Castles & Royalty....Just Another Day in Denmark

           Besides having an ample number of pigs (which outnumber people 5 to 1), Denmark is known for its numerous castles.  Being from America, where we have no such thing as royalty, this is a part of the Danish culture in which I am very interested.  Slightly before I arrived in Copenhagen, the Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik had twins (a boy and a girl).  The royal baptism will be happening sometime during my stay in Denmark, so hopefully I will be able to witness the enormous celebration that is said to occur.

So far, I have visited two castles.  The first is just down the street from Nørreport Station in Copenhagen, and is called Rosenborg Slot (“castle” in Danish).  It was built by Christian IV as a summerhouse.  It is surrounded by a large park called Kongens Have (“The King’s Garden”).  This is where the Danish Crown Jewels are displayed.  These symbols of the monarchy consist of the crown, the scepter, the orb, and the sword of state.  Rosenborg is my favorite castle so far.

Rosenborg Slot

The room in the top right-hand corner was by far my favorite.

Just a sampling of the crown jewels. Oh, if only, if only!

The second castle that I toured was Frederiksborg Slot, in Hillerød.  The tour was one of the many trips that DIS offers students for a small fee.  The castle was built in 1560 by Frederick II, who was the father of Christian IV.  The interior did not seem as impressive as Rosenborg, but the outside was magnificent.

Frederiksborg Slot

Sadly, I saw both of these castles in the dead of winter, so I was unable to appreciate their beautiful gardens.  Hopefully, I will be able to visit them again in the spring.