A stage for the king: the travels of Christian IV of Denmark and the building of Frederiksborg Castle

Abstract

Frederiksborg Castle, one of Northern Europe's most magnificent seventeenth-century palaces, was devastated by fire in 1859. Despite large-scale renovation, Frederiksborg's numerous freestanding sculptures and reliefs were never fully restored. This book focuses on the architectural impact on Frederiksborg Castle of royal visits to Dresden in Germany and to Elizabethan Theobalds near London and aims to recreate an idea of how the palace presented itself to visitors at its pre-fire peak, using over a hundred photos and illustrations to show that the complex sculptural programs were a crucial organizing principle for the grounds and facades.