After experiencing the warm temperatures in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi the last several days, it was definitely a bit of a shock returning to
chilly Copenhagen for the last two nights of our trip. Steven and I had visited
the city en route home at the end of another long trip but this time we had an
extra day to explore the city’s environs.
We decided to follow noted travel
writer Rick Steve’s suggestion and see the highlights of Zealand, the island
where Copenhagen is located. That meant we would, using public transportation,
visit both Frederiksborg and Kronborg castles and Louisiana Art Museum, all
located north of Denmark’s capital.
We had chosen our hotel well, at least in terms of its
proximity to the train station, as it was just up the block. However, our room
was very ‘cozy’ and the so-called 'facilities' were a good 30 or so feet down the
hallway.
We took the morning S-tog train for the short 40-minute ride
to the cute little town of Hillerod, which was near Frederiksborg Castle, our
first stop of the day.
Glad we were nice and warm in the train and didn't have to get outside in the chilly weather quite yet!
Instead of taking a bus from the Hillerod station to the castle, we chose
a pleasant walk through the mostly car-free town.
The Torvet or town square:
These African animals seemed just a tad out of place in the town square!
What fabulous views of the castle as we walked along the
path to the castle.
Frederiksborg Castle, which sits on the island in the middle of a lake
in Hillerod, is the grandest castle in Scandinavia and is often called the
Danish Versailles. Built from 1602 to
1620, Frederiksborg was the castle of Denmark’s King Christian IV. Much of it
was reconstructed after an 1859 fire and the castle became a museum 20 years
later.
As Rick Steves wrote, the entrance to the castle complex was
an appropriately regal approach to the king’s residence. We could almost hear
the ‘clopping of the royal hooves’ as we walked over the moat and through the
first island.
Where or where is that castle?! Surely, we'll reach it soon.
A winding lane, designed so it could be easy to defend, led
us to the second island which was home to the domestic and foreign ministries.
Thank goodness, the view of Frederiksborg Castle was definitely worth the short walk from the station and the stroll across the moats.
The gnome in the fountain looked like the Travelocity one I always see in my favorite TV program, The Amazing Race!
As we had arrived before the castle opened at 10, we had time to walk around the castle. Since it was pretty nippy out, at least for us who had just spent so much time recently in far warmer climes, we probably didn't appreciate the lovely sculptures and views as we would have if it were warmer.
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We were so relieved when the clock struck 10 and we were finally able to enter the castle!
At the time of Christian IV (1588-1648), the first room we entered was called the Knights' Room. After alterations were carried out in 1740, the enormous room was given the name of 'the rose'. I hadn't known that a 'rose' is a dining room for the ladies and gentlemen of the court. The elaborately decorated, vaulted ceiling was supported by five marble columns.
Two suits of armor from around 1600 were in one corner of the room. They were copies of originals used by King Frederik II during a military campaign in southern Denmark.
Royal Chapel:
Christian IV wanted the grandest royal chapel in Europe – it certainly appeared
that his wish may have been granted! The stunning chapel, dating back to 1620, is nearly all original. For 200 years, it was the coronation place of Danish kings and it is still used for royal weddings.
An intricately carved organ was located in the upper area of the chapel.
We had never seen so many coats of arms lining the walls as
we did in the chapel - there must have been hundreds of them. They belonged to people who had
received royal orders from the Danish crown – similar to Britain’s knighthoods.
While most of the names were obscure princesses and dukes, there were a few interesting and more familiar names too. One was the distinctive red, blue, black and green shield of South Africa which marked Nelson Mandela’s coat of arms. He was awarded the very prestigious Order of the Elephant which was normally reserved for royalty.
We also caught sight of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s with the blue
anvil and the motto “Peace Through Understanding.”
Winston Churchill’s coat of arms: he had already come from a royal line.
We were pleased to see the coat of arms belonging to Haile
Selassie, the former ruler of Ethiopia, as we had visited that amazing country
earlier this trip.
