Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzles

Key West, Florida, Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzle

During the months of Covid 19 social distancing and the Stay-at-Home regimen, I created some of my favorite photographs as jigsaw puzzles, an entertainment that can be enjoyed at home by yourself or with family and friends. One of my favorite photographic subjects is the lighthouse, which is a symbol as well as a reality of safety and sanctuary throughout the world. Zazzle offers jigsaw puzzles in a range of sizes and levels of difficulty. You can upload your own photographs and artwork to Zazzle, creating your own jigsaw puzzles.

Click on the links beneath each jigsaw puzzle to read more about these historic lighthouses. Many of the American lighthouses are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nubble Light, Cape Neddick, Maine Jigsaw Puzzle

Old Cape Point Lighthouse, South Africa Jigsaw Puzzle

Portland Head Light, Maine Jigsaw Puzzle

Kilauea Lighthouse on Kauai Jigsaw Puzzle

Sletterhage Lighthouse, Denmark Jigsaw Puzzle

Cape San Blas Lighthouse, Port St. Joe, Florida Jigsaw Puzzle

See More of My Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzles in This Collection by Clicking on this Link.

Click on This Link to See My Jigsaw Puzzles on Fine Art America.

Why Is There a Ship Hanging in a Church?

Aarhus Cathedral, Denmark, Votive Ship.

In many churches in Scandinavia, you’ll see a ship hanging from the ceiling, a symbol of how important the sea is to the Nordic people. The ship reflects an old Nordic tradition of giving offerings for the protection of loved ones at sea and is a reminder of those lost at sea. The ship models are often called votive ships.

The ship model in the Aarhus, Denmark, Cathedral originally served another purpose — it was among those created (probably in the Netherlands) to show Russian Czar Peter the Great what the ships he ordered would look like. The cathedral’s ship (dated 1720) is named Enigheden (English: Unity). The ship carrying the model, however, sunk near the northern coast of Denmark, a reminder of the dangers of the sea. The model survived in good shape and was purchased by Danish fishermen as a gift to the cathedral, which is the largest church in Denmark. The Aarhus Cathedral model ship is also the largest votive ship in Denmark.

Ship model hanging in Akureyri Lutheran Church in Akureyri, Iceland.

What is a Votive Ship?

More Photos of Aarhus Cathedral Ship.

About Aarhus Cathedral.

About Akureyri Church.

Lots of Locks of Love!

The Church of the Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia, is a popular backdrop for newlywed photos. Here a couple stands on a bridge over one of St. Petersburg’s many canals with the onion domes of the church behind them. In the red circle, not really visible in this photo, is one lock attached to the bridge rail. I’m not sure whether this trend hasn’t caught on yet in St. Petersburg, or whether previous locks have been removed.

One of my favorite travel blogs is Gallivance by Terri and  James Vance.  When I read their post (linked below) on the trend of lovers placing locks on bridges and throwing the key in the river, I looked through my photos to find some examples of photos I’d taken of this trend. I only found these two, but never fear.  There are lots and lots more photos of locks in the Gallivance post, so don’t miss it!

Locks on a bridge in Nyhavn, an historic area of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Here’s the post by Terri and James Vance, which shows a lot of bridges where this locks of love trend has taken over, including one bridge in Cologne, which is bristling with so many locks you can barely see the bridge.

Cologne’s Locks of Love Bridge: A Romantic Fad or Steel Graffiti?

Here’s another post of some locks of love in Spain, which I stumbled upon

Locks of Love on a rail along the beach near the Anchor Museum in Salinas, Spain.

About the Church of the Savior on Blood, which is also known as Church of the Spilled Blood.

About Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Cycling in Denmark

Bicyclists are everywhere in Copenhagen, and they are very skilled at maneuvering in traffic. Here, two young lovers hold hands as they speed down the street.

One of the first things my husband and I noticed in Copenhagen was that it’s a city on two wheels. The city is flat, has many bike lanes, a lot of narrow streets, limited parking in the city and everything costs a lot — at least for Americans. So bikes make a lot of economic sense. Almost 40 percent of the city’s inhabitants commute on bicycles.

A crowd of bicyclists peddle rapidly at rush hour on H.C. Andersens Boulevard at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Almost everyone on the bikes looked fit and attractive.  It was like being a Ralph Lauren ad without the pretentiousness. Copenhagen is considered the most bike-friendly city in the world. More people commute on bicycles in Copenhagen than in all of the much, much larger United States. Pedestrians need to be aware, because they will easily be knocked down at rush hour. There also were a lot of bikes in Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city, which is also a college town.

