Romantic Egeskov Slot is a living castle with fun park for families, museums, and beautiful gardens located on the island Funen near Odense in Denmark.

1. Egeskov Slot Camping Reservations
2. Egeskov Slot Camping Trailer
3. Egeskov Slot Camping Chair
4. Egeskov Slot Campingplads
5. Egeskov Slot Camping Games

Renaissance Egeskov Slot is an impossibly romantic moated castle with one of the most beautiful gardens in Denmark. It is a truly family-friendly destination with a very large fun park, a variety of play areas, a treetop walk, maze and old-fashioned games. The still inhabited castle is open to visitors, as are a variety of easy to enjoy exhibitions and museums. Picnicking is actively encouraged. Egeskov Castle is on the island Funen (Fyn) near Odense and one of the top destinations to visit in Denmark.

• At Egeskov, we do our best to offer just the right food offer to everyone in the family. Enjoy your food in the garden Whether you buy food at the kiosks or bring your own picnic basket, it can be enjoyed in all the gardens of Egeskov.
• Hotels near Egeskov Castle: (9.86 mi) Stella Maris - Hotel de Luxe (9.35 mi) Best Western Plus Hotel Svendborg (9.95 mi) Hotel Christiansminde (9.61 mi) Hotel Aero (9.84 mi) Broholm Manor House; View all hotels near Egeskov Castle on Tripadvisor.
• Near Egeskov Slot there is also a FREE camping site with no typical camping facilities except toilets and bathrooms for which you have to pay extra. There is a 2-day stay limit, and only tents are accepted so it’s really basic.
• Romantic Egeskov Slot is a living castle with fun park for families, museums, and beautiful gardens located on the island Funen near Odense in Denmark. Renaissance Egeskov Slot is an impossibly romantic moated castle with one of the most beautiful gardens in Denmark.

Egeskov Castle in Denmark

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The Egeskov Castle is a beautiful Danish Renaissance castle surrounded by a wet moat. It is at the heart of a 20 ha park that is part of a much bigger 1150 ha commercial farm.

The whole Egeskov Slot complex is a very popular day-trip and excursion destination in Denmark. A visit to Egeskov Castle includes:

• Egeskov Castle – seeing the interior of the magnificent still inhabited moated Renaissance Castle.
• The Castle Park – a variety of formal gardens.
• The Exhibitions – an eclectic collection of museums covering anything from antique cars to fashion.
• The Play Forrest – a fun play park with maze and tree top walking course.

Egeskov Slot Camping Reservations

Renaissance Egeskov Castle near Odense in Denmark

Impossibly romantic Renaissance Egeskov Slot was completed in 1554 but somewhat altered in the 19th century. The castle is surrounded by a wet moat and built on oak piles. The castle is still inhabited by the count of Ahlenfeldt-Laurvig-Bille but much of it is open to visitors.

Egeskov is Danish for “oak wood” as it is claimed an entire oak forest was felled for its construction. Such Renaissance buildings destroyed the forests of Fyn, which resulted in a loss in topsoil that took centuries to recover. In this the Renaissance nobles were in good company – it is claimed that half the oak forests on Zealand was felled to build the Viking ring fortress at Trelleborg.

Admission to the castle is via the Gate House rather than the off-limits draw bridge. It was only added in 1880 but looks the part. It currently has an exhibition of mostly 19th century fashion although the price item is part of an older costume that belonged to ill-fated French queen Marie Antoinette.

The interior of the castle has a lovely live-in feeling that often is missing in many other palaces open to visitors. Around 15 of the 66 rooms are seen including the typical range of hunting room, formal reception rooms and a few bedrooms. The castle is seen without a guided tour.

Casually blended in with the other furniture and trinkets are some real treasures and interesting curiosities too. The impala horns are a record 90 cm, some of the small San arrows are still poisonous and Denmark’s oldest longbow is on display. Some of the porcelain is Meissen, some of the chairs Chippendale.

A highlight is the world’s largest dollhouse – Titania’s Palace. It was completed in 1907 after 15 years of work and has around 3,000 items. It is on loan from the LEGO Fund but fits beautifully in this castle. Nearby are some Hans Christian Anderson paper cutouts – Egeskov Castle is one of few country manor houses in Denmark where he never slept. HCA, as he is often referred to in Denmark, tried to visit twice but the count was out.

Don’t miss the loft Despite the up-and-downs and some low ceilings. The displays here include antique toys and old kitchen equipment, as well as a large collection of pottery and porcelain. Most famous in the loft is the wooden man – according to legend the castle would slip into the moat on Christmas Eve if he should ever be moved. He is duly fed every Advent when the Christmas decorations are put up.

Egeskov Castle Park

The Egeskov Slotspark (Castle Park) is amongst the most beautiful in Denmark and may be divided into around 20 separate gardens. This includes formal gardens on Renaissance and Baroque patterns but also more modern interpretations of structured gardens.

Close to the moat are the formal kitchen and dahlia (140 varieties) garden, with tulips (80 varieties) in spring, while a formal Renaissance garden faces Egeskov Castle’s original drawbridge entrance. The park is famous for its fuchsias – around 1,375 varieties are planted.

