Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
terials, some speculate that it was a symbolic move in support of King Gustav
Vasa's Reformation, after the king broke with the pope in a Henry VIII-style
power struggle.
At the top of the stairs, go through the wooden door into the
Queen's
Suite.
The ornate Danish bed (captured from the Danes after a battle) is the
only surviving original piece of furniture in the castle. The faces decorating
the bed have had their noses chopped off, as superstitious castle-dwellers be-
lieved that potentially troublesome spirits settled in the noses. This bed could
easily be disassembled (“like an Ikea bed,” as my guide put it) and moved
from place to place—handy for medieval kings and queens, who were forever
traveling throughout their realm. Smaller servants' quarters adjoin this room.
Proceed into the
Checkered Hall.
You'll see reconstructions of a king's
coronation robe and a queen's royal dress. Examine the incredibly detailed
inlaid wall panels, which make use of 17 different types of wood—each a
slightly different hue. The room has an unmistakably Renaissance aesthetic,
whichstrives toachieve symmetry andperspective. Doorhandles wereleft off
so as not to break up the harmony. (When the queen wanted to go into the next
room, she'd clap her hands to alert servants to open the doors for her.)
Speaking of which, continue into the
dining room
(a.k.a. Gray Hall, for
the frescoes of Samson and Delilah high on the wall). The table is set for an
Easter feast (based on a detailed account by a German visitor to one partic-
ular Easter meal held here). For this holiday feast, the whole family was in
town—including Gustav Vasa's two sons, Erik XIV and Johan III. The gi-
ant birds are for decoration, not for eating. Notice all the fish on the table.
Since Erik's wife Katarzyna Jagiellonka was a Polish Catholic (their marriage
united Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania into a grand empire), she was abstain-
ing from meat during this holy time. Forks (which resembled the devil's pitch-
fork) were not used—just spoons, knives, and hands. At the adjacent table,
peruse the dessert selection, with marzipan and expensive herbs and spices.
The door in the far corner with the sun above it leads to the
King's Cham-
ber.
Notice the elaborate lock on the door, installed by King Erik XIV because
of constant squabbles about succession. The hunting scenes inside have been
restored a bit too colorfully, but the picture of Hercules over the window is
original—likely painted by Erik himself. Examine more of those elaborate in-
