The coast of Helsingborg just before the rain

Helsingborg seen from the Danish side of the Sound, just before the rain:

Heavy load carrier Meri passing Kronborg castle

The Finnish heavy load carrier Meri - here shown passing Kronborg castle last night - is easy to recognize because of its bright colors. The 3400 gross registered tons, 105 x 18m ship was built by STX Finland Turku shipyard in 2012. 

Two classic small cruise ships in Øresund

Two classic smaller cruise ships - the MV Minerva and the MV Marco Polo - which today were going northward in the Sound, have an interesting history - both were originally ordered by Soviet shipping companies.  

However, for the Minerva (built in 1989) - which was ordered as Soviet research vessel Okean - the deal fell through, and in 1996 she was purchased by Swan Hellenic and named Minerva. Having sailed as Saga Pearl, Explorer II and Alexander von Humboldt with different owners, she returned to Swan Hellenic in 2007 and also got back her original name, Minerva. 

Last year the133 m x 20 m Minerva received a multi-million pound, 83-day refit.The ship's passenger capacity is 350, and it has a crew of 160. 

MV Minerva approaching Helsingør just after 8 PM. 

The MV Marco Polo, one of my personal classic cruise ship favorites, was built in 1965 in East Germany as Aleksander Pushkin for the Soviet Union's Baltic Shipping Company. After major alterations and additions, the ship has since 1993 sailed as MV Marco Polo, first with Orient Lines, and after 2008 with UK based Cruise & Maritime Voyages. The owner is Global Marine. The ship's passenger capacity is 800, and the number of crew is 356.

The 176 m x 23,55 m  MV Marco Polo passed Hittarp at about 09.30 PM. 

Cruise ships in Øresund on June 1, 2013

The Costa Luminosa, the Aurora and the Vision of the Seas looked so nice, when they were approaching Helsingborg/Helsingør last night, that I wanted to add these images:

PS
The small red and white cargo ship Nordica Diana looked quite nice, too, as it passed Helsingør:

Nordic Diana

Four fine cruise ships and a blackbird

Tonight three large cruise ships passed Hamlet's Kronborg castle in Helsingør. Later National Geographic Explorer did the same, although my picture below shows the small cruise ship a few minutes after she had passed the famous castle.

The first cruise ship to arrive was the 280 m x 32 m Vision of the Seas, which was on its way from Copenhagen to Alesund, Norway. 

The next one was P&O's Aurora (270 m x 32.2 m) heading to Zeebrugge.

Aurora was followed by Costa Luminosa (294 m x 32 m) on its way to Hellesylt. 

The last, and smallest, cruise ship tonight was the 109 m x 16 m National Geographic Explorer.

 PS
A nice blackbird joined me in my favorite ship photo spot, high over Øresund. The bird, sitting on a branch, where it had an even finer view than I, greeted each passing cruise ship (and me) with some wonderful evening songs.

 

A Danish landscape

This time of the year the scenery in northern Zealand (Denmark) is quite colorful:

Frederiksborg and Fredensborg - Two Magnificent Royal Palaces in Denmark

Frederiksborg castle in Hillerød is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Norhtern  Europe.

Denmark is the country of over 600 castles and manors. However, there is one area of Denmark, where you do not find more than a handful of private, historic manor houses - the northern half of the island Zealand (Sjælland in Danish). This is due to the fact this region (including Copenhagen) has at least since the 16th century been "reserved" for the Royal Family. 

Fredensborg was originally a hunting seat for the King of Denmark.

Here you will find the most magnificent Royal castles and palaces. In addition to Amalienborg in Copenhagen and Kronborg in Helsingør, the most spectacular palaces in northern Zealand are Frederiksborg and Fredensborg, the main spring and autumn residence of the Danish Royal Family. 

Work on the Frederiksborg palace began in the 1560s under King Frederik II, but the main builder was his son Christian IV, who was born in the palace in 1577. 

The Dutch master builder Hans van Steinwinckel and his namesake son were responsible for the planning and construction of Frederiksborg in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

The little Bath House from 1580 remains from Frederik II,s original palace. It isoccasionally
used by the Royal Family for hunt lunches.

The Baroque Garden was carefully recreated in 1996.

The Baroque garden is noted for its four royal monograms in boxwood.

The magnificent Fredensborg Palace was built in several phases during the 18th century by Denmark's foremost architects of the era.

The original architect and planner of Fredensborg was King Frederik IV's head gardener Johan  Cornelius Krieger, who also turned out to be a first class architect. 

Royal builders Lauritz de Thurah, Niels Eigtved and C.F. Harsdorff later made additions to the palace, all carefully respecting Krieger's original design. 

The Fedensborg Palace is often the setting for important Royal Family events, like weddings, birthdays and various anniversaries. The Queen also receives visiting foreign  Heads of State at Fredensborg.

The changing of the guards is a popular event among visitors also in Fredensborg.

The Fredensborg Palace Gardens are among the largest of Denmark's historical gardens.  The main park area  is still undergoing an extensive renovation. The reopening is scheduled to take place in the autumn this year.