Some of the 12 km of hedges are 270 years old and reach a height of 8 meters. The old maze from 1730 still survives – partly due to it no longer being open to the public.

The modern Garden of Life with Caroline’s Garden is well worth visiting. In addition to the plants, visitors may play here with large open-air musical instruments.

The Exhibitions of Egeskov Castle

Egeskov Castle has a variety or exhibitions and museums as part of the visitors’ attractions. Many collections seem to be based on whatever a particular count fancied.

The displays are easy to enjoy, even on a quick stroll through although some items are very well described too for visitors with a keener interest. The classic cars, airplanes and motorbike collections are particularly extensive. Don’t miss the repository in the loft. Here the motto is pile them high and dust seldom.

Other displays include man and mechanics at the end of the 19th century, the development of the bicycle, historic shops and grocers. A separate museum houses the collection of historic and fairly modern rescue vehicles used by Falck – a Danish automobile and rescue service.

Even a quick walk through the exhibitions is fun. A longer stay with close-up look is very rewarding.

The Fun Park at Egeskov Castle

The Legeskov (play forest) at Egeskov Slot is famous in Denmark. Here the young, and not so young, may enjoy a large variety of games and activities.

A highlight is the tree top walk on a 100-m wooden, metal and rope walkway around 15 m above the ground. The walkway is safe but swaying.

The large maze is also fun with the labyrinth not that easy. Egeskov claims around 15-minutes are required to reach the center. (A further free maze is outside the park near the parking area.)

Great-grandfather’s playground has old-fashioned games, tug-of-war, stilts and soapbox cars. Nothing here requires electricity or electronics.

A very large play area has jungle forests and play pits for smaller children. The climbing net is at 11 m the biggest in Denmark. The large oak tree here is the only one surviving from the original construction period of Egeskov Castle.

Visitors Information for Egeskov Castle

Admission Tickets for Egeskov Castle

Admission to the park, exhibitions and castle is usually DKK190 for adults and DKK110 for children 4 to 12. During the high summer, there is an optional DKK30 surcharge to see the interior of the castle.

Admission tickets generally cover all activities except for the Segway course and horse carriage rides.

A season ticket is cheaper than two admission tickets.

Egeskov Slot Camping Trailer

Opening Hours of Egeskov Castle

Egeskov Castle is generally open daily from late April to late October from 10:00 to 17:00 (may close an hour or two later during summer).

Special openings are arranged with Christmas Market on some weekends in November and early December.

Open by Night – has events a few nights during summer.

Eating and Drinking at Egeskov Castle

The food options at Egeskov Slot are frankly not that inspiring. The kiosks offer the standard type of junk food while the more pricey Café Jomfru Rigborg offers better fare but it is sometimes closed.

A great option is to do as the Danes – take an own picnic. Picnicking is very popular in Denmark and actively encouraged at many sights including Egeskov Castle.

Transportation to Egeskov Castle in Denmark

Getting to Egeskov Castle, Egeskov Gade 18, 5772 Kværndrup, Denmark is easiest by car but public transportation is also available. It is also a very popular destination on cycling tours of Denmark.

Egeskov Castle is located in between Odense and Svendborg on the island Funen (Fyn). It is around 30 minutes drive from Odense or Nyborg and 20 minutes from Svenborg. From Copenhagen, it takes around 2 hours for the 160 km drive. Plenty of free parking is available.

Public transportation is a bit more cumbersome – check timetable at Resjeplanen.dk – use bus stop Egeskov Gade (Faaborg Midtfyn). At least hourly trains connecting Odense and Svendborg with two possible options:

• Kværndrup Station is the closest to the castle but it is a 3 km walk. Bus 920 does the journey in 2 minutes but it is badly coordinated with train arrivals and the waiting times may be nearly an hour. No taxis are available from this station.
• Alternatively, use a taxi from Ringe Station – order in advance from Palle’s Taxi – that costs around DKK170 each way.

From Nyborg (an hour) or Faaborg (25 minutes), use bus 920, stop Egeskov Gade (Faaborg Midtfyn).

Egeskov Castle is also a very popular stop on cycling tours of Denmark. A very basic camping site is available – free but tent only and maximum two nights.

Tripadvisor users generally rate Egeskov Castle very well.

Other Sights to See on Funen

It is of course possible to visit Egeskov Castle on a day trip from Copenhagen but few would regret staying a bit longer on Funen. Odense with the Hans Christian Andersen Museum is the largest city on Fyn but other major cities including Svenborg, Faabord and Nyborg also have castles and beautiful old town centers.

The Ladby Viking Ship Museum has the only Viking era ship grave in Denmark with the boat still in the original position. Also worth seeing if driving from / to Copenhagen is the Trelleborg Viking ring fortress on the island Zealand just across from the Storebælt toll bridge that is the highest physical point of Denmark.

Egeskov Castle (Danish: Egeskov Slot) is located near Kværndrup, in the south of the island of Funen, Denmark. The castle is Europe's best preserved Renaissancewater castle.

