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The
National Museum is the place, where the original treasures of
Danish archaeology are gathered, while replicas are found in local
museums all over the country. There are exceptions, however. This
dress from the National Museum is a reconstruction of what the
clothes of King Cnut the Great may have looked like.
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When
a small museum in Denmark unearths a unique find from the Viking
Age, they know that they will probably not be allowed to keep it.
They must perforce walk the heavy road to the National Museum and
hand over the costly treasure.
Although it may be somewhat
disappointing to the locals, it means that a tourist in Copenhagen
has access to the most spectacular archaeological finds.
In
the National Museum you'll find the almost two kg. heavy
gold-necklace that was found at the chieftain’s seat at Tissø
in Western Zealand in 1977.
You may also see the cup of King Gorm,
a small, delicate silver cup that was found in the burial mound of
King Gorm the Old in Jelling, along with hoards of silver coins
and jewellery. Even a selection of runic stones that weigh several
tons has been collected at the National Museum for exhibition in
the Runic Hall.
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One
of the National Museum's biggest attractions is bronze age The
Chariot of the Sun, found by a farmer on Zealand in 1902. The disc
is coated with a thin layer of gold on one side representing
daytime when the sun is on its east-west trajectory. Photo: The
National Museum
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Many
of the most famous finds have been copied and are thus exhibited
in the local museums, too, but the treasury surely lies in
Copenhagen - this is where you must go, if you wish to see the
true treasures.
Thanks
to a donation of 4,8 million Euros from the private company
Maersk, the National Museum has in 2008 been able to open a new
Prehistoric Exhibition covering Danish Prehistory - including Viking age.
The
National Museum of Denmark
The Prince's Palace
Ny Vestergade 10
1220 Copenhagen K
phone (+45) 33 13 44 11
homepage
Open:
Tuesday - Sunday 10.00 - 17.00. Monday closed.
Entrance
is free
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