We next saw the Rotunda, a room, that in the 1680s, was furnished in baroque style. On the ceiling was a painting that showed the personified vices of deception, slander, libel, etc. fleeing from Christian V. The silk walls were covered with a pattern of his crowned monogram and flowers.
This impressive corridor led to the Audience Chamber.
The paintings in the wall panels were a tribute to Christian V, his family and his achievements. In one, the king was represented as a Roman emperor accompanied by his three sons.
The gilded, wooden chandelier with the figure of a stag was carved in 1625.
The next room focused on the Reformation. In it was a case
that contained the first Bible translated into Danish in 1550 as access to the
word of God was a big part of the Reformation.
Over the door to the next room was the image of a monk, Hans
Tausen, who was invited by the king
to preach the new thinking of the Reformation.
As we walked around the upper level, we noticed graffiti
scratched on the windowpanes by the diamond rings of royal kids visiting for
the summer back in 1600!
Several paintings told the story of Christian IV; one of
them was of the chancellor on his deathbed handing over the keys to the realm
to a still-wet-behind-the-ears young Christian IV.
Miniatures galore and various Danish orders, including the most
prestigious Order of the Elephant, were the focus of another room.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the ornately carved cabinets.
From there, we continued into one of the castle’s most
jaw-dropping rooms, the Great Hall.
The walls were lined with stunning tapestries and royal portraits.
The elevated platform was where musicians could play without
getting in the way of all the festivities.
I have always heard of how beautiful Flemish tapestries are but never Danish ones. Steven and I hope to visit parts of Western Europe, including Belgium in 2018, God willing. It would be fantastic seeing that country's tapestries but it's hard to believe those can outdo the ones we saw on every inch of the walls in the aptly-named Great Hall.
Lucky you: I just couldn't take any more photos of the ceiling as I got a crick in my neck attempting to make sure the photos came out straight!
Yet one more amazing room with massive tapestries and an interesting, possibly ivory box on a center table.
The detail in this ceiling, too, was just eye-popping.
I have always been intrigued by optical-illusion portraits.
This one showed King Frederik V when viewed from one angle and his wife when
viewed from another.
Then it was time to wander or be thrust into the modern
world with contemporary paintings as Frederiksborg Castle was also the Museum of National History. I was amazed to learn that the Museum of National History was established in 1878 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg Brewery, and is a department of the Carlsberg Foundation.
There were official portraits of politicians, scientists and governmental officials.
There were official portraits of politicians, scientists and governmental officials.
Oh no - just when we thought we'd seen enough coats of arms to last a good long while, there were still more of them on the stairways!
A small room was dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen. On his desk was one one of his famous silhouettes from 1859 cut out in paper with two dancing figures.
In a very long corridor was just a section of the 229 ft-long Frolich Frieze, a 'painting' paying tribute to the Danish king's dominance in England. The scope of it was absolutely incredible especially since this was just a part of it.
Near the castle's Wine Cellar was the rather grand entrance to the women’s bathroom!
What a great choice we had made to follow Rick Steves' advice to visit the stunning Frederiksborg Castle.
Luckily for us, it was much warmer as we left the castle and walked back through town to the station in time to get the train to Helsingor, a town northeast of Hillerod, to tour Kronborg Castle.
Luckily for us, it was much warmer as we left the castle and walked back through town to the station in time to get the train to Helsingor, a town northeast of Hillerod, to tour Kronborg Castle.
Bike racks were common in the trains we took.
Helsingor was a small town but had an unusually large train station.
The town is located directly on the Oresund channel, just
two miles across from its Swedish counterpart, Helsingborg. I read that many
Swedes come over to Helsingor for the lower-priced alcohol!
Our initial view of Kronborg Castle,
also called Elsinore, the Anglicized version of Helsingor, is a sight famous
for its tenuous ties to Shakespeare.
