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Bornholm |
Other opinions
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Twice in Bornholm, with pleasure.
I couldn't imagine a few years ago that a remote island in the Baltic would "call me" twice. But it did, and I'm not sure that it will not happen a third time. We spent one day in Bornholm, with the objective of knowing a glass school. After a friendly and useful reception, we had time to travel around the island and see the capital - Ronne. It's a tranquil island, well cared, with a few beaches not particularly remarkable, and many fishing villages, where smoking fish is widely seen. |
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Beautiful building Yes, it is touristy! Yes, it is odd, nowhere finding anything that looks like it. Yes, it is merchandising, calling the tourist to sell common crafts. But... I've been there twice, and twice we had to stop and enter the place. I don't know if the commercial results are good, but the good idea seems to work. |
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Smoking Fish
Yes, it was interesting to see all the smoking fish places, and the offers of all the restaurants. But... forgive us. We are from Portugal, where fresh fish abounds, and... We thought that smoked fish was almost like our salted and dried bacalhau (codfish). No way! So, we may return to Denmark or Sweden with pleasure, but don't invite us for smoked herrings. We did return. We ate smoked fish again. We still don't like it. 
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Agriculture Denmark is a rich and happy country, with a freezing climate. In my country agriculture has been abandoned in the last years, because... "it doesn't compensate". If so, why is it possible in the rich Denmark? Why don't we learn from them? |
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Kunstmuseum
The Bornholm's art museum is located in the coast, 6 Km north of Gudhjem. This new museum has a permanent collection of art related with Bornholm, and temporary exhibitions of glass and ceramics works. I knew it during the first European Glass Context, with the display of many of the established European glass artists. Entrance is DKK 70. |
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It was hard to locate this town in VT - locally, its name is written Aakirkeby. which seems to have something to do with the church. The only town of Bornholm away from the sea, I had the chance to be there with a bit of sun, turning it in a colourful place. Nothing remarkable, but the same harmony and peace of all the island. The town of Aakirkeby is not a must see, but if you pass there there's no reason to skip it: a small brake in your trip allows a quick visit to a calm place, with historic relevancy. |
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The Aa Church This strange church seems to come from the 12th century. It is referred as the oldest, and one of the biggest in the island. It was the centre of power until the 18th century. Don't ask me what is a "Aa church " - my Danish rounds zero, and I couldn't read anything about it. |
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What is this ? Entering the church, too "naked" for a Mediterranean visitor (as expected), a carved panel between two big and looking old stones, at the entrance, calls the attention. What is that? I couldn't find out! |
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City Centre Small and cozy, the city centre looks friendly and nice. Some discreet shops and cafes line the streets, with the common look in the island, easy to walk in a few minutes. |
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Nothing very remarkable in this tiny city, besides the well maintained and still working mill. Anyway, the general typical look of Bornholm is clearly respected. |
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Windmill Impossible to miss, the windmill stands right by the main road. It seems that it may be visited, but we didn't enter - windmills used to be common in my home town, and some are still working, as you may see in my Turquel page. Anyway, this time my attention was also caught by a very old one (it seems) also by the main road. |
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I had only a quick passage in Allinge. After visiting so many small cities in Bornholm it almost seemed... another one. Maybe with more hotels, maybe with more people, but... I don't know why, because the beach was so frightening as anywhere else. A quick visit, showed me another small city, respecting the general look of all the other in the island, with slight differences - balconies... windows... not enough to say that it is different. |
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Architecture Respecting the general look of the island, Allinge seemed a little different, with... more appreciation for the sun, maybe. Spaces seem wider, construction lighter, but the look and feeling were common to the other cities in the island. Wrong idea? |
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Church Though originally coming from the 16th century, Allinge church has a new look, given by the strong changes introduced in 1992. However, some of the elements come from the old days, and also from the 1 8th and 1 9th centuries. A commercial house by the road, selling all kind of handicraft, attracted us by its construction, and its beautiful gardens. If business was their goal... they got it. |
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A wide beach and thin white sand made me believe what I read about Balka, maybe the best beach in Bornholm. September, however, was already out of season and the sea (and cold weather) was not attractive. |
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Beach
It was September (still a good month to the beach in Portugal), and Sonia was prepared to swim. The rough sea made that impossible, but she was decided to at least, wet her feet. She did it, and was surprised by the acceptable temperature of the water, but the look of the waves, the algae in the sand, and the freezing air forced her to make it quick. |
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Gudhjem, the "warmest" city of Bornholm, is the most beautiful and touristy small city in the island. Discreetly, but everything is prepared to receive tourists in the calm (and mostly cold) programs allowed by the weather. |
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Museum Gudhjem Museum is located by the main road, at the entrance of the village on the northern coast of Bornholm. Housed in the former railway station (I didn't notice when I visited it), it is administered by the municipal authorities and displays a reasonable collection of locally-produced arts and crafts. |
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I attended a conference in Bornholm that seemed to have been planned to make us travel across the island - one event in Nexo, another one in Gudhjem, back for Nexo, head to... Hasle. I went there twice, both times in a rush, allowing only a general look. It seems to follow the standard of the island, and I saw no particular detail. |
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Gronbechs Gard Gronbechs Gard was the only reason that took me to Hasle. A couple of pictures, a careful look at the the display, and it was done. Nothing special to call my attention. |
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Art and Crafts The reason to my visit to Hasle was an art contest, with display in this large shop. Being occupied by the glass exhibition, only a couple of rooms showed other articles. nyway, it was the larger shop that I saw out of Ronne. |
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A calm small city, but big enough to justify using the car. I spent there three days, and was surprised by the low offer in restaurants, that almost left me without dinner one day. Unexpected, but not serious! Thus, Nexo was MY town in Bornholm, from where I travelled across the island. Not particularly beautiful, but respecting the general characteristics of the island. |
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Round church
The best preserved round church in Bornholm, it was made in the 12th century. More than its strange architecture, it shows interesting frescoes in the central pillar. |
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We went to Osterlars expressly to visit the round church - very interesting, but don't ask me anything else about Osterlars, because I didn't see it.
