Galleries: Queen of Denmark visits Freedom Square, Danish King's Garden
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who arrived in Tallinn for an official visit on Saturday morning, visited Freedom Square on Saturday afternoon, where she laid a wreath at the foot of the War of Independence Victory Column and stopped by the public Family Day being held in the square in celebration of the Danish and Estonian flags.
The official program of Saturday's Family Day began at 11 a.m. and lasted through 3 p.m.
Visitors to the public event had the chance to enjoy choir music and Danish jazz as well as Estonian folk music, visit thematic tents to learn about Estonian-Danish relations, participate in games, drawings, and thematic activities as well as taste Estonian and Danish food.
The Danish queen also opened a cultural and historical exhibition at Kiek in de Kök curated by Tallinn City Museum and the Museum of National History in Frederiksborg Castle.
On Saturday evening, Queen Margrethe II, President Kersti Kaljulaid and Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Centre), will be the guests of honor at "Estonia 100 and Dannebrog 800," a gala concert dedicated to the Estonian and Danish flags at Estonia Concert Hall.
Kaljulaid will also host a gala dinner in honor of the visiting queen at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Laulasmaa.
On Sunday, the queen's visit will conclude with a service at St. Mary's Cathedral, which, like the Dannebrog, dates back to the 13th century.
Oldest flags
According to legend, a red flag bearing a white cross fell from the heavens during the Battle of Lyndanisse (Lindanise) on June 15, 1219. The site of the battlefield is known today as the Danish King's Garden, and is located on the slope of Toompea Hill. The Danish flag, known as the Dannebrog, is the oldest national flag in the world.
Estonia's blue, black and white flag was consecrated in Otepää as the flag of the Estonian Students' Society (EÜS) on June 4, 1884. The original flag, which remains the property of the fraternity, is currently on permanent display at the Estonian National Museum (ERM) in Tartu. It is the oldest preserved original national flag in the world.
The joint celebration of the anniversary of the two national flags was organized by the Government Office in cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark.
June 15 marks 800 years since the Battle of Lyndanisse and the birth, according to legend, of the Dannebrog. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is in Tallinn this weekend to take part in celebrations of the 800th anniversary of the Danish flag, the 135th anniversary of the Estonian flag, Estonia's centennial as well as Estonian-Danish relations.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
