Copenhagen and fairytale castles

The days are passing quickly now but the weather is not warming up as anticipated. Today it is cloudy and 14°, maybe it will improve as the day goes by.
We got up in time for our stretch class before breakfast as we were  leaving the ship at 10.00 am for a trip out into the countryside to visit two of Denmark's famous castles.

Our first stop was at Hillerad to see the impressive Renaissance Fredericksburg Castle set on three islands amongst beautifully landscaped grounds, including a baroque knot garden which I could only see from a distance, disappointing as I thought we were to see the gardens on this trip. We only got to walk a little distance towards them before returning to the bus.

The entrance to the castle is spectacular with its brick exterior, massive ramparts and a copper roof with impressive spires above the  roofline. Inside the courtyard there is a huge fountain called Neptune's Fountain dominating the entranceway. 

The rest of the courtyard is huge and featured cobblestones, thick walls with ironwork details on windows,  stone statues looking down from the doorways and a grand entranceway leading into the huge halls featuring history over 500 years of Danish rule in the furniture, paintings and portraits of the rulers. Makes the English royal residences look rather impoverished by comparison.

The Danish Royal family no longer live here but sometimes attend mass here.
The interior was very ornate and the ceilings notable for their carvings, decorative features and paintings.The walls were lined with baronial shields bearing the coats of arms of the nobility in Denmark.The furniture was wooden and none too comfortable! Especially the beds!
We visited the impressive chapel which was home to the oldest organ with wooden pipes dating back to 1612 and we admired the ceilings and embellishments to the chapel.

We visited an impressive fashion display in the castle too. This show featured garments made in wool and reflecting fashions of the past in new designs. 

Our next stop was Kromborg Castle, otherwise known as Hamlet's Castle. It is built overlooking a narrow 4 km strip of sea separating Sweden from Denmark and in past times the castle policed this strait by enforcing taxes from sailors entering the Baltic Sea.We were told the Royals had little private money and this was a revenue source until an American sea captain challenged them in the 18th C and refused to pay. That ended the system. Not sure what they did for money after that. Apparently it was the land barons and other nobility who were wealthy and the Royal family had little in the coffers.

Interestingly the area around the castle celebrates the legacy of Hamlet with festivals of theatrical events based on Shakespearean plays. Buildings were named after him and we saw banners up advertising the next festival.There was also an impressive maritime museum under construction, most of it underground because people here do not want ugly buildings impacting on their views of the coastline.There was quite a port here too but we did not have time to explore.
Much to see in this part of the world so maybe it is another visit.

The day was very pleasant by now and we were able to walk out around the ramparts of the castle, not able to go into the grounds though but we could see the area inside the moat and the defensive walls. We had coffee and a Danish sweet pastry inside one of the old buildings before returning to the ship about 4.30 pm.

It had been a full on day, lots of walking and listening to information but it did give us an insight into a proud sea faring nation possessing a rich history of military might between the different Baltic powers, Germany and Russia. Such a peaceful place today.
The countryside is very flat and our drive took us through pastoral land dotted with small towns and villages,all well cared for and comfortable

Before we got back to the ship we had a detour to see the iconic statue, the Little Mermaid perched on the side of the water. This statue was a gift from a rich brewing magnate and based on the ballet of the same name but a tribute to the lead dancer. Apparently the dancer did not want to be depicted naked so the likeness is that of the artist's wifes upper body. It was certainly a draw card for the tourists as it proved tricky to get a suitable viewing space to take photos.
Sailing out tonight we passed by Hamlet's Castle. In olden times we would have been fired at by the cannons across the bows or chased down by castle boatman to extract taxes before we could pass by. We live in gentler times, not as colourful however.