History[edit]

Egeskov was first mentioned in 1405.^[1] The castle structure was erected by Frands Brockenhuus in 1554.^[2][3]

Due to the troubles caused by the civil war known as the Count's Feud (Danish: Grevens fejde), general civil unrest, and a civil war introducing the Protestant Reformation, most Danish noblemen built their homes as fortifications. The castle is constructed on oakenpiles and located in a small lake with a maximum depth of 5 metres (16 ft). Originally, the only access was by means of a drawbridge. According to legend, it took an entire forest of oak trees to build the foundation, hence the name Egeskov (oak forest).

The estate has belonged to the Bille-Brahe family since 1784, when they acquired it from descendants of the Brockenhuus family. In 1882 it was inherited by the counts Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille who are still presently owning it.

Castle architecture[edit]

Outside, the castle is a Late Gothic building. Inside the original elements already show Renaissance design.

The castle consists of two long buildings connected by a thick double wall, allowing defenders to abandon one house and continue fighting from the other.^[4] The double wall is over one meter thick and contains secret staircases and a well. Defenders were able to attack an enemy's flanks from the two round corner towers. Other medieval defences include artillery ports, scalding holes and arrow slits. The bricks composing the castle are of an oversized medieval type sometimes called 'monks bricks'. The conical towers are constructed in a series of separate panels.

The architecture includes depressed and round-arched windows, round-arched blank arcading within the gables, and a double string course between the high cellar and the ground floor. The structure contains some of the early indoor plumbing design first used in Europe with vertical shafts for waste.^[5] The thick double wall also contains a water well which is accessed from the servants kitchen in the east house. Several of the large rooms have massive parallel exposed beams with some end carving.^[6]

Castle contents[edit]

Contents of the castle include a massive iron chest from at least as early as the 16th century, which derived from Hvedholm Castle, a property earlier owned by the Egeskov estate about twenty kilometers to the west.

Numerous oil paintings are found within the castle including a large painting in the great hall on the first floor of Niels Juel, who defeated the Swedish force in the Battle of Køge Bay in the year 1677.

Gardens and lands[edit]

Other buildings belonging to Egeskov include Ladegården, a thatchedhalf-timbered building which is now part of the museum. Other buildings are used by the museum and for farming. Surrounding the castle is an old park, covering 20 hectares (49 acres) of land. The park is divided into a number of gardens. The renaissance garden features fountains, a gravel path and topiary figures. The fuchsia garden, one of the largest in Europe, contains 104 different species. Other gardens near the castle include an English garden, a water garden, an herb garden, a vegetable garden, and a peasant's garden (bondehave). The gardens also feature four hedge mazes. The oldest is a beech maze several hundreds of years old. This garden is trimmed every year to prevent the trees from dying. The newest maze is the world's largest bamboo maze. It features a Chinese tower in the centre, and a bridge from the tower provides the exit from the maze. The parks feature a three-meter-tall sundial designed by Danish poet and mathematician, Piet Hein.^[7]

The estate includes an additional eight square kilometres; 2.5 square kilometres (0.97 sq mi) is forest, with the rest being farmland. In 1986, a full-sized replica of the castle was built in Hokkaidō, Japan, to hold an aquarium. This was constructed with the permission of the Egeskov's owners at the time, Count Claus and Countess Louisa Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.

Museums[edit]

Egeskov is home to the following museums.

• A vintage automobile collection
• A vintage motorcycle collection
• A collection describing the history of agriculture
• A collection of flying vehicles
• A collection of Falck and other emergency vehicles

Egeskov Slot Camping Chair

Most of the castle is open to the public, except for the areas used by CountMichael and Countess Caroline Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille. The museum of agriculture and the horse wagon collection is located in the building Ladegård mentioned previously.

Three large modern buildings are occupied by the vintage automobile collection, the vintage motorcycle collection, the Falck collection, and by a collection of airplanes and helicopters. The Falck collection is a collection of vehicles from the Danish rescue company, Falck, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, rescue boats, and other assorted emergency vehicles.

List of owners[edit]

Gallery[edit]

• Exterior view

• Exterior view

• Exterior view

• Exterior view

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Egeskov'. Den Store Danske (in Danish). Retrieved 18 June 2014.
2. ^'Egeskovs historie' (in Danish). Egeskov. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
3. ^'Funen.' Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 30 July 2006
4. ^Verner Rasmussen, Egeskov, prepared for the Egeskov Estate, 2003 reprinting
5. ^C.M. Hogan, Design of Egeskov Castle, Lumina Technologies, Santa Rosa. July 22, 2005
6. ^'Castle'. Egeskov. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
7. ^'All Gardens'. Egeskov. Retrieved 18 June 2014.

Literature[edit]

Egeskov Slot Campingplads

• Lassen, Erik; Espen-Hansen, Inge (1982) [1963]. Egeskov: The History of the Estate : the Architecture of the Building : Egeskov Park and Gardens. Egeskov.

Egeskov Slot Camping Games

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 55°10′35″N10°29′22″E / 55.17639°N 10.48944°E