welkinlions: Holger Danske H.P. Pedersen-Dan,...

Holger Danske
H.P. Pedersen-Dan, 1907
Kronborg castle, Denmark
[Ogier the Dane (French: Ogier le Danois or archaically Ogier de Danemarche, Danish: Holger Danske)]
“In the catacombs [Kronborg Castle] you find one of the major Danish heroes - Holger Danske, or Ogier the Dane, mentioned in chapter 24 of "Legends Of Charlemagne” or “Romance Of The Middle Ages” by Thomas Bulfinch. The statue was created by H. P. Pedersen-Dan in 1907. According to the legend, he was a mercenary at the court of the Franco-Roman emperor Charles, or Charlemagne, in the 8th. century. The legend has it that he never lost a battle in his life. However, he got increasingly homesick, and finally decided to walk from the South of France and Emperor Charles’ court, back to Denmark - which he did.
Upon arrival at Kronborg (or what was there before 1420) he sat down and immediately fell asleep, and still sleeps today. According to the legend, if Denmark at some point in time should have its sovereignty threatened, Holger will once more awake and do battle for Denmark! The fact that he sits in what was the stables during the period when the garrison of Kronborg was operative apparently didn’t bother neither horses nor Holger Danske. On the lighter side, he’s not many meters away from the brewery that supplied the 8 liters (app. 2 gallons) of beer per day, each soldier was entitled to.” Source

(Source: bt.dk, via dahliafyodorovna)