Der er et yndigt land (There is a Lovely Land) is the (civil) national anthem of Denmark. If the royal family is present, the royal anthem, Kong Christian stod ved højen mast, is used.

In its common use only the first stanza and the three last verses of the third are used, and the last verse of both the first and the third stanzas are repeated once.

The lyrics were written in 1819 by Adam Oehlenschläger for a competition for a Danish national anthem, and bore the motto: "Ille terrarum mihi praeter omnes angulus ridet" (Horace; "This spot smiles at me more than any other"). When it was first published, it had 12 stanzas, but it was shortened to the first, third, fifth, and last stanza in later editions. The music was composed in 1835 by H.E. Krøyer. Later, Th. Laub and Carl Nielsen both composed alternative tunes, but none of them has gained widespread adoption, and today they are mostly unknown to the general population.

Danish lyrics

Der er et yndigt land,

det står med brede bøge

nær salten østerstrand

Det bugter sig i bakke, dal,

det hedder gamle Danmark

og det er Frejas sal

Der sad i fordums tid

de harniskklædte kæmper,

udhvilede fra strid

Så drog de frem til fjenders mén,

nu hvile deres bene

bag højens bautasten

Det land endnu er skønt,

thi blå sig søen bælter,

og løvet står så grønt

Og ædle kvinder, skønne mø'r

og mænd og raske svende

bebo de danskes øer

Hil drot og fædreland!

Hil hver en danneborger,

som virker, hvad han kan!

Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,

så længe bøgen spejler

sin top i bølgen blå

Free metrical translation

There is a lovely land

with spreading, shady beeches

Near Baltic's salty strand

Its hills and valleys gently fall,

its ancient name is Denmark,

And it is Freya's hall

There in the ancient days

the armoured Vikings rested

Between their bloody frays

Then they went forth the foe to face,

now found in stone-set barrows,

Their final resting place

This land is still as fair,

the sea is blue around it,

And peace is cherished there

Strong men and noble women still

uphold their country's honour

With faithfulness and skill

Literal translation

There is a lovely country

it stands with broad beech

near the salty eastern beach

It winds itself in hill, valley,

it is called old Denmark

and it is Freja's hall

There sat in former times,

the armour-suited giants,

rested from conflict

Then they journeyed forwards to their enemies' injury,

now their bones are resting

behind the small hill's menhir

That country is still lovely,

because the sea waves so blue frolic,

and the foliage stands so green

And noble women, beautiful maidens,

and men and brisk swains

inhabit the Danes' islands

Hail king and fatherland!

Hail every a townsman,

that works, what he can

Our old Denmark shall endure,

as long the beech reflects

its top in the wave so blue

External links

• MIDI file
• MP3 file

National anthems | Danish songs

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