National Anthem Comparison
Denmark vs Iceland
2
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
55
55 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Denmark and Iceland, both Europe nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Denmark's "There Is a Lovely Land" was written in 1819, while Iceland's "Hymn" dates to 1874.
Both anthems share themes of Nature and Ancestors / Heritage. Denmark additionally explores Love of homeland, while Iceland also touches on God / Faith.
The emotional tones differ: Denmark's anthem is Proud, while Iceland's is Prayerful.
Denmark's anthem predates Iceland's by 55 years, having been written in 1819 compared to 1874.
Shared themes
Denmark
🌿 Nature ❤ Love of homeland 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Iceland
✝ God / Faith 🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Shared themes:
🌿 Nature 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Metadata
| Denmark | Iceland | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1819 | 1874 |
| Adopted | 1835 | 1944 |
| Lyricist | Adam Oehlenschlager | Matthias Jochumsson |
| Composer | Hans Ernst Kroyer | Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson |
| Language | da | is |
| Region | Northern Europe | Northern Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Denmark
Der er et yndigt land
Original
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 møer
og mænd og raske svende
bebo de danskes øer.
Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,
så længe bøgen spejler
sin top i bølgen blå.
Translation
There is a lovely land,
it stands with broad beeches
near the salty eastern shore;
it winds itself in hills and valleys,
it is called old Denmark
and it is Freja's hall.
There sat in ancient times
the armour-clad warriors,
resting from battle;
then they marched forth to the enemies' harm,
now their bones rest
behind the mound's standing stones.
This land is still fair,
for the sea is blue around it,
and the foliage stands so green;
and noble women, fair maidens
and men and brave lads
inhabit the Danish isles.
Our old Denmark shall endure,
as long as the beech tree mirrors
its crown in the blue wave.
Iceland
Lofsóngur
Original
Ó guð vors lands! Ó lands vors guð!
Vér lofum þitt heilaga, heilaga nafn!
Úr sólkerfum himnanna hnýtja þér krún
þínir herskarar, tímanna safn.
Fyrir þér er einn dagur sem þúsund ár,
og þúsund ár dagur, ei meir;
eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,
sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
eitt eilífðar smáblóm með titrandi tár,
sem tilbiður guð sinn og deyr.
Ó guð, ó guð! Vér föllum fram
og fórnum þér brennandi, brennandi sál,
guð faðir, vor drottinn frá kyni til kyns,
og vér kvökum vort helgasta mál.
Vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár,
því þú ert hvern dag sem hvern dag var.
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
vér kvökum og þökkum í þúsund ár,
því þú ert hvern dag sem hvern dag var.
Ó guð vors lands! Ó lands vors guð!
Vér lifum sem blaktandi, blaktandi strá.
Vér deyjum, ef þú ert ei ljós það og líf,
sem að lyftir oss duftinu frá.
Ó, vert þú hvern dag sem hvern dag var,
Íslands þúsund ár,
Íslands þúsund ár,
ó, vert þú hvern dag sem hvern dag var,
Íslands þúsund ár, Íslands þúsund ár.
Translation
O God of our land! O our land's God!
We praise Your holy, holy name!
From the solar systems of the heavens they weave You a crown,
Your legions, the assembly of ages.
Before You one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years a day, no more;
one small flower of eternity with a trembling tear,
that worships its God and dies.
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
one small flower of eternity with a trembling tear,
that worships its God and dies.
O God, o God! We fall before You
and offer You a burning, burning soul,
God the Father, our Lord from generation to generation,
and we speak our holiest prayer.
We speak and give thanks for a thousand years,
for You are each day as each day was.
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
we speak and give thanks for a thousand years,
for You are each day as each day was.
O God of our land! O our land's God!
We live like a flickering, flickering straw.
We perish if You are not the light and the life
that lifts us from the dust.
O, be each day as each day was,
Iceland's thousand years,
Iceland's thousand years,
o, be each day as each day was,
Iceland's thousand years, Iceland's thousand years.
Interesting facts
Denmark
- 1. The royal anthem 'Kong Christian stod ved hojen mast' is typically played for military and royal occasions, while 'Der er et yndigt land' is used at civilian and sporting events, and Danes instinctively know which one fits each situation.
- 2. The melody was composed by Hans Ernst Kroyer in 1835, sixteen years after the lyrics were written, replacing an earlier tune that never gained popular acceptance.
- 3. Beech trees, celebrated in the anthem's opening line, are so central to Danish identity that Denmark's forests are roughly 70% beech, and the tree is the unofficial national symbol.
Iceland
- 1. Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson, the composer, lived most of his life in Edinburgh, Scotland, making him the only Icelandic anthem composer who created the music while living abroad.
- 2. Iceland's anthem is almost never played at sporting events; instead, fans traditionally sing the famous Viking clap chant that gained worldwide attention at Euro 2016.
- 3. The anthem's text contains the line 'a thousand years a day,' an allusion to Psalm 90 in the Bible, reinforcing its deeply devotional character.
Listen
Denmark
Iceland
