We have a three-hour drive to go from Denmark's border with Germany to the city of Aarhus at the central eastern coast, with two stops along the way.
Rick Steves: "...consider a short side trip to the tiny village of Jelling ("YELL-ing"), a place of immense importance in Danish history. Here you'll find two rune stones, set next to a 900-year old church that's flanked by two enormous, man-made burial mounds. The two stones are often called 'Denmark's birth certificate ' - the first written record of Denmark's status as a nation-state, the first use of the term 'Denmark' to describe a country and not just a region. "
The entire complex was once surrounded by a tall wooden palisade, now memorialized by these white columns.
The entire complex was once surrounded by a tall wooden palisade, now memorialized by these white columns.
An arrangement of large stones appear to delineate the shape of a Viking ship around and under one of the mounds.
"Wood ring research dates the building of the north mound and the creation of the new burial chamber within it to 958–59 CE, coinciding with Gorm's death that winter, and the creation of the south mound to approximately 970. The lichen on the Viking ship stones which were covered by the south mound suggests that by then they had stood in the open for some 20 to 30 years."
 |  Side note:  The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the Younger Futhark runes (ᚼ, Hagall) and (ᛒ, Bjarkan), King Harald Bluetooth's initials. |
The rune stones...
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"Jelling Church dates back to around 1100 AD and is the fourth church on the site. The first was a wooden church erected in the eighth century by Harald Bluetooth as a mausoleum to his father, Gorm the Old. Jelling Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. "
"A votive ship, sometimes called a church ship, is a ship model displayed in a church. Typically, votive ships are constructed and given as gifts to the church by seamen and ship builders, and common in the Nordic countries."
Around the grounds, cemetery plots, many fairly recent, are nicely manicured.
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A fancily decorated runestone replica suggests how colorful the originals may have been. The mechanical "thingie" is a water fountain like installation that can be manipulated with opening and closing gates.
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Also nearby...
 |  2022's Tour de France first three stages were run in Denmark. Early in Stage 3 the riders came through Jelling. |
"With an elevation of 147 m (482 ft), Himmelbjerget is one of the highest natural points in the Danish landscape. The hill and surrounding area has been a center for various gatherings and celebrations for more than 200 years and in 1875, a red brick tower was erected at the top.
Himmelbjerget was believed to be the highest natural point in Denmark until 1847, when Ejer Bavnehøj was measured as the highest point. Following a scientific survey in 2005, Møllehøj was established as the highest natural point, at 170.86 m; Himmelbjerget is now ranked fourth-highest behind Møllehøj, Yding Skovhøj and Ejer Bavnehøj. However, when it comes to the size of the slope, Himmelbjerget is much more impressive than the other three: there is a height difference of 121 m from the lake Julsø below to the top of the hill, which is remarkable by Danish standards."
Himmelbjerget was believed to be the highest natural point in Denmark until 1847, when Ejer Bavnehøj was measured as the highest point. Following a scientific survey in 2005, Møllehøj was established as the highest natural point, at 170.86 m; Himmelbjerget is now ranked fourth-highest behind Møllehøj, Yding Skovhøj and Ejer Bavnehøj. However, when it comes to the size of the slope, Himmelbjerget is much more impressive than the other three: there is a height difference of 121 m from the lake Julsø below to the top of the hill, which is remarkable by Danish standards."
 |  It's actually 482 feet, but the I-Phone got it pretty close. |
We arrive now in Aarhus, see a few sights, then dive into some AYCE sushi...
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