A mother and her son bike to the store together in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A father and son ride a tandem bicycle in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A pedicab enters an historic prison area at Slutterigade in Copenhagen.

A biker crosses the courtyard of Amalienborg Palace, the winter residence of the Danish royal family. The equestrian statue depicts Amalienborg’s founder, King Frederick V.

Højbro Plads (Hojbro Square) is a popular spot for tourist and locals. On this July day, there were so many parked bicycles that there’s hardly room for people. Højbro is public square located between the adjoining Amagertorv and Slotsholmen Canal in the City Center of Copenhagen, Denmark. According to Wikipedia, It takes its name from the Højbro Bridge which connects it to the Slotsholmen island on the other side of the canal while Gammel Strand extends along the near side of the canal. The most striking feature of the square is an equestrian statue of Absalon, the warrior-bishop who has traditionally been credited as the founder of Copenhagen. It was inaugurated in 1901 to commemorate the septcentennial of his death.

 

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Click here to see my photographs of “Bicycles in Denmark” on Fine Art America.

How Denmark Became a Cycling Nation.

Wikipedia: Cycling in Copenhagen

Wikipedia: About Denmark.

The Official Website of Denmark.

The Danish Royal Couple on Bikes (Horses, Yacht…)

The Danish People are the Happiest People on Earth.

 

 

Some of my Postcards of Bicycles in Copenhagen:

Hans Christian Andersen’s Motto was “Enjoy Life”

Hans Christian Andersen is depicted in a bronze sculpture staring at Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. Both Andersen (1805-1875) and Tivoli, opened in 1843, were dedicated to the joy of children with just a little fear thrown in. My husband and I stayed at a hotel near the Tivoli and heard the screams of delighted children as they rode the rides. Andersen’s statue was very popular, and I had to wait a long time to take a photo when he was alone. In his own life, Andersen had many friends and and a huge number of admirers, but never married or was in a romantic relationship. This statue sits on H.C. Andersen street, named after the author.

“Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead.”

~ Hans Christian Andersen ~

Some of my favorite childhood stories were written by Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish writer, who was born in 1805. ” The Ugly Duckling,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “The Little Mermaid” are some of the most famous.   I also loved “The Princess and the Pea” and “Thumbelina.”  On a recent plane ride home from Copenhagen, my husband and I thought of “The Princess and the Pea” when we heard a passenger endlessly complaining to a flight attendant. And think of the many pompous and narcissistic politicians and other leaders who have been described as being like the emperor whose imaginary new clothes are fawned over by courtiers, even though the emperor was naked.

Andersen is celebrated throughout the world and is especially beloved in Copenhagen. Statues and plaques dedicated to Andersen can be found throughout Copenhagen, including the gardens of Rosenborg Castle.  April 2, Andersen’s birthday, is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day. A statue of “The Little Mermaid,” based on Andersen’s story, sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbor.

Here are some of the colorful houses in Copenhagen’s beautiful Nyhavn, which means New Harbor. Hans Christian Andersen used to live in No. 20 in Nyhavn, where he wrote the fairy-tales “the Tinderbox,” “Little Claus and Big Claus,” and “the Princess and the Pea.” He also lived 20 years in No. 67 and two years in No. 18.
Nyhavn was originally a busy commercial port where ships from all over the world would dock. No. 9 Nyhavn is the oldest house in the area dating back to 1681 and looks very similar to its earliest days. The area is still colorful and bustling and is a shopping, dining and tourist destination. Many of the houses in Nyhavn were once the homes of prominent artists and writers.

Andersen was much loved and appreciated, but his personal relationships didn’t always go so well.  For example, he forged a friendship with the celebrated British writer Charles Dickens, although his second visit to the Dickens home didn’t end well.  Hans Christian Andersen Wasn’t the Best Houseguest.

About Hans Christian Andersen.
Hans Christian Andersen’s Nyhavn.

A store in the Nyhavn area of Copenhagen, Denmark, is dedicated to merchandise based on the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. Here are “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and “The Tinderbox.”

A prominent street in Copenhagen, Denmark, is named for the author Hans Christian Andersen. The boulevard runs along Tivoli Gardens amusement park and Copenhagen’s City Hall.

“The Little Mermaid” Statue in Copenhagen.