The Castles of Denmark

Question

by Donna O’Meara
 

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        Denmark has more than 600 castles. For centuries, only the royal family and their guests occupied Denmark’s castles. In the last century, about 200 of these castles have been turned into public museums and hotels. Even some of the royal palaces opened their wrought-iron gates for visitors.

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        Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, north of Copenhagen, was an important castle in the 16th century. Kronborg was used in the 1500s for collecting taxes from ships sailing through the Øresund1 waterway between Denmark and Sweden to the open Baltic Sea. As ships passed, they would salute the great castle by firing their cannons. In the 13th century, Kronborg was the celebrated home of Prince Hamlet, on whom William Shakespeare based his famous play.

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        Today, the Kronborg Castle is a national and historical monument. The castle and even its dungeons are open to the public. Like the pyramids in Egypt and other famous sites, it is officially registered on UNESCO’s list as a World Heritage Site, ensuring it will be preserved and open to the public well into the future.

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        Frederiksborg Castle has been called the Versailles2 of Denmark. In 1599, King Christian IV began building Frederiksborg Castle in North Zealand, and it took sixteen years for the castle to be completed. For protection from invaders, the castle was built in three stages on each of three small islands with narrow waterways connecting the buildings.

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        In 1859, a huge fire destroyed much of the castle. It was restored by private funds and turned into a national museum that opened to the public in 1885. Today, it houses the Danish National Historical Museum and the Danish National Portrait Gallery. The paintings depict members of royal Danish ancestry all the way back to the 16th century. If you visit Denmark today, you’ll find that Frederiksborg Castle is open for visitors.

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        Hvedholm Castle sits in the Danish town of Faaborg. With more than 54,000 square feet, it is one of the largest castles in Denmark, and it also dates back to the 1500s. Hans Christian Andersen mentions specific trees at this castle in some of his fairy tales. Through the centuries, this castle has only been owned by one family and handed down through the generations. In 1880, the castle was completely refurbished by a count; today, it is open to the public for gourmet dinners, weddings, banquets, and conferences.

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        Amalienborg Palace has been the home of the Danish royal family since 1794. It is named after Queen Amalie. The current reigning monarchy, including Queen Margrethe II, Royal Consort Prince Henrik, and Crown Prince Frederik, reside at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen during the winter. When the queen is in residence, a special swallow-tail flag is flown to honor her presence.

   

1Øresund: pronounced “Uresund”
2Versailles: a luxurious royal palace in France

From “Only In … Denmark” by Donna O’Meara, Faces, January 31, 2005

   
How are Kronborg Castle and Frederiksborg Castle similar?

A.
Both were built near North Zealand.

B.
Both are open to the public.

C.
Both were built in the 1500s.

D.
Both are now World Heritage Sites.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

B. Both are open to the public.

Kronborg Castle is open to the public as a national and historical monument, and Frederiksborg Castle is a national museum that is also open for visitors. The other options are not correct: Kronborg Castle is in Elsinore, while Frederiksborg Castle is in North Zealand; only Kronborg was built in the 1500s; and only Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whereas Frederiksborg is not mentioned as such in the text.