The giant fish on the waterfront was created out of
recycled art people no longer wanted.
As we approached Kronborg, just as at Frederiksborg Castle,
there were many layers of earthen ramparts and moats.
Just when we thought we were actually at the castle, we found yet another gateway or waterway to pass!
As Rick Steves wrote, most of the ‘Hamlet’ castle was built long after the historical Hamlet died and Shakespeare never saw the place. But this Renaissance castle existed when a troupe of English actors performed here in Shakespeare’s time and Shakespeare may have known them. I read that these days, various Shakespearean companies from around the world perform Hamlet in Kronborg’s courtyard each August. “Among the actors who’ve donned tights here in the title role are Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Kenneth Branagh and Jude Law."
Upon finally entering the castle, we saw the Royal
Apartments first.
When the king was in residence at Kronborg, the country was ruled from this room, called the Chancellery. Officials of the realm dispatched everything from royal decrees about moving marketplaces and receipts for altarpieces to letters about major political affairs and laws on everything imaginable.
The castle interior sadly was a far cry from the opulence of
Frederiksborg Castle. While the structure was rebuilt after a 1629 fire, its
rooms were never returned to their former grandeur.
Two small rooms were used as the private quarters of the King and
Queen because they were easy to heat. During the Renaissance, the climate was much cooler than it is today so a small room with a blazing fire was the preferred choice. Because many arranged marriages ended up as an unhappy union, royal couples slept apart. I was amused to learn that sleeping apart was also a sign of great status as huddling up to another warm person in bed was a much cheaper option!
Two small rooms were used as the private quarters of the King and
Queen because they were easy to heat. During the Renaissance, the climate was much cooler than it is today so a small room with a blazing fire was the preferred choice. Because many arranged marriages ended up as an unhappy union, royal couples slept apart. I was amused to learn that sleeping apart was also a sign of great status as huddling up to another warm person in bed was a much cheaper option!
After passing through the small bedrooms, we came to the Queen’s Chamber which contained lovely tapestries. This room was where the Queen and her ladies in waiting passed much of their time. They ate here and it was from here that the Queen managed her household, oversaw her children's education and relaxed in front of the fireplace.
From there, stairs led up to the Queen’s Gallery, custom
built for Queen Sophie to be able to walk directly from her chambers to the
ballroom or the chapel.
Near and yet so far: a view of Helsingborg through the
windows. We didn’t have time to take the ferry across the strait to Sweden. I
had spent about a month in Sweden waaaay back in 1975 after working in Geneva
as an au pair!
The Great Ballroom, the largest such hall in all of northern Europe, was decorated with a series of paintings commissioned by King Christian
IV.
Parties and banquets at Kronborg were known for their lavish splendor and guests came from far and wide to show off their newest party clothes in gold brocade, silk and velvet adorned with lace and ribbons. Entertainment was provided by acrobats, actors and musicians while guests danced.
The ballroom led to the Little
Hall which included a series of fine tapestries depicting Danish monarchs.
Leaving that part of the castle, we walked across the
courtyard to the Kronborg Chapel.
The enclosed gallery was the private pew of the royal family.
Looking at this picture again so many months later after being there reminds me of photos taken during a colonscopy!!
The passages, though not particularly tight, were very dark
and apparently intentionally not very well lit. The extensive network of dank
cellars was a double-decker substructure that once was a hive of activity.
The upper level, which we saw first, was used as servants’
quarters, a stable and a storehouse.
The most famous ‘resident’ of the Kronborg casements was Holger Danske, a mythical Viking hero
revered by Danish children.
The story goes that if the nation is ever in danger, this Danish superman will awaken and restore peace and security to the land. While this legend has been around for many centuries,
Holger’s connection to Kronborg was cemented by a Hans Christian Andersen tale.
The lower level was used to train and house soldiers during
wartime. As we explored the labyrinthine, nearly pitch-black area, it was easy
to imagine the miserably claustrophobic conditions the soldiers lived in while
waiting to see some action.
