The Danish King's Garden in Tallinn is a small stone platform that rises above the lower town. On one side the garden is enclosed by the city wall, and on the other side there is a marvellous view of the red roofs of the old town. From the Vyshgorod side, the Danish king's garden is accessed by a passage from the Alexander Nevsky Church, and from the lower town side, the stairs from Rüütli Street and Lühike Jalg Street lead to the garden.The garden got its name because of a legend according to which this is the place where the Danes got their national flag. In 1219, the army of the Danish King Valdemar II, with the blessing of the Pope and under the pretext of helping German colonists, landed in the Baltics and settled near Toompea Hill. Estonian troops suddenly attacked the Danish army. The attack was so sudden that some of the Danes had to retreat. Then, according to the legend, the bishops climbed the hill and asked God for help. Suddenly the heavens opened and a huge red cloth with an even white cross descended from the heights - the Dannebrog - this image is still the national flag of Denmark today. This was taken as a sign from God, the Danes perked up and managed to defeat the pagans.
The day of victory in this battle, called the Battle of Valdemar, became celebrated as the birthday of the Danish national flag, the Dannebrog. Even today, every summer this festival, which is a special favourite among Danish tourists, is celebrated in the garden of the Danish King. According to legend, the iron knight erected in the garden points to the place where the flag came down from the sky.
