Bodil, another of Charlotte's cousins, took us to visit Frederiksborg, a castle complex built for the most part in the 17th century. It served as the palace for Danish kings until plague, fire and "rampaging Swedes" moved the seat of power to another site, Fredensborg which is still in use by the royal family. Frederiksborg was restored in the past century with funds provided by the head of Carlsborg beer (ahhh, the importance of breweries in Denmark stretches far) and then it became a museum of national history.
The architecture and the art are stunning and overwhelming. But the experience provides a sense of the historical continuity that Danes must possess. The monarchy stretches back to the 10th century and, in spite of wars and the country's small size, it has survived and prospered, defining its own place in the world. The churches, the museums, the castles and the present monarch herself, Queen Margrethe, all symbolize but are also in and of themselves the continuity that forms this nation. And portraits of the Queen on the castle's third level provide a visual link between past and present...just as her children and grandchildren point to the future of the state.
