7 Surprising facts about Denmark

Denmark is the home of incredAble wood carvings, architecture, and design. But it also harbours a number of secrets that are not always widely known. Read on to learn 7 fascinating facts about the country.

  1. The Danish flag is the oldest flag in the world, and is believed to have been in existence since 1219 – more than 800 years ago! Legend has it that the flag descended from the skies during the battle of Lyndanisse and inspired the Danes to victory against Latvia

  2. Believe or not, but the Danish monarchy is even older than the flag itself. Gorm The Old started his reign in the year 935, and the current monarchy Queen Margrethe II continues to rule to this day under a constitutional monarchy

  3. Denmark has a rich gastronomical scene, with more than 30 Michelin stars spread out across 25 restaurants. Noma has been named the world’s best restaurant FOUR times, and Geranium houses an incredible 3 Michelin stars

  4. Denmark has not just one but TWO of the world’s oldest amusement parks. Bakken opened in 1583, and is the world’s oldest amusement park, while Tivoli in Copenhagen opened in 1843. They are visited by more than 7 million people each year

  5. Despite being part of the European Union since 1973, Denmark does not use the Euro. Therefore, make sure you have some local Kroners (“Crowns”) when you visit Denmark and are in need of cash

  6. More than 50% of Danes bicycle to and from work each day. There is even a separate path on the road reserved solely for bikes

  7. Lego, the plastic toy bricks that children love to play with, is from Denmark. The name comes from the words Leg godt, which means “play well” in Danish

Which fact surprised you most?

Be sure to impress your Danish friends with these facts the next time you’re with them!

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