Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the wax casts aren't here, they're likely out in the corridor.) The chair (pos-
sibly gone for restoration) is a forerunner of the whoopee cushion. When you
sat on it, metal cuffs pinned your arms down, allowing the prankster to pour
water down the back of the chair (see hole)—making you “wet your pants.”
When you stood up, the chair made embarrassing tooting sounds.
The
MarbleRoom
(whichmaybeclosedforrestoration)hasaparticularly
impressive inlaid marble floor. Imagine the king meeting emissaries here
in the center, with the emblems of Norway (right), Denmark (center), and
Sweden (left) behind him.
The end room, called the
King's Chamber,
was used by Christian's first
mistress. You might want to shield children from the sexually explicit art in
the case next to the door you just passed. Notice the tamer ceiling painting,
with an orchestra looking down on you as they play.
The long
stone passage
leading to the staircase exhibits an intriguing
painting (by the door to the King's Chamber) showing the crowds at the
coronation of Christian's son, Frederick III. After Christian's death, a
weakened Denmark was invaded, occupied, and humiliated by Sweden
(Treaty of Roskilde, 1658). Copenhagen alone held out through the long
winter of 1658-1659 (the Siege of Copenhagen), and Sweden eventually had
to withdraw from the country. During the siege, Frederick III distinguished
himself with his bravery. He seized upon the resulting surge of popularity as
his chance to be anointed an absolute, divinely ordained monarch (1660). This
painting marks that event—study it closely for slice-of-life details. Next, near
