One thing I know for certain in this life is that the more I travel, the more aware I am that I actually know very little. I was reminded of this again when we were visiting Copenhagen last summer.
During our visit to Rosenborg Castle, I was embarrassed by my lack of knowledge about this country’s history, but this storybook castle delivered all the over-the-top opulence one would expect from a monarchy.
It was built in the early 1600s as a summer country home for King Christian IV – the longest reigning Danish monarch – however Rosenborg Castle is now state property, and has been open to the public since the mid-1800s.
In addition to all its visually stunning artwork and furnishings, there were a number of very interesting doors. Each one was quite intriguing, and my photos don’t do them any justice at all.
This double door captured my attention for its golden-red colour – like simulated fire – and the faded designs of what appear to be hunting scenes in the panels.
I assumed it was the style of the time, for all the doors had the same interesting hardware with the centre door-pull.
The simplicity of this heavy turquoise door looked amazing against the busy artistry of the room behind it.
I loved this arched shutter-style door. In addition to the same handle-pulls that the other doors had, I really liked the rounded door hinges where it fastened to the wall.
I enjoy a good trompe l’oeil and this fireplace delivered one with a painting of a entranceway leading into a garden … an unusual *door* in an unusual place.
The magnificent hardware in front of the fireplace wasn’t hard to look at either.
… and finally, what would a castle be without a throne room?
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature hosted by Norm Frampton at Norm 2.0. Please stop by and check out some of the other fabulous doors being offered.
The Danes definitely have their own style, don’t they? I love that they usually have cheese for breakfast.
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Wait. What? … doesn’t everyone?! 🙂
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[…] have featured Copenhagen in previous posts – like this one here. It’s a beautiful city to visit and easy to explore by bicycle – for those with […]
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Thanks for sharing a bit of Copenhagen; I’ve never been. Aren’t those doors divine?
400 years later they are still uniquely gorgeous!
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Thanks 🙂 I thought those doors looked rather unique and very appropriate for their surroundings.
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Is that place available for vacation rental?
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I’m not sure I would be happy about all the tourists stomping about the place while I was staying there though 😉
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But a night when the tourists are gone? How fun would it be to stay there and sit in the throne?
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That throne room was MASSIVE. There are endless possibilities for shenanigans in that room!! 🙂
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Wow! Opulence indeed! Though I have to admit, that is one of the coolest throne rooms I’ve ever seen. It would certainly make an impression. 🙂 I also love the element of “depth” on that turquoise door, with the etching of a room in the top half.
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Your eyes are better than mine! I had to go back and look at the photo again because I hadn’t been able to figure out what the sketch was about. Now that you mention it, it DOES look like a room!
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Haha, just the angle. 🙂 I could see the columns and trim at the tops. It’s in keeping with that later photo of the painted room, too!
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Wow – amazing attention to detail!!
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I get it from going cross-eyed at copy-editing, haha. I have to be able to scan 300 pages or so quickly, looking for missing commas, extra spaces, etc. 😛
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I loved the super selection of castle doors, Joanne. Each one you pointed out interesting features and hardware. I liked the “framed” by fireplace, artistic trompe l’oeil. The turquoise and burning flames doors were also outstanding door exampkes! Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Today it was windy but in the 50’s and got to 60 degrees at one point!
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Thank you. There was so much to see and explore in this castle. I could have gone back every day for a week!
The warm temperatures has reached us overnight and it’s going to be a glorious day. Hope you have a great weekend 🙂
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It was 60 degrees yesterday, but today not as windy and equally warm. Smiling at your castle exploration, maybe getting lost in a castle could be on your bucket list, Joanne.
Your photos could have been spread over the next four Thursday’s Door posts. Hugs, Robin
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haha! Thanks Robin, I guess I’m more of a *big bang* kind of person 😉
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These are stunning shots Joanne! I love the way you’ve framed the close-ups. 🙂
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Thanks Terry 🙂
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You’re welcome!
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You have floored me with your doors and I am bouncing off the walls with pleasure. I am so filled with joy I shall float to the ceiling and shout your wonders from the rooftops.
Sorry, I was overcome with an architectural urge by such wonders. Fab photos, Joanne. I do love that hinged door. As in hinged in the middle. Rather than hinged at the side. Like all doors. (I think I need coffee…..)
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I think you may have had too much coffee. Step away from the mug … now 🙂
Isn’t a wonderful castle? I want one.
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I’m feeling a bit unhinged today. Thank goodness for a dose of doors.
You take Rosenborg, I’ll take Pena Palace and we’ll meet in a castle somewhere on the Rhine River for holidays.
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Sounds like a great plan! I’ll bring the wine – lots of it.
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I wouldn’t want to live there, but I certainly enjoyed the visit. The shutter-door is my favorite.
janet
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I love that shutter door too 🙂
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My favorite is the turqouise door. Simply beautiful. I would invite that into my own home. Excellent work with the photos, Joanne!
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Thanks MJ. I think I could make that door happy in my home too 🙂
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I think you’ve just taken the Door post to another level completely. I absolutely love the turquoise door, and the photo itself, with the room in the background. And those round hinges on the round-top door!!! All lovely. You were in Copenhagen??? Who’d a thunk.
