Egeskov Castle
If you ever happen to visit Denmark, do not miss out to add the fascinating Egeskov Castle (Egeskov Slot) right on the top of your list of ‘must see’ Denmark attractions. Ideally nestled in the middle of a small lake, on the island of Funen, Denmark, Egeskov is perhaps the best preserved Renaissance moated water castle in Europe, offering its visitors a world of surprises sure to entice. The castle is surrounded by award-winning gardens, many of which were first planted some 300 years ago. With some inspiration for everyone, Egeskov Castle is a place to be seen to be believed.
To build the foundation of the castle thousands of oak trees in the neighboring forests were cut down, that is the reason Egeskov Castle is sometimes referred to as Oak Forest Castle. The castle structure was erected by Frands Brrockenhuus in 1554, and originally the entrance and only access to the building was by means of a drawbridge. Egeskov castle, built for defense purposes, consists of two long houses that are connected by a thick double wall (they feature secret staircases and embrasures for the castle defense), allowing defenders to abandon the first house in case of an attack and continue the fight from the second house.
The most dramatic story in the castle’s history is about an unfortunate maiden called Rigborg, who was tempted by a young nobleman and bore him a child out of the wedlock. She was then expelled by her father from the parental house and imprisoned in a tower from 1599 to 1604.
The castle boasts 66 luxuriously designed rooms, 200 windows featuring 2,062 panels of glass and 171 doors that during the summer season employ around 150 people, 10 museums (apart from the castle) with an overall exhibition area of 8,000 sq. meters and a beautiful park with 3 mazez and numerous well-tended gardens. In the territory of the extensive park, it is possible to see walking peacocks, to admire a centenary green hedge from bushes and carefully well-groomed English lawns. The interior of the castle includes ancient furniture and paintings, as well as a set of hunting trophies. If you are interested in labyrinths, there is one in the Egeskov Castle constructed of a bamboo approximately 200 years ago. In short, everything here is invented in the greatest details.
Egeskov is also best-known for its doll houses: Titania’s Palace – probably the most fairytale doll house in the world, is no exception. A British officer named Sir Nevill Wilkinson built it for her daughter who desired about a ‘real palace’ for Titania – the Queen of the elfs. And it took him 15 years to complete the palace, which now comprises no fewer than three thousand components (many being small art treasures collected from around the world), add to this a chapel with a fully functional organ in it.
During the last four hundred years, many families have lived in the castle. Now the castle is inhabited by descendants of Henrik Bille, the owner of the castle in 1784, who developed it into an up-to-date model farm with its own dairy, railway and power station.
Egeskov Castle is open every day from between May and October from 10:00am to 5:00pm (even longer during the summer) and basic admission fee is 31 Euros. Every summer, at the end of June, in the Main Hall of the castle concerts of chamber music are held for the visitors to enjoy.
