the sculptor responsible, this park is home to the stone, iron, and bronze sculptures depicting a human life from birth until death. In the summertime, this are is popular for picnicking, sunbathing, games, and relaxation.

Viking Ship Museum- Norway's best-known attraction is home to three Viking long ships dated 800-900A.D. It also houses archaeological finds from Tune, Gokstad, Oseberg, and the Borre mound cemetery along with other artifacts used in daily life.

Kon-Tiki Museum- This museum houses the sailing rafts used by Norwegian explorer, scientist, adventurer, and champion of the environment, Thor Heyerdahl on his world famous expeditions.

Fram Museum- This museum tells the story of Norwegian polar exploration. The stories center around the exploration vessel, Fram. Fram was used by Fridtjof Nansen to explore the North Pole and Roald Amundsen to the South Pole.

Open-Air Museum of Norway- This is a collection of historic and traditional Norwegian buildings set in a forest on the Bygdoy Peninsula.

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Sweden (Stockholm)

City Hall- This is the site of the annual banquet honoring Nobel laureates and one of Stockholm's major tourist attractions. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island.

Vasa Museum- Opened in 1990, this maritime museum is home to the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged. (The 64-gun warship Vasa sunk on her maiden voyage in the harbor in 1628). The museum also houses other fabulous maritime artifacts as well.

Royal Palace- This former royal residence is located in Gamla Stan and displays exquisite collections of tapestries, porcelain, and Baroque & Rococo furnishings. This palace has 610 rooms!

Gamla Stan- "The Old Town" dates back to the 13th century, with medieval alleyways, cobbled streets, and archaic architecture. This is also the home to the Stockholm Stock Exchange Building, the Stockholm Cathedral, the Nobel Museum, the Riddarholm Church, as well as Sweden's baroque Royal palace.

Coronation Church & Osmo Church- Located in Gamla Stan, Coronation Church is the site of coronations, royal weddings, and christenings. Osmo Church is noted as being one of the oldest in Sweden as well as for it's fantastic murals created by Albertus Pictor, the famous church painter.

Fjallgatan- This small street & historical environment is a high point that offers the best panoramic views of the city skyline as well as the docks of the Finland ferries. When visiting, you may also find tree houses dating back to the 18th century!

Gripsholm Castle- one of the best preserved castles in Sweden, this castle is still considered a royal castle despite the fact that it was last occupied in 1864. Part of the castle houses the National Collection of Portraits, one of the world's oldest collections.

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Finland (Helsinki)

Market Square- One of the most famous marketplaces and tourist attractions, you can find everything from fruits and flowers to local arts and crafts.

Senate Square- Built in the early 1800's, this square is the focus of the city, boasting neoclassical buildings, St Nicholas Cathedral, and the University of Helsinki.

Sibelius Park- For music lovers, this park is dedicated to the memory of the great composer and is the site of the Sibelius Monument.

Temppeliaukio Rock Church- Carved from solid bedrock and featuring a copper cupola, this provides a superb example of Finnish design. This location is used frequently as a concert location due to its excellent acoustics.

Porvoo- Finland's second oldest city was founded in 1346 by King Magnus Eriksson.

Seurasaari Open-Air Museum- This museum located in the forest consists of a collection of traditional Finnish buildings and homesteads.

Häme Castle- One of Finland's medieval royal castles, its believed to have been built by Swedish Earl Birger at the end of the 13th century following his crusade to the Hame region.

Savijärvi Farm- This 100-year old farm is famous for breeding horses & located among the forests of the Sipoo district.