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Thanks BF! Your photos are always so amazing that a compliment like this from you is really high praise!!
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No pix of the current Prince Christian? Or how about the dishy Frederick? Or maybe you were too enamoured by those beautiful doors and fireplace things to notice if they were there? Oh, Denmark is one of my favourite monarchies…I think you’d enjoy learning some history from this country. Maybe I should send you a book to read on your plane ride for your trip this summer….???
Gorgeous shots, Joanne.
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You’re an aficionado of Danish history?!! I would never have guessed. You are full of surprises Ms Torrie! 🙂
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Don’t forget Our Mary. 🙂
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Oh, I would never forget Mary! Love her!
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ok – I’m baffled and I suspect I’m going to regret this question, but …. who’s Mary?
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OMG. Joanne, I am definitely buying you a book! Mary, a young, beautiful, intelligent Aussie girl who married Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark. A beautiful person, married to a future King and mother of the 10-year-old future king…and a few more.
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ok – it sounds like my education is about to be expanded! 🙂
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Fabulous doors! We commoners just don’t know how to live.
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I suspect you’re right. If I suddenly came into a great deal of money, I doubt I would know how to go over-the-top extravagant.
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What a great collection. I love the split arched door.
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Thanks Dan 🙂
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So much to see there. Fabulous photos.
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There really was SO. MUCH. It was the kind of place you could spend days exploring all the details 🙂
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Travel is certainly the best teacher.
Love the green door, but living amongst all that ornateness would make my head spin. 😄
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I agree with you. I’m very much a pared down, no-fluffy-stuff kind of decorator 🙂
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Fascinating collection of doors 🙂
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thanks! It was a fascinating place to visit 🙂
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Diverse doors for the challenge, Joanne. Love all your photos. ❤ ❤
The turquoise door has me stumped in such opulence, the only door which seems it doesn't belong. Could be just me.
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Thanks Tess. It was a lovely place full of inspiration 🙂
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I’d love to find myself in a place like that. W-o-w.
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I think you’d be walking away with a million stories on your head competing for attention 🙂
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But, I want to live there!! Can I please just live there??
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I’m sure I have the keys around here somewhere. We can treat it like a timeshare 😉
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Okay, I’ll take it as a timeshare…if nothing else..
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So true Joanne, the opportunity to travel reminds us of how vast our planet is & how many incredible places there are to see! Love the turquoise door, just gorgeous!
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There are so many incredible places to see and things to learn. I hope I never grow tired of it!!
That turquoise door was so unusual relative to everything else in the castle. I wonder when it was given that colour … it didn’t look recent.
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Really stunning collection. That door DOES look like fire — incredible! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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If you’ve seen The Hunger Games movie, this door reminded me of Catniss’ dress at the beginning of the tournament when it was made to look like it was on fire.
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Yes!
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It’s funny how we perceive things sometimes. I have very little knowledge of the history of the region and was totally taken aback by the level of opulence in these pics.
My first thought: “Flashy displays of wealth – gee that’s not very Scandinavian of them”.
Thanks for sharing these 🙂
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Thanks for the laugh!! *not very Scandinavian of them* 😀
The one thing I am learning is that all these royal families are related as they intermarried. I’m discovering that I have a bit of a chip of my shoulder whenever I leave a tour like this. I find these conspicuous displays of wealth is extremely distasteful.
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I love old castles, the tell stories and let my imagination go wild. I have never been to Denmark, so I enjoyed this trip tremendously. I would like to have the old doors in my home, they are magnificent 🙂
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I admit my imagination runs wild too. I imagine living in a place like that and the people who walked in those rooms before me.
I would love to have a home where those doors would look appropriate!! 😉
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It’s very humbling this travel business. I spend a great deal of time in awe at all the learning involved.
Yes everyone needs a throne room complete with a lion. Wow what a place!
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There was just so much to see and explore in this castle, we really only scratched the surface. I’m sure one could spend days and weeks poking around looking at all the detail. Just the details on the thrones alone was intriguing … unfortunately roped off from curious people like me 😉
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How unreasonable to have those ropes up. 🙂
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I thought so!!
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Beautiful photos. I want a throne room (other than the one I already have).
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{laughing} … yes, my throne room isn’t quite as flashy. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t fit one of those lions into mine 😉
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We can’t know everything, huh 🙂 For fifty years of my life, Denmark was my neighbouring country, and I haven’t even been there [except Kastrup, the international airport]. Interesting photos of this beautiful castle.
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You’re right … we’ll never even begin to dent all there is to know and explore in this world.
A couple of years ago, it occurred to me that we travel extensively around the world, yet I rarely explore my own city. There were numerous places that tourists come to visit every year, yet I had never been. I’m slowly starting to correct that. It’s sad that we tend to ignore that which is close to us.
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Yes, even my tiny hometown … the times I’ve been back now, these last years, I’ve explored it like a tourist! Not to mention my own country!
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I really enjoy being a tourist in my own city. I always find something interesting AND I get to go home and sleep in my own bed 🙂
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… and that’s a BIG bonus! 🙂 You have a big city to explore. Saint John is small, but it’s a gem 🙂
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