DAY 125 - Afternoon Trip to Ribe, Denmark

July 21 - Moon Rise & Sunset, Good Food & Great Company

Mikkel, our Danish host suggested we take the afternoon and go on an excursion to Ribe, the oldest existing town in all of Denmark. POPULATION:  8,000

Ribe began as an open trading market on the north bank of the Ribe River where it runs into the ocean.

Ribe has always been an important trade city in Scandinavia.

Our Lady Maria Cathedral and about 110 houses are under Heritage Protection.

Ribe Our Lady Maria Cathedral  (Vor Frue Maria Domkirke)

 In 948, a Preacher was killed and chased out of the town.  Evidently, Ribe was not ready for religion. A terrible fire in 1176 burned the town and the new cathedral. Because it was not completely destroyed, Ribe Cathedral is Denmark's best preserved Romanesque building. The remnants of the old were blended with new construction in a new building material for the time:   large red bricks -
                    RED to represent FIRE, BLOOD, LOVE

                    

Very interesting, modern paintings on the ceiling.

              

Martin Luther -?  maybe?

Evangelical Lutheran church of Denmark is the state religion.  80% of the population are members of the church, but less than 5%  actually attend church on Sundays.
 












Late in the 12th century a magnificent main door way was carved for the cathedral. The relief above the door shows Jesus being taken down from the cross. About 50 years earlier a triangular relief showing the Day of Judgement was placed  above the main door. The door is called the cat's head portal because of the two lions at the base of the doorway.

Mikkel leads the way (still with no shoes). He knows so much about his Dannish history and he loves this little town.

 There are such cute houses here - love the 17th century architecture.

 September 3, 1580 - the day of the great fire destroying a large part of the town. 11 streets and 213 houses burned down.

 October 11-12, 1634: a storm tide floods the city with water levels rising to 6.1 meters above average.

OLSEN's always love the yellow houses

  We went for a stroll to the Riberhus Castle Ruins

This once royal castle is now only moated ruins and a statue of Queen Dagmar. As a castle, Riberhus was known from around the year 1300, but the oldest finds are from the middle of the 12th century.

                     

Queen Dagmar Statue

Only standing structure of the castle

             

"Over there across the sea..."

Time for DINNER - yeah... a REAL Danish Restaurant

 We each ordered a different dish and tasted each other's food - EVERYTHING was amazing!

Rich - Danek bot med blode log

 Note the dark, nutty bread on rich's plate...it was SO good!

Shari - Bikgemod med spejlog

Mikkel - Aeggekage med bacon

                                       

       The night watchman takes us on a tour throughout the city and tells some very interesting stories.

This ice cream is way too good!

We really loved our tour of this quaint town and all its history

Aerial View from a Poster

Moon Rise over the town as we head out to the sea and the sluice

 A sluice is a water channel controlled at its head by a gate.  A sluice gate is traditionally a wood or metal barrier sliding in grooves that are set in the sides of the waterway. Sluice gates usually control water levels and flow rates in rivers and canals - in this case...the sea.

My Photo

 "Dancin' in the Moonlight - everybody..."

Rich's Photo

"Sunrise - Sunset"...swiftly flow the years."

Fishermen coming home from a successful day

See the big city landscape in the background

Thank-you, Mikkel for being such a great host and guide for our first days in Denmark.