Having had enough of dark tunnels, we ‘saw the light’ after
coming back topside!
I, quite frankly, didn’t mind too much having to wait for the next train as it gave me time to
wander through more of Helsingor while Steven stayed warm in the station’s
waiting room. We both have really enjoyed our two brief visits to Denmark but,
if we ever return, I hope it will be in the summertime, as it gets very dark by
just 4 p.m. in the wintertime.
After seeing all the liquor stores, I could now understand they
must do a bang-up business with neighboring Swedes!
Shortly after 4, we were on our way to our final destination
of the day, just a 15-minute ride south to Humelback and 18 miles north of
Copenhagen. The very chilly walk along dark streets to the Louisiana Art Museum
took us the same amount of time as the train had from Helsingor. I am sure that the
path from the station through the trees would have been a lovely stroll in the
daylight but that seemed just too spooky at night.
Unlike most (all?) other museums we’ve visited over the
years around the world, there was no permanent exhibit at the Louisiana. The museum’s curators
constantly organize their substantial collection into ever-changing
arrangements, augmented with borrowed and special exhibits.
These decidedly unusual and humorous paintings by German artist Hans-Peter Feldmann were our introduction to the museum. I had never heard of Feldmann so was intrigued to learn that he doesn't sign his paintings and that he "obscures, turns upside down and short-circuits an ostensibly venerable but also ambitious tradition - salon art."
These decidedly unusual and humorous paintings by German artist Hans-Peter Feldmann were our introduction to the museum. I had never heard of Feldmann so was intrigued to learn that he doesn't sign his paintings and that he "obscures, turns upside down and short-circuits an ostensibly venerable but also ambitious tradition - salon art."
A couple of paintings by another German artist, Daniel Richter, who's had his work shown at the Denver Art Museum and the National Gallery in my hometown of Ottawa. No wonder they caught my eye!
I don't think we've ever seen a museum that has so many levels as this one
had. We’d see a few pictures, then walk down to another level.
Albert Giacometti, the famous Swiss sculptor and his 'Naked Woman.'
I say tongue in cheek that luckily for us, we were able to view one of the museum’s
favorite item, French sculptor Cesar’s ‘The Big Thumb’ – simply a six-foot-tall
bronze thumb – because every time it was removed, museum patrons complained!
I don't think anyone seeing these laughing figures could ever leave the room not being uplifted.
Only in a modern art museum would we see an exhibit by US artist Jim White called 'White Bathroom.' I admit to having difficulty seeing the merit of this and the following work and how they are classified as 'art.'
Louise Bourgeois' 'I leave the Nest, then I Leave my Home' was another different work of art.
Bourgeois is apparently well known for her large spider sculptures. I read that playing on the common fear of spiders, Bourgeois saw "the spider as a caring and protective creature - a weaver, like her mother who restored historical tapestries in the family's tapestry workshop."
We knew the Louisiana had a delightful sculpture garden that sprawls through
the grounds, downhill toward the sea but of course it was too dark for us to see it. The views over the Oversund, one of the busiest passages in
the nautical world, are said to be nearly as inspiring as the art. The museum’s interesting collection of modern art took me beyond my 'safe' appreciation of more traditional art. As this was Scandinavia’s most raved-about modern art museum, I am glad that we took the opportunity to spend some time there.
We walked back to the station where we were lucky enough to
only have to wait a few minutes for the train for the short jaunt back to
Copenhagen. Once there, a band got us in the Christmas spirit as they played familiar holiday carols.
After spending so much time writing this blog, there is just one post left to do in the next few days before we hit the road for about seven weeks traveling here in the US and Canada. That post will attempt to recap some of our favorite or most compelling stops on our four-month trip last fall. I am not looking forward to determining what makes that list as there were so many stellar experiences.
Posted at long last on April 26th, 2017 from Littleton, Colorado.
