One thing I love about Denmark is its beautiful and magnificent castles and royal gardens. An easy favorite is Frederiksborg Slot located in Hillerød. It served as the royal residence of Christian IV, Scandinavia’s longest reigning king, in the 17th century. I visited the palace complex twice, first with my Danish language class and the second time with my sister. (**Thrice now. The third time, with my parents in 2017!)
My eyes feasted on the sophisticated decorations and intricate designs of the Renaissance castle. Just like the Kronborg Slot, it caught fire in 1859, but was restored with the financial help of J. C. Jacobsen using old plans and paintings. Eventually, it was opened to the public as the Danish Museum of National History.
The castle had its beginning as a half-timbered building belonging to the noble family Gøyes. In 1540, it was transformed into a manor house, and in 1560, extensions began under the instruction of King Frederick II. It served as the king’s royal hunting lodge, becoming the first castle to be built for recreational purposes.
A beautiful fountain named Neptune, after the sea god, was installed in front of the castle and symbolizes the country as a leading Nordic power in the 17th century. It was built in the 1600s and designed by Adrien de Vries.
More about the history of the palace complex here: Frederiksborg Castle (Wikipedia). Now, let me share some photos of the beautiful and elegant interior. Remember that the castle houses the Danish Museum of National History, so expect lots of paintings of monarchs and early Danish society. 🙂
The castle is not only known for its interior. It also boasts the Baroque Park, a beautiful garden with trees and shrubs arranged symmetrically and a cascading water fountain or falls. ❤
My sister and I really enjoyed the visit! Although it is 101% impossible in reality, I felt like a royalty at Frederiksborg. We even had the chance to wear costumes!
Frederiksborg is totally a must-see attraction in Denmark! I would love to visit it again one day. 🙂 It feels amazing that I managed to visit these magnificent castles in real life! Had never imagined it when I was younger. But yeah, keep dreaming! It may take a while, but things can happen and they usually happen for the better. This is all for now! More about my escapades in the next entries. #spreadlove
PinayOdyssey 
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