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Round Church
Osterlars has the biggest round church in Bornholm, buIlt is the 11th century. About it, Planetware says:"The central pillar is hollow with internal ribbed vaulting. The space inside, known as the "oven", is joined to the rest of the nave by six arcades. On the exterior of the "oven" can be seen wall-paintings of 1350 portraying scenes from the life of Jesus and the Last Judgment. When the church was restored in 1955 the "oven" was converted into a baptistery with a granite font."Yes! I confirmed. |
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Ronne, the capital of Bornholm is a very nice small city. Even the modern buildings respect a small size, and the traditional quarter is very beautiful, in bright and well maintained colours.
In my first visit I had not much time to Ronne, but this time I could explore it twice. It's really a beautiful city, with the old quarters very well preserved and maintained. As expected, it is also the best city in the island for shopping. |
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Old Quarter
What a difference when the sun shines!In my first two times in Ronne, the weather was cloudy and rainy, and the city looked sad and cold. In my third presence the sun finally joined us, and everything became brighter. The colourful old quarter is very nice, quiet and clean, with flowers here and there adding some life to the scene. The quarter is small and easy to visit. |
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Central Square
The centre of the city is, as usual, dominated by commerce. I noticed no many restaurants, nor big malls. Things seem to rely in local commerce, though China is already there, as expected... |
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Lighthouse Inland and by the church, the unusual location for the lighthouse is easy to understand - the port is there, adjacent to town. It may be considered a landmark, since behind it unfolds the beautiful old quarters of Ronne. 
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Alinge and Sandvig, side by side! Two small cities, combining to make a... small city. Very alike, I could find no differences nor separation.
I visited Sandvig under a bad weather (according to my Mediterranean references), with a rough sea. It didn't add much to my general idea of Bornholm, except that the houses show a slightly different conception, I don't know why. |
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Tradition
Smoking fish is the traditional activity in Bornholm. Most places are already treated to touristy display, but it is still possible to see some facilities from the time where the sights didn't mean a thing. Most of them abandoned, that's true, but still present. 
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Beach
Well... there's a beach, but only its memory makes me tremble...I understand why do the nordic people, when they visit us, stay so much time "grilling" in the sun, and why swimming in Algarve is good in November or March... for them! |
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Hammerhus
The biggest medieval fortification of northern Europe is in Hammershus, close to Sandvig. Built in 13th century it is today a ruin, where we still may understand its conception, imagine the ramparts, and see the several defensive solutions in circles. Once a residence of king Valdemar II, this castle from the 13th century, is today a ruin in a beautiful area of the coast north of Bornholm. Reconstruction in 1900 recovered part of the walls and a tower. |
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Hammersheaven I read about the interesting walk in the wild terrains of Hammeren, and went there. Time was short, the female company was feeling too cold, and we went back. I saw nothing special, but... I concede: we didn't go THERE! 
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Awarded in 1975 with the Council of Europe's gold medal for its determination in preserving the historic character, this is a really nice and friendly small town. Art, History and culture are everywhere, with the pace of a village. |
The 5 sisters
One of the known images of Bornholm are the five chimneys of this smokehouse in Svaneke.It is located in Fiskergade, a little north of the harbour, accessed by secondary streets.
One of the known images of Bornholm are the five chimneys of this smokehouse in Svaneke.It is located in Fiskergade, a little north of the harbour, accessed by secondary streets.
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The Harbor
The central area of Svaneke is dominated by its small harbor. The main road passes at its side, and most streets converge to it. Compared to the local standards it has some animation. |
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Arts
Several times in Bornholm I made myself the question: "What do this people for living"? Well, I think that for most of them the answer is... artwork. Sculpture, ceramic and glass artifacts are everywhere, and in Svaneke it seems to be door after door. Who will be buying so many things? |
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Old canons
Near the 5 sisters, a small bank shelters a couple of old canons covering the coast. I don't know from what war or period, but they were a surprise in that plane and accessible place. |
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Vestermarie Church is a neo-Romanesque church in granite, that replaced replaced in 1885, a medieval Maria Church.
From this time are the pulpit and the altarpiece. In the churchyard there are 6 rune stones from the 11th century. |