DENMARK : OF KNIGHTS, CASTLES AND
FAIRYTALES
Dotted with castles, Denmark's historical landscape takes you back
to those fond tales of childhood
It's
almost noon and the sun has bare ly made its appearance in the grey skies of
Copenhagen. A group of young boys whizzes past me in their cycles as I walk
along the old Frederiksstaden, the district created by King Frederik V in the
18th century. There is a nip in the air and I feel as if I'm lost in an era of
kings and knights. Suddenly there is music in the air. In front of me are four
large castles looming large, and standing in the centre is King Frederik V
himself.
I
am at Amalienborg , a roy al complex with palaces built in the Danish Rococco
style that are over 300 years old. Each of these palaces was built for
different kings but are now winter residences of the royal family. And then a
pageant opens up in front of our eyes -the Royal Change of Guards as they march
from their barracks, through Rosenborg Castle and reach here at noon sharp for
the ceremony. I watch for a while and wander about in the old town.
Palaces
and castles dot the landscape.The canals are framed by the towering
Christiansborg Palace, built over the site of a medieval castle. Once upon a
time it was home to the royalty, but now it is the seat of Parliament. Climbing
to the top of the tower, which houses the ex clusive Danish speciality restaur,
rant, The Taarnet, I see the en tire city of Copenhagen bustling about. One can
spend an entire day here, but I'm more taken in by the ruins below the palace
which transport me to medieval times crumbling structures of the old cas tles
built more than 1,000 years ago. Denmark, to me, has always been a fairy tale
world created by Hans Christian Anderson where Little Mermaids , Ugly Ducklings
and Tin Soldiers lived. And in this atmosphere of fantasy, I also see ghosts
walking around. It is drama all around me when I set eyes on the formidable
Kronborg Castle built along the waters that separate Sweden and Denmark. This
is the moment I am waiting for.
I
am at Elsinore or Helsingor, a little further away from Copenhagen where the
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Renaissance Cas tle stands. Built by King Frederick
XI in the 16th century, it was rebuilt by Christian IV after a fire destroyed
it. Standing there and gazing at the massive monument, I can feel the
melancholy that surrounds it.
This
is where Shakespeare set his play, Hamlet, a plot he borrowed from a medieval
work by Saxo Grammaticus in his History of Danes. And as I walk through the
dark casements into the rooms, I can hear the ghost wandering around,
persuading Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark to take revenge.
I
am joined by Horatio, Hamlet's friend and my tour guide for the day who takes
me through the fortress, narrating scenes from the play as we move from the
gloomy casements to the royal chambers, the chapel and the final arena where
the tragedy unfolds.
But
it is not just Hamlet and his troupe that have made the castle their home.
Legends speak of the Danish hero, Holger Danske, who sleeps here with his arms
crossed and his hand, ready on the sword, waiting to be called any time to
fight.
I
leave Helsingor and head to Hillerod to see another palace built over 500 years
ago one of the most charming and largest Renaissance castles in all of
Scandinavia. This is Frederiksborg palace built by Frederick XI and then
rebuilt by Christian IV, the two kings who seem to have made every monument in
Denmark a piece of ornamental beauty. For a moment, it looks like a grand ship
floating on the Palace Lake. As if on cue, the weather changes and it starts to
rain, lending a tinge of romance to the atmosphere. Every room is an ode to
magnificence with paintings and portraits everywhere, taking you into a fantasy
world of myths and legends. Although the palace has been restored after the
fire, the Palace Church still retains its splendour of the past, miraculously
untouched by the fire, taking you to the era of Christian IV.
I
look out of the window into the lush gardens soaked in the rain, my eyes
trailing off into the distance as I lose myself in a world of kings and queens,
fairies and elves. And all of a sudden, a princess stands in front of me,
snapping me out of my reverie. I realise that Denmark is a dreamland where both
fantasy and reality merge somewhere along the walls of these old castles.
FACT FILE
Once
a fishing hamlet, Copenhagen, known for its happy optimistic people, blends its
historic past with contempo rary lifestyles. Visit during spring and summer but
winter has its own charm.
Copenhagen
has over 15 Michelin starred restaurants, but if you must try one thing, then
it has to be their open sandwich, smorrebrod.
HIGH TEA AT A
300-YEAR-OLD CASTLE
Surrounded
by lush grasslands and flanked by mountains, the Kokkedal Castle in white
stands like a beacon amidnature. Once a home of nobility, the castle is now a
hotel hosting fairytale weddings while guests tee off at the golf course. A
unique experience here would be to soak in the tradition of having high tea
with scones and cakes and delicious chocolates and sandwiches. Wander away, sit
under the trees, indulge in the spa or gaze at the seductive paintings in the
underground cellar restaurant, while waiting for your meal.
|
Lakshmi
Sharath
|
TL29NOV15
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