Note to everyone: this is a post written by my very well-written mother. Again, heres hopes to more blogging in the future on my part.... Quick question: When you hear the word ‘Denmark’ what do you think of first? Cheese? Vikings? Lego? Perhaps a foaming mug of Carlsberg beer or the ubiquitous Danish pastry? Or, if you have already had the good fortune of visiting Copenhagen, the word may conjure up images of hundreds of bicycles lined up haphazardly along side office buildings and metro stations. The Danes do adore their bicycles and cycling paths. But castles? Never. The surprising reality is that Denmark has a wealth of royal palaces and castles for the enthusiast to explore; each one with its own unique story. In fact, if you are so inclined, Denmark can be another one of those ‘ABC’ tours.
Using our daughter’s home in Copenhagen as our base, we travelled around the city as well as to neighbouring towns using Denmark’s extremely efficient and friendly bus, metro and S-tog systems. Thanks to ‘Google Maps’ planning a day trip is easy but, even without access to a computer, most Danes are happy to offer directions and many have at least a basic understanding of the English language.
Our first stop was Rosenborg Slot located in the centre of Copenhagen and very close to the ‘Round Tower’ (another ‘must-see’) and the main downtown shopping area. We arrived at the castle on an unusually warm April morning to discover that Copenhageners were already out lounging under the trees and on the lush lawns with their picnics and prams. It is a credit to the Danish Royal family that so many of the royal palaces and grounds are open to the public to enjoy. Rosenborg is just one of several royal palaces within the city limits that visitors have to chose from.
Rosenborg was built as a summer palace between 1606 and 1634 by Christian IV whose influence and coat of arms appear in many of the castles in Denmark. He had an obvious flair for architecture and is credited with designing much of this Dutch Renaissance castle himself. Rosenborg offers three floors with numerous rooms to explore, each one beautifully furnished to evoke the time period of various Danish kings. Portraits, tapestries, furniture, glass, porcelain – the rooms are rich in detail and visitors are welcome to linger at their leisure. It’s tempting to stand at a window in any one of these magnificent rooms, admire the gardens beyond, and imagine what the view was like in Christian IV’s time. You’ll need several hours to fully appreciate Rosenborg as it also houses the Royal Treasury of Crown Jewels.
Our second stop was a day trip to the town of Hillerod, the location of Frederiksborg Slot (‘slot’ is the Danish word for castle). And what a castle it is! Complete with moat, grand entrance, great halls and gardens that have been compared to a miniature version of Versailles, Fredericksborg is steeped in Danish royal history and culture. Christian IV once again takes credit for this impressive structure, with later kings adding sections to the original building. Take your time to wander unhurried through the enormous rooms, which include a great hall and a dining hall for lords and ladies of the Royal Court. This is the first time I have ever seen an entire store room filled with porcelain – magnificent place settings of plates, platters and bowls all used in royal receptions from the past.
While we stood in one smaller sitting room, my husband suddenly mentioned that it was almost noon and that the clock in the room would be chiming very soon. A security guard overhead his comment and invited us to follow him. He led us, along with another couple, down a corridor into a larger room where there were a considerable number of elegant clocks of various sizes and shapes. “You want to hear clocks,” he said with a grin. Over the next several minutes there was a symphony of chiming, tinkling, booming and musical cacophony as each clock marked the hour.
While the rooms of Frederiksborg are sumptuous, the gardens are equally as impressive. Admittedly any comparison to Versailles seems weak, but the gardens are expansive and well worth taking an hour or more to explore. We settled onto a park bench next to a pond complete with ducks to enjoy the scenery and a simple lunch of Danish bread and cheese. During the summer months a boat takes visitors around the lake behind the castle. Our visit, unfortunately, was too early in the season to enjoy this option. As well, we encountered many gardeners busily prepping the flower beds, planting annuals and cleaning the fountains for the summer ahead. It just means that we will have to make another trip to Fredericksborg to see the gardens in their full colour and flair. In reality I would welcome the opportunity to re-visit this castle and wander the hallways once more.
But there’s more. In fact, we saved the best for last. The town is Helsingor, right on the seaway approach to the Oresun Sound; the castle is Kronborg, Denmark’s most famous and most popular castle, better known as Hamlet’s castle. It is generally agreed by academics that Shakespeare never visited Denmark but he obviously had heard about this impressive Renaissance castle and chose to set his play in the town of ‘Elsinore’. The approach to the castle is a bit of a walk, especially if you are arriving by train. The massive castle looms ahead, elevated against the horizon. Surrounded by a moat, with bastions and ravelins overlooking the channel, Kronborg was first and foremost a military fortification, at the hub of international shipping.
Visitors to this castle should take advantage of the guided tours if at all possible. There are several tour options but the most unique one is of the castle’s casemates. It’s a rare opportunity to climb down into the depths of the castle and imagine that, centuries ago, Danish soldiers lived in these dark, cramped, probably damp, quarters month after month. The tour includes the dungeon where captured deserters spent their final days and a glimpse, by flashlight, of the statue of the infamous and enormous Holger the Dane. If you are unable to arrange for a guided tour be sure to purchase a flashlight to help guide your way through the maze of small, dark rooms with low ceilings. Fortunately we were with a guide who had a flashlight, knew her way around and could warn us in advance of low ceilings and uneven floors. Otherwise I might still be down there trying to find my way out.
The guided tour of the Royal apartments is equally as interesting. It includes a glimpse of the royal and regal chapel. Our animated guide was especially keen on conveying the sights, sounds, tastes, smells and scandals of the time period. She had us imagining the pageantry, the protocol and the stench of the grand reception rooms. There was some heated discussion in one of the dining halls where a 17th century banquet feast on display included a bowl of ripe tomatoes. One member of our tour group was positive that tomatoes would not have been available in Denmark during that time period. At the end of our guided tour, as we rested our tired legs on a park bench, we encountered the same couple who had followed us into the room with the chiming clocks at Fredericksborg. During our chat with them, just to prove that it really is a small world, we learned that they were from the Sandy Hill area in Ottawa. They wanted to know which castle was next on our list. But, alas, our exploration of Danish castles was over – at least for this visit. A pilgrimage to the home of Danish author Karen Blixen, or Isak Dinesen as many know her, was the next excursion on our agenda. But that’s another story for another day.